Things change.

When I was a kid I didn't like Brussels sprouts. Seeing these mini cabbages on my plate would trigger schemes for their disposal. Fortunately, there was a dog available.

Now I think roasted Brussels sprouts with butter and Romano cheese are delicious. The problem wasn't the sprouts, it was how they were prepared. Turns out, boiling them to mush is not the best way of cooking them. Sorry, mom!

I have found this applies to many different things. So, maybe your problem with winter is the recipe.

Not fast enough

Maybe you'd like winter to go by faster. This new year, if you have resolved to try something new, consider snowmobiling.

I didn't try snowmobiling until recently, then I wondered why I had waited so long. It combines the thrill of motorcycling with the ease of beautiful forest trails with no traffic. It is possibly the second-simplest thing to ride I have ever tried — and I've tried many things, including horses, motorcycles, and those pedal scooters. (I was really bad at scooters.)

This ease of use extends to the abundance of convivial places to congregate. One part of snowmobiling is going fast, and another part is knowing where to stop. Food and drink and company makes this an even more thrilling group activity.

With only a little more skill, skiing and snowboarding offer more nuanced thrills. Oak Mountain Ski Center has an excellent learning center for any age of beginner.

Don't worry about being that person in the group who just isn't sure about learning how. You can always change your mind, and decide to be the person who checks on the tastiness of the food and the warmth of the fireplace back at the lodge.

While I have many talents, I do lack coordination. And if I forget that, my friends are quick to exclaim, "Remember the scooter incident!" So when I say they are happy for us all to go tubing, that gives you an idea of just how easy tubing is.

If you can sit down and make happy noises, you are ready for tubing.

It is great fun, you go quite fast, and this is the simplest thing to ride I have ever tried.

Not slow enough

Maybe you'd like winter to go by at a slower pace. Keep in mind that if you are too cold, you are probably not dressed properly. Modern fabrics have made the layering process even easier and more comfortable than ever before.

Moving through a winter landscape under our own power also generates plenty of heat to stay warm. This is part of the attraction for slower forms of exploring a winter landscape, like cross-country skiing.

From a ski center with groomed trails, warming lodge, and hot food and drink to the pristine snow of the backcountry, there are many possible ways to set out on those bluebird days.

The skills required are not much more than snowshoeing, which is my favorite winter activity. With one you slide. With the other, you walk. Either way, our beautiful forest expanses are once again accessible for that wonderful communing with nature.

In the winter, the sky is even bluer, the forest is even quieter, and the trails even less traveled.

Or maybe you want winter to just come to a stop. Maybe you are ready for that ritual of sitting by a hole in the ice known as ice fishing.

Once the ice has thickened, the days turn sunny and warm. There's plenty of time for storytelling and heart-to-heart chats while waiting for that red flag to pop up.

Not tasty enough

There's another reason I am a fan of winter. It does fantastic things for our taste buds. If you have ever felt your appetite rising as the leaves fall, you have a hint of what a real Adirondack winter can do.

There's such a range of dining options because we know what those crisp skies and that crunchy snow does to our need for fuel, and how good that fuel tastes.

It's partly physical, since our bodies have spent the day keeping us warm. It's partly psychological, as we walk into a warm place after conquering one challenge or other with those close to us.

Now, it's time to feast.

If you are in the right place, with the right people, and doing the right things, winter can be a wonderfully warm season.

Snuggle up with our lodging. Suit up with our shopping. Find a fun event.