Winter blues

Hello there. Well, did you survive January ok ?  I’m quite surprised with how much I enjoyed last month. I think this was pretty much down to just taking things easy and learning to embrace the slower, darker days. I was kind of in a cosy, hibernation mode, and now that February has arrived, I feel more ready to step back into the big wide world again. Did you know that the month derives it’s name from the Latin word februare which means to ‘purify’ and it seems to me this is a much better month than January to start afresh, and move forward with plans for the year ahead.

Still, February can be a challenge too as, here, it usually means lots of rain !  So, to sweep away the last of those winter blues, here a few ideas for February…

1.Go on a snowdrop walk. Snowdrops are starting to appear everywhere now and for many, they are the first visible and welcome sign that spring is edging that little bit closer. I’ve booked myself on one for next weekend at Ballyrobert Cottage Garden near where I live. And for those of you who live locally, many of our lovely National Trust properties offer snowdrop walks. You can get more info here

2.February is the month of ‘lurve’ and while I try not to buy into all the commercialism that is now Valentine’s Day, I do like to buy a little ‘something’ for my other half. Here are a few local independent shops I would recommend…I’m sure most, if not all of them, ship to the rest of the UK and beyond.

Arbee Cards www.arbeecards.co.uk

Snowdrops and Sentiments www.snowdropsandsentiments.com

Neary Nogs chocolate www.nearynogs.com

The Bearded Candlemakers  www.thebeardedcandlemakers.com

Indie Fude www.indiefude.com

3.Continuing on the theme, treat yourself to something nice, a little bit of self love can only be a good thing, right ? (regardless of what month it is !).  The shops are filling up with bright spring colours and for me, as you know, flowers are always a treat. I bought this pretty little bunch of tulips and hyacinths from Lidl, of all places. In case you didn’t know, they actually do a lovely range of flowers and house plants at very affordable prices. I know, I was surprised too…but it’s definitely worth a look !

4.Start making plans for your garden. To be honest, if your garden is anything like ours, it is probably in a sorry state right now. Still, it can be useful to start thinking about what you might like to do to improve your outdoor space. This year I’d really love to have a cute shed at the bottom of the garden so I’ve been flicking through my copy of Shed Chic for some inspiration (ps I so hope my hubby reads this bit !)

5. Get yourself a copy of The Wonderful Weekend Book. I’ve had this book for a few years now and if like me, you want to avoid losing entire weekends to household chores, this delightful book will give you some ideas on how to ‘reclaim life’s simple pleasures’. Not everything may be of interest to you, but it certainly makes you realise weekends are rather precious and it’s important to try and get the most out of them.

Even if you do none of the above, I think it’s worth just stopping a moment to notice all the subtle changes in nature that are unfolding around you. Buds on the branches, the sound of morning birdsong, the smell of the soil warming up in the garden…it’s quietly exciting really.

What about you? Any plans for February ? I’d love to know.

In the meantime, have a lovely Sunday.