My Winter Bucket List…

Today is the solstice – so to mark the occasion I’m linking up with a lovely group of bloggers – at the instigation of Once Upon A Time & Happily Ever After – to post a summer bucket list – or is it just a to-do list…or a want to do list?

Nevertheless, I’m in – and here’s mine. Oh wait…there’s one teeny little problem – I’m in Australia and it’s winter here, so mine will be a Winter inspiration list…although the winter here seems a tad like summer in other places…just saying… The photo above was taken at our local beach on June 1 – the official start of winter.

Where I live – the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland – winters are short and mild, and summers long and hot. This is the first winter we’ll be spending here on the Coast, and the locals tell me that now, ie off-season, is the best time to do anything – the weather is perfect and you can get a carpark. Once the summer people come it’s apparently bedlam.

As a result, I’m planning more outdoor activities than would usually make it onto a winter must-do list. Here are 10 of them:

  1. Check out the markets…

We’re regulars at the local farmer’s markets, but there are some fabulous maker markets that I’m hanging to check out – Peregian Beach Markets and Mooloolaba Collective Markets for starters.

  1. Attend a Writer’s Conference…

The Romance Writer’s Conference is on in Brisbane in August and not only am I going, but I’m presenting – which just happens to be a tick in my lifetime bucket list.

I’m also off to a session at the Maleny Celebration of Books in July. I’m excited about the event, but I’m more excited about meeting a long time social media friend in real life.

  1. Enter a fun run/walk event…

That would be the Bridge to Brisbane at the end of August. It’s 10kms and I’ll be walking it – again with a friend.

  1. Impromptu barbecue on the beach…

Off-season, ie now, is the best time to be looking at barbecues on the beach – for breakfast, dinner, whatever. A few sausages, some bread rolls and a few beers or a bottle of wine. Yeah, baby!

  1. Complete the Caloundra to Point Cartwright section of the Coastal Walkway…

I think it’s about 10kms, but I’m keen to conquer this before it gets too hot to do so.

  1. Walk some of the tracks in Noosa National Park…

Still on walks, I want to do at least some of the tracks through Noosa National Park during the off-season.

  1. Visit Buderim Falls…

So close to home, yet so far I haven’t been. I will this winter.

  1. Enrol in a belly dancing class…

I last tied on a coin belt when I was 10 years younger and 15kgs lighter. I know that I’ll be the oldest – and the fattest – person in class, but hey, no one knows me…and who cares anyway? It’s something, though that I have Callie – the protagonist in my new novel – trying, so I think it’s only fair that I do too.

  1. Enrol in a yoga class…

I used to be super flexible, and yet these days – after a few years of chronic back issues and way too much tummy up front – I have limited movement in my knees and back. Belly dancing should help – so will yoga. Again, though, it’s been a lot of years and too many kilos since I last did the downward dog thing, but my long term health and movement depends on it.

  1. Leave town…

Winter wouldn’t be winter without a cold snap that needs beanies and scarves. Winter also wouldn’t be winter without a trip to Melbourne. I’m calling it a research trip for my new book, but whatever the excuse, winter in Melbourne is a must.

What about you? What do you love doing in winter?

Check out some of the other lists in the link…or why not pop up your own? (Note, the link will go live on the 21st US time…ie 5pm EST)

Author: Jo

Author, baker, sunrise chaser

33 thoughts

  1. Lovely bucket list Jo, I’m joining in too if I get my act together. Your winter sounds very much different to mine despite us both being in the same country!! Enjoy all your activities.

    1. I have fond memories of winter in your part of the country – I can still smell the woodsmoke & see it hanging in the air…& there’s nothing like the sound of a magpie on one of this cold, blue & frosty mornings.

  2. Yoga on the beach sounds like the best thing one can opt for. Happy winter to you.

    For us it is a tedious journey of 5 more months and the southern part of India mostly can be managed with one layer of thin blanket. I envy you!

    1. Oh, that’s tough. We have an average winter temp of around 19C, but the nights are beautiful.

  3. Love how many active items you listed – Hiking, belly dancing, yoga? You sound like you are my kind of gal!

  6. Hello Jo from Toronto, Canada. Great list, and belly dance away like no one is watching 🙂 Our winter is a lot colder than yours but fortunately we have many sunny days.

    1. Hi there (waving). I have a friend in Toronto & her winter pics are fabulous – those cold bright blue days must be something to see.

  7. What lovely healthy plans you have! Since I’m new to your blog, it sounds as if you are new to your town. Where are you from originally?

    1. We have recently moved – a sea-change from Sydney. It’s sort of an early retirement, but without the retirement bit…& it’s the best thing we’ve done in years!…although I miss family & friends back in Sydney like mad.

  8. I am so tickled that you gals in Australia joined our summer bucket list posts with your winter lists. Are your walks like hikes…long walks with boots and walking sticks? I am hopeful we can get back to hiking this fall.
    Love the idea of a BBQ on the beach. And impromptu get-togethers always seem better to me. My PC wants to have his baseball team over for a cookout but I want it to be very casual. The other wives like to plan everything to a fault, including having a cookout theme! Yikes!
    My ex-mother-in-law signed me up for belly dancing lessons. It has been almost 40 years since I danced!! I have much more tummy and everything else now than I did then. Would probably need two belts tied together.
    Looking forward to following your progress on this winter inspiration list!

    1. I love the whole no planning thing – so much fun. Some of our walks are on boardwalk, & some are on track – so off-road like hikes. Just getting into nature is so therapeutic, isn’t it?

  9. I loved reading your list, Joanne. A visit to Australia is on my lifetime bucket list. I live in Utah, where the winters are cold and snowy. We have beautiful mountains, but no ocean beaches. Congratulations on the opportunity to present at a writer’s conference–impressive!

    ~Christie

    1. We’re so far away for you guys, but so worth the visit. I’d love to see the mountains & the wide open spaces of your country.

  10. Oh I love your list Jo and I will be stealing some. That walk from Caloundra to Point Cartwight sounds interesting and also the markets. I’ve yet to get to the Eumundi markets which are supposed to be really good. Belly-dancing sounds a fun way to keep fit as well. Enjoyed your post and we are certainly lucky where we live – aren’t we? Winter is gorgeous.
    Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond

    1. Eumundi is fabulous – make sure you go for breakfast. We certainly do live in a fabulous part of the world.

  11. Oh, I like your list and I’m doing a few of them too. (And I’m your social media friend!!!)

    The Romance Writers’ thing AND the walk are on my bucket list. Even though I’m doing my steps I’ve not actually walked 10km at once so I think that might be more challenging than I expect.

    As for winter – I prefer the beach in winter, but I mostly love flannelette PJs and red wine (well, I like that any time). I once used to love steak and mashed potato in winter as well but I haven’t made much of an effort on that front lately.

    1. I don’t do flanny jammies, but ugg boots & red wine…obviously with other clothes…but you get the idea…

  12. Beach weather in winter! Sounds perfect! What great temperatures to go for a run or do some hiking. Our winters are pretty much spent dodging snowstorms. But by winter we’re ready to hunker down so I guess we look forward to it.

    Love to read a list from the other side of the world…it

    2. That’s the great thing about blogging – meeting people from the other side of the world. Our winter temps average between 18-20C & the ocean temp is much the same.

  13. What a fun list! I enjoy being outside when it’s not too hot or crowded! Sounds like this is the perfect time of year for you! I live in HOT Savannah, Georgia. My DH and I are headed to the mountains of Tennessee soon to look for cooler temps!

    1. I’ve heard that the summers down south can be brutal. The mountains, though, sound glorious.

  14. Belly dancing sounds fun! I have started doing a Yoga tape, I could definitely work on my flexibility! My daughter is in dance and it is just amazing to see how flexible she is (compared to me! ha!). The markets and beach BBQ’s sound lovely, too!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

  15. Pingback: That’s a Wrap…and a curly endive salad – with added cane toad…

Comments are closed.