Karen Wils drawing A bird at the feeder.

ESCANABA — Wintery weather and social distancing can be a recipe for boring times.

As we slowly begin to pull out of the coronavirus pandemic and move to mid-winter doldrums, we might need a pick-me-up boost.

Put projects on your menu to help spice up what could be boring times.

Now is a good time to look at your “round-to-it,” list — you know, those fun basement jobs, shop projects or craft room ideas that you always meant to get around to doing.

Now is the time.

Start a project or finish a long forgotten one. The project can be as simple as doodling on scrap paper or as complex as building cabinets in your basement.

Working on something is good for your mental health and it whittles away the winter hours. Mid-winter is the perfect time to get a little artsy.

Whether you knit, sew, draw, paint or wood carve now is the time to get going on it.

Remember those cloth squares you were saving to make a quilt someday? Find them. Remember that picture frame you promised to make for your nephew? Get started on it.

A wonderful way to de-stress is by digging out those intricate adult coloring books and sharpens the colored pencils. A little background music and some herbal tea and you are in for a soothing time.

My dad was an artist when it came to wood working. His carpenter hands could bring out the beauty in bird’s eye maple, curly birch and knotty pine. He made things like cribbage boards, wooden handled fishing nets, hope chests, book shelves and cupboards.

Years ago, Dad would cut out many wooden projects for me to varnish or paint. They were often for gifts or prizes at our many family gathering.

Some of the art projects I like to do are sketching, wood carving, wood burning and rock painting. These past times are best enjoyed on a peaceful, snowy night when the entire house is asleep.

Art projects and crafts don’t have to be big or fancy to be fun and relaxing. Be creative. Gather what paints and markers, paper or cardboard you have. Use things from your recycle bin. Call the family together and make something.

We are very fortunate in our area to have the Bonifas Arts Center with their wide variety of art classes, some even on line.

Nature can be a good source of inspiration for art work. When the gentle snow covers the woodlands like a white lacy curtain it is worth taking a photograph of it.

When speckled woodpeckers and crimson cardinals visit your bird feeder it is fun to try to draw the beauty.

Start a project today. It will be time well spent.

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Karen (Rose) Wils is a lifelong north Escanaba resident. Her folksy columns appear weekly in Lifestyles.