What separates you from the outside? It can be daunting to muster up the fortitude to enjoy the great outdoors in the wintertime. But what if we take the time to appreciate the small wonders? The stark treescape from the back door as you take out the recycling or the plump squirrel resting on a fence post on your commute home. When we take time to appreciate the small intricacies that are woven together to make the “great outside”, we can hopefully feel a swell of gratitude for the coziness in our interior spaces and the wonders of the natural world.
If you are feeling pangs of cabin fever or desperately looking forward to spring, here are some free and inexpensive ideas to make winter in Madison more tolerable.
Madison Public Library Seed Library
The library just keeps getting cooler! There’s no limit to how many seeds you can take home with you and by participating in the seed library you are helping to create a culture of sharing, community and sustainability for your community and your garden.
Goodman South Library, Hawthorne Library, Lakeview Library, Meadowridge Library, Pinney Library, Sequoya Library
Wisconsin State Park System
Need I say more? Wisconsin boasts over sixty state parks that are available to explore year round. 2024 vehicle admission stickers are available now and are a good deal if you think you’ll make it out to visit a Wisconsin state park at least three times this year.
Orchid Escape
Looking for a burst of color? This annual orchid show is sure to delight with a thousand orchids in bloom inside Madison’s iconic botanical gardens. General admission is $8 and free for kids under 5 years and under.
January 27 through March 3
10am to 4pm
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
University of Wisconsin Geology Museum
This literal hidden gem located on the University of Wisconsin campus rocks for people of all ages. Explore Wisconsin’s deep geological history and see glowing minerals, fossil collections and much more. Admission is free!
Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
Saturday 9am to 1pm
1215 W. Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53715
