January was not the kindest month from a work-life balance point of view, but there were many highlights. I always think of January as a quiet month, a month when I try to rest or at least hunker down a bit before spring. I did try to do that at the weekends.
I am so pleased that I made time to make marmalade. I find it an absorbing and relaxing way to spend time in the kitchen, and the smell of the boiling oranges in a steam-filled kitchen is comforting when it is grey and dark outside.
I am always happy when potted tete-a-tetes and hyacinths are in the supermarkets, and bunches of daffodils. Those hopeful green shoots.
January is a month for keeping fairy lights up and going through all your cookery books looking for ideas for stews and casseroles, things which can simmer slowly during the afternoon.
January's bedside reading pile looked like this: the new Nigel Slater, which I feel I've hardly had time to really explore yet; Such a Fun Age a Christmas present which came very highly recommended; Donna Tartt's The Little Friend, our chosen title for book club this month, and I am still amazed I ever finished it although I am glad I did; Scoff: A History of Food and Class in Britain, a non-fiction book I'm dipping in and out of in between fiction and enjoying very much; February's book club choice, The Wine of Angels, a crime series that is new to me; and The Temptation of Forgiveness, number 27 in my favourite Commissario Brunetti series but sadly not as good as previous books in the same series.
January is a month for getting outside when you can. Often that is just a quick walk or taking Ziggy for a run somewhere nearby, but occasionally, when time allows, there are longer walks and big hills to climb and watching the sun set and the moon rise as you walk back to the car.
It is a month for taking stock of the crafting situation and trying to finish projects which have been on the go for years, but inevitably starting new ones.
I did mange to finish this beautiful granny square scarf, from the book Modern Crochet Style . It is very thick and very warm, perfect to wear inside a well-ventilated classroom.
I am always working on my English Paper Piecing patchwork quilt. It waits quietly in the background, always there when I want an hour of quiet sewing while watching TV.
I have started making granny squares with the vague idea that I will turn them into a tank top to wear over a big white shirt and jeans. I don't have a pattern and am making it up as I go, but it is keeping my hands busy during these January evenings.
I always feel that January is a month for rest, hearty cooking, and really just catching up from the holidays and the previous year. It's a month to take it slow and easy, I think. I like January. Your photos are so lovely, as always. I love that you still have the fairy lights up - so do I!
ReplyDeleteA busy but also nice January by the looks of it. Your hexagon quilt is coming along nicely, nearly big enough for your bed. I always want to make marmalade but never do. I like the idea of my house smelling of boiling oranges, maybe with a hint of burnt sugar. Have a good week x
ReplyDeleteI do like the look of your January. The marmalade making here was less successful than yours though the 3rd attempt produced something edible. Hope February is treating you well.
ReplyDeleteThere's something supremely satisfying about gazing at jars of homemade marmalade ... or jam lined up on the kitchen worktop. And I love your patchwork quilt.
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