Thank you so much for all your kind words and good wishes for our new house. It's really generous and lovely of you and I do appreciate it. So far, progress on the house has mainly consisted of standing around in the house talking to each other, to electricians, to plumbers and to builders, all while wearing our thickest coats. We've yet to actually take our coats off in the house but today the boiler was switched on and we have heat! Yes, heat! From the radiators! A miracle. It feels wrong to be so cold inside a house. Outside, yes. But indoors? Wrong.
*
Anyway. I was going to call this post "January Survival Guide" but I thought that seemed pretty pointless, given that we're now in February. So a winter survival guide it is, which as you can guess is basically a chance for me to show you my last three photos from my January challenge as it would really annoy me if I showed you only twenty eight and not the full thirty one. I am tidy like that. And thank you for being so nice before and saying you weren't bored. I wasn't fishing for compliments, honest.
Here are the last three days, three photos of good things about January:
29/31: Winter maths: a glass of red + fire = cosy.
30/31: Bringing some seasonal greenery from the garden (ok, Mum's garden) into the house.
31/31: There was an hour more daylight on this day than there was a month ago. And that is worth celebrating.
And I do declare that the secret to getting through - no, enjoying - winter are the following ingredients:
Nice food. (January is so not the month for punitive health kicks, I've decided.)
And I do declare that the secret to getting through - no, enjoying - winter are the following ingredients:
Nice food. (January is so not the month for punitive health kicks, I've decided.)
Beautiful skies - notice the colour and light whenever you see it.
Comfort and cosiness indoors.
Fresh air and exercise outdoors.
And colour.
Truly, for the first time, I am learning to love these slow winter months. Usually, about now, I'm buying daffodils and tulips and sniffing the air for the signs of spring. But it's a long way off yet and I'm enjoying the extra minutes of daylight each day, the time to read and craft (there's been a lot of that lately - I've got a lot to show you!) and bake and think. And look at paint charts.
Oh, lovely, lovely photos as ever, Gilian! And great that you now have HEAT in your lovely new home! And yes, the days are getting longer again, the street lights didn't come on yesterday until 5.30 pm (I didn't notice the time today) and although it was cold today, the wind had dropped, and so it seemed just marginally warmer. Red wine or, in our case, hot chocolate by the fire is one of the joys of winter!
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
I am so glad to know that you are savoring winter this time around. I always do. In a harsh climate like this one, it's almost always either very hot or very cold. There isn't much in between. So it's very important to me that I find things to love at either extreme. I like the cold much better than the hot because I think there is more versatility, and I always try to pace myself in the winter and really enjoy everything it has to offer.
ReplyDeleteThese are all great ways to survive winter and I hope that you are enjoying it! xx
ReplyDeleteAll that beautiful winter light and gorgeous skies. I do so love winter. CJ xx
ReplyDeletelove the vase with the greenery in.
ReplyDeleteGreat survival guide Gillian. I really enjoy winter too especially this year with the lovely frosty weather. I found last winter difficult as it was so wet. It was almost impossible to get out and enjoy time outdoors. Hope you enjoy the rest of winter! Bee xx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photographs. Glad to hear you have heat in your new house, nothing worse than being cold indoors. Enjoy the rest of winter and I am looking forward to seeing more wintry photos. xx
ReplyDeleteHow wise you are. Now how can I remember all that on a pants grey day? Might tattoo it on my head. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteA new home...Hooray!!! I'm just getting caught up with your posts again :) I'm glad you are finding things to enjoy during this season. The weather folk report that we are getting another Pineapple Express, warm rain from the Hawaiian Islands, which will batter down the snow on Mt. Hood, much to the sadness of skiers. Good weather for staying inside to stitch and read, though, and I am enjoying both as you are :) xx
ReplyDeleteSo many beautiful things to look at in your post - you've certainly made the best of Winter. If I had to choose my favourites (it's difficult!) - the brie and cranberry chutney, the reflection in the puddle, the sea spray (I remember you said it had a name which I can't recall now - I'm going to have to look it up or it will annoy me!) and ALL of the skies (is that cheating?!). Hoping that February is just a beautiful for you. x
ReplyDeleteThe increase in daylight feels much more significant than only one hour, doesn't it? Here, it looks as if winter is now going to catch up with everything he didn't get round to back in December. It is biting cold now, and even if I have to wait only a few mintues for my train, I am half-frozen by the time I arrive at work. But there have been some blue patches of sky every now and then, and I know there will be more of the same!
ReplyDeleteAh Gillian what a lovely post! I've really enjoyed your winter survival round up, what fab images! Glad your boiler is warming your new house nicely, what an exciting time for you and your family! Have a super February day! Sam xxx
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful my friend. I think life is so much happier when we enjoy the moments we are living and appreciate them ...even if they are just different shades of grey... Things do look better when we decide to see the beauty in them. I love that you enjoyed January. Beautiful pictures my friend .
ReplyDeleteso very beautiful x
ReplyDeletesome deliciously heart warming photos to cheer me up in winter. I think we should try to celebrate all these positive moments in winter and savour the season a little.
ReplyDeletehttp://asaucystitch.blogspot.co.uk/
Hey Gillian,
ReplyDeleteI am addicted to paint charts, and yet my home is painted white throughout. I have enjoyed the extra daylight. It is glorious here today. Cold but sunny. Marc and I are off to walk Honey across Lelant beach in a mo. I love Fridays!
Have a lovely weekend.
Leanne xx
I absolutely love your V-Stitch Scarf. You've chosen some beautiful colours and they work so well together. I'd love to make something in this stitch myself, perhaps a V-Stitch blanket is in my future.
ReplyDeleteJanuary to me has gone in a flash. Already in the first week of February I have noticed the daylight hours are extending and they're very welcome too. You have such a lot of exciting plans to consider and paint charts and trial pots, are a woman's delight!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely exciting time for you, all that planning! Lovely photos as always x
ReplyDeleteThis post made me smile Gillian! Even though you don't even have a proper "Winter" (I didn't see any snow in those pictures!), your winter survival tips are the same ones I am enjoying here in a world of white snow. Lots of comfort food, getting outside and being active despite the cold, finding the beauty that this season has to offer, and definitely having somewhere warm and cozy to hibernate and craft on those dark cold nights.
ReplyDeleteReally nice post, and I love the photographs too. I agree with you, all these little things make life good, not just in January, but all year! x
ReplyDeleteLovely photos and post. I don't like winter at all and here I live in Lapland;)
ReplyDeleteSuch great pictures, glad to hear you have heating now, and I agree glass of red wine is always good!
ReplyDeleteYou know I'm a lover of winter ... hurrah for another convert ;o)
ReplyDeleteI agree with this! Wine, brie on bread, beautiful nature...and a cozy fire. Lovely all around.
ReplyDeleteI think embracing winter is a lot easier when the sun shines, like today (here, anyway). Give me a paint chart to look at and I'm happy too. Super photos xx
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try this. As my Instagram account shows, I'm filling the house with bulbs hoping for the spring flowers to cheer the gray and cold days of winter a bit up ;-)
ReplyDeleteLoving your way though :-)
Winter is a good time for hygge, that great Danish has-no-direct-translation word. And this post is so hygge, it's lovely.
ReplyDeleteAnd new houses are supposed to be cold; it's so that when the heat shows up you appreciate it. It's like you need the dark, cold days to truly appreciate the long, warm ones. (and vice versa)
I am also enjoying these winter months this year....maybe if you have plans to make it fills the time. Lovely photos too! xxx
ReplyDeleteSuch gorgeous photos of those winter skies. I always think that the colder the weather is the more stunning the sunrises and sunsets are! Huge congrats on your new home too! x
ReplyDeletePaint charts, ooh, now that is something I love .I feel so naughty when I go in home base and I take one of every shade chart simply because I love the colour changes and the different hues .I cant resist .
ReplyDeleteI love your beautiful white vase.
Great survival guide. And I agree, once you set your mind to noticing colour and light you realise it's everywhere.
ReplyDeleteS x
Great photos as always. The skies look fabulous. A fab, upbeat post.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new house! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd you are so right about the survival things - now I wish I had a bottle of red wine at home....
Take care
Anne (Crochet Between Worlds)
I love the winter months - don't have to feel guilty for staying indoors and crocheting (or knitting)! It's very hard not to eat lovely food at any time of the year.
ReplyDeleteYou are giving me European/UK winter cravings...meanwhile, we are getting everything from totally feral humid days to beautiful sunny brisk windy warm days.
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