Currently: January 2025

The world, at large, feels especially big for how young the year is, ya know?

There are wars still raging, fires destroying whole communities, incoming politics that scare me, and so much more.

Thank goodness its Winter and comfort items are on hand and at the ready. Yes, please give me comfy clothes, and soft blanket, and all.the.tea to round out my days.

And also, I often find comfort in controlling the things I can control while everything around me feels wildly out of control. Here’s what that looks like in my neck of the woods this month:

I am currently…

Reading: Weyward by Emilia Hart. From the back of the book,

“Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.”

I’m only 55 pages in and am, in fact, enthralled.

Listening: My music selection has recently vacillated between Billie Eilish, Noah Kahan, Tori Amos, and El Ten Eleven. Don’t ask how because I don’t know… maybe a bit of nostalgia braided together with the wonder of new (to me) musical magic 😉

Also, I’m in love with the new Bad Bunny song, DtMF and have cried and cried over the beautiful compilations people are putting together online of their family photos.

There is also a trend on TikTok now that involves the isolated vocals of singers like Eddie Vedder, Michael Stipe, and Chris Cornell that is just really satisfying.

Creating: Last weekend I decided to bring a pocket notebook with me to breakfast with my 11 year old. I thought maybe I’d brainstorm or doodle but it sat unopened throughout the meal until my daughter asked about it. I told her my intentions so she decided to draw a doodle on a page and then ask me to create something around/from her doodle.

Simple as it was, it was also so lovely and she was so excited about our collaborations.

We made three drawings together and it’s been requested that we “play this game” every time we go out to eat.

Who am I to argue?

Watching: We might be quite behind the curve on this one but my wife and I recently started watching The Last Kingdom. As intense and violent as it is, the family historian in me is soaking in all the historical fiction involved in the stories unfolding over and around Uhtred’s life.

Planning: It’s seed inventory time on the farm so I’m thinking about what’s worked in past years, which veggies we actually enjoy eating, and which seeds will need to be ordered for the growing season ahead.

Yes, yes… it’s only January and I can’t even sow seeds for months, but it must be done.

Writing: I promised myself that 2025 would be the year of writing, whether that be a brainstorm, a journal entry, research and documentation, a blog post, a single sentence or quote that moves me, or any other writing that is wanted or needed.

So, I’m doing my best to devote a few minutes every day to fulfill my promise and today is officially handled.

There you have it…

Happenings currently saving my sanity 🙂

What’s happening in your neck of the woods? Any good books, interesting shows, new or revisited music bringing joy or calm to your days during this long January? Please share all about what’s carrying you through your days.

xoxo