How to Enjoy Your Backyard in Winter
If outside air temps have kept you inside most of the winter, you’ll be happy to note that spring weather is just around the corner. Soon those 50-degree days will make us want to pull the covers off the patio furniture and enjoy life on the deck! But it’s still a little chilly, so here are a few tips about using your backyard during winter climes!
Blankets and Warmer Uppers
To make things more hospitable, consider setting up a patio heater, outdoor fireplace, or fire pit. These new sources of warmth are more affordable than ever before, and you can pass around the blankets and hot chocolate for meaningful outdoor time with family and friends.
This heated blanket is perfect for bundling up outside on your patio furniture. Just plug it in and use the attached remote to control the heat. The blanket is two-sided — one flannel and one “sherpa shu velveteen”, which is super cozy and just the thing for cool spring nights.
And, there’s an auto-shutoff feature that kicks in after three hours. Or if you want a head-to-toe, all-over blanket , wiggle into this long (to your ankles) sweatshirt – with a stitched-on hand warmer!
And as for patio heaters, you can score a stand-alone model right now at Home Depot, (about 10 minutes from Colliers Hill, right off I-25 in Thornton) for about $200, a stainless steel electric heater for $500, or you can scale all the way up to a bronze Sorrento cantilevered propane heater, that puts out a whopping 32,000 BTU for $1700!
Hot Tubbing in Winter
It’s easy to see why hot tubs are so popular. What better way to enjoy winter melting into spring than by relaxing in a hot tub with an iced beverage? You’ll want a cool one after you’ve been sitting in 100-degree hot water for a few minutes!
The one hot tub we found at Costco (also off I-25 in Thornton) was a five-person lounger for $7,000, although if you don’t mind ordering from photos – Wayfair has models starting from $1629 for a two-person, wood-fired tub and six person, 31-jet hot tubs with LED lights for $3,499. Lots of markdowns this month.
And if you want to explore adding an exercise factor into your backyard spa, the bigger swim spas produce a current you can swim against with plenty of room for aquatic exercise. Many swim spa models also offer hydrotherapy seating and jets, combining attributes of a hot tub and pool in one convenient unit, so you can relax after your workout!
For local shopping, check out Colorado Custom Spas for a variety of models and prices, including some discounted demos, or Wind River Spas with hot tubs from 60×84 inches to 92×92 inches.
Winter Outdoor Beverages
The best hot chocolate, according to Yummly, starts with whole milk and 8 ounces of chocolate, preferably 60 percent cacao. The secret might be in the addition of powdered sugar and vanilla extract – you decide! For a hot cocktail to enjoy outside as you chill in the chill, try one of these by Town & Country: Ancho Reyes Hot Chocolate with half-and-half, chocolate mix (recipe included) containing sugar and 100 percent cacao powder plus 1.25 ounces of Ancho Reyes original. You’ll also find a variety of Hot Toddy recipes made with whiskey, rum, gin, bourbon or cinnamon tequila.
For an iced adult beverage if you’re dipping in the hot tub some winter evening, check out the Classic Hurricane cocktail at Yummly or one of 20 more at Town & Country from the Lucky Few with Som Pineapple Szechuan Pepper and Rémy Martin, to the Winter Spiced Old Fashioned.
Chillin’ in Colliers Hill
The master-planned community of Colliers Hill features home designs from three builders – including thepaired offerings built by KB Home, and a variety of single family floor plans from Century Communities and Richmond American Homes. Life is better on the Hill, with fabulous area amenities and easy access to Denver, Boulder, and Ft. Collins. Check out the beautiful model homes and all the endless possibilities — from the high $300s.
