Slow January

January is a slow, nothing happening sort of month. After the rush of things to be done in the lead up to Christmas, and the bustle of visitors, there's an emptiness to the start of the year. There's no pressing hurry for anything to be done, in the garden or around the house, so for me, with no return to work or school vibes around, it drifts in laziness and apathy. 

The month got off to a particularly slow start with a lingering cold (tested several times just to be sure it wasn't anything more, because that's what we do these days), but I'm now trying to embrace this quiet time; to approach it with mindfulness not waste it in idleness.

I'm taking inspiration from various sources. Firstly a subscription which I won to Mud and Bloom children's natural activity boxes. Admittedly this is really for my grandson, but planting bulbs, making art and decorations with pine cone and twigs, and generally paying attention to the natural world are things we can do no matter what our age. 

So I pottered outside to see my Christmas roses flowering (a little late), set some sweet peas and pansies, and along with my groceries I bought a pot of mini-daffodils which are now brightening up my kitchen windowsill. And when I can find some alder cones, I'm going to make some bees like those featured in the 'January' box, probably for Easter decorations.

Second, is a publication with a very similar ethos, but aimed at adults - the Simple Things magazine. I've been considering a subscription for a while but with a New Year offer decided to treat myself. The actual magazines haven't begun to arrive yet but an anthology (or compendium/compilation/call it what you will) of previous articles has. It takes the reader on a journey through the year with seasonal things to do, cook, grow, plus a range of loosely related articles. 

Copying an idea from the winter section, I retrieved some sprigs of fir from the Christmas tree, an old hessian bathsalts bag, and made a pine (with lingering lavender) -scented drawer sachet. 

Following with the idea of slow, simple, but great tasting food, I've started a new sourdough - which has already led to homemade naan, focaccia, and cinnamon apple rolls, and hopefully sometime soon there'll actually be bread!

Taking part in Veganuary also helps me think about what I eat, instead of just filling myself with junk food. So, although some days I've gone for 'vegan alternatives like fish-less fingers, most evenings I make something from scratch - curries, chillies, stir fries - trying to use last summer's homegrown veg - so many runner beans and tomatoes in the freezer, and several pumpkins, including these huge moscade de Provence with amazing orange flesh. 

Although coughing and sneezing has kept me at home, I've tried to spent at least a few quiet minutes outside each day watching the sun set or spying the full Wolf moon hiding among the birch branches. 

I'm now starting to feel ready to take on the New Year, with plans hatching for busier warmer days ahead.

Better Late Than Never - New Year's Resolutions

I know I'm late in setting my New Year resolutions but things have been hectic here and, anyway, resolutions are for ALL year, not just the first week of January. Now though, my teen is back at uni, things have settled down a bit and it's time to get this New Year on the road.

So many resolutions start with losing weight and/or getting fit but while neither would be bad for me these aren't my main concerns. I have a feeling that my life has become too cluttered, that I flit like a butterfly from one thing to another without settling on anything for very long, being busy all the time without having anything to show for it, or to have time to sit quietly, reflect on the day or observe what happening outside my window.  It's time for some de-cluttering and to slow down and concentrate more. Some things I'll do less, some I hope to do more of.....

Lets start with the 'less' -

Physical de-cluttering - really this speaks for itself. The spare room is absolutely FULL of 'stuff'! Old clothes that I think can be re-worked into a new garment, abandoned projects waiting too long to be picked up again and lots that really just ought to go to a charity shop. I need to be more ruthless, to sort through it all, get rid of the rubbish but also make time and finish all those things I've started.

 Social media - I think I waste too much time chatting here and there, clicking on links, scrolling through news articles, so some of it needs to go. I'm never going to cut it out completely but I might be around less.

 Alongside that - stop clicking the RT button for EVERY competition I see. It's so tempting when you see the magic message, and too often I've re-tweeted or shared a page - and won something I didn't really want (and yes, which adds to that spare room clutter) It's time for someone else to feel lucky.

 Cutting back on book reading and reviews - I love reading and certainly won't stop but, a bit like "RT to win", I'm guilty of wanting to read EVERY book I hear mentioned on twitter or through press releases, and I end up with a massive 'to be read' pile. This year I'm going to be more selective, I hope.


And for 'more' -

 Get up earlier, or at least at a regular time - with no work to go out to, no children to bundle off to school, the morning can start as late and as lazily as I like....and half the day's gone! Time to go back to setting the alarm clock, and gain a couple of hours.

Get a life - for too long, I've existed as an extension of my children - picking up on their latest crazes, listening to their music, watching TV alongside them. Now the youngest has left for university I need to find a life that's my own. I've already joined a local book club but I also want to go out more to the theatre and to music gigs, and if possible find something totally new to try. Sort of in conjunction with this, my teen is setting me a series of challenges, I think of the 'go out and say Hi to three random people' style but I haven't seen them yet, though I'll share them when I do.


Get out more - I used to spend much more time outdoors, not doing anything in particular but pottering round the garden, watching the grass grow, walking round our local nature reserve wood, even taking knitting and sewing outside when the weather was good. I want to get back into this habit maybe spending half an hour each day outside, preferably doing very little other than looking at things, and observing what's going on (and it sounds a bit like 'mindfulness' but I don't care!)

Blog more - a bit contradictory perhaps, but it's a way of thinking about the day or events, much like keeping a diary, and not letting life just drift past.

Keeping track of how I do....

One month
Three months on