I am treating January as I usually do. It’s my month of keeping snug and cosy inside, with a healthy dose of fresh air and exercise. I also like to plan holidays and weekends away at this time of year, so have been researching our little holiday in North Norfolk during May and weekend walks in the Eden Valley, for when we can get back up to the caravan.
Continuing Winter cheer with my window display. The Robins mimic my real life robin visitor. The hyacinth plant I found in Sainsbury’s for a bargain 65p is now flowering and giving off a delicious scent, resembling woods of bluebells.
I’ve been looking for more walks from home. Although I thought we had been just about everywhere on our doorstep, I was proved wrong last weekend, when we discovered new to us footpaths. I’m sure there are more to explore!
There will be another place to wander when Clitheroe’s new Nature Reserve opens. It is very local indeed. I have nosed over the fence a couple of times and I spied several Teal on the water. 🙂 Can’t wait for a proper look.
The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is all set for the last weekend of January. I have signed up as usual and am looking forward to seeing which feathered visitors turn up in the hour.
Incase you are looking for some on screen escapism, here is a list of what I’ve enjoyed watching recently. Most are series and there’s one film. But let me say this, my list is one of mostly guilty pleasures. 😄
- Bridgerton. Netflix. Regency romance with lots of drama, comedy, gossip & scandal.
- Derry Girls. All 4 / Netflix. Coming of age comedy set during ‘ the troubles’ in nineties Northern Ireland.
- Ghosts. BBC I Player. Spirited comedy about the ghostly inhabitants of a haunted house, from the creators of Horrible Histories
- Winter Walks. BBC I Player. Join well known faces as they film their favourite walks in Yorkshire. I miss Yorkshire. ❤️
- Eurovision Song Contest : The Story Of Fire Saga. Netflix. Very cheesy but enjoyable musical comedy film set in Iceland and Edinburgh.
- The Masked Singer. ITV/ ITV Hub. Addictive crazy singing competition.
- Home For Christmas. Netflix. Norwegian rom com series.
- Sneaky Pete. Amazon Prime. Crime drama about a con man who assumes the identity of his cellmate to escape from a vengeful mobster.
- The Queen’s Gambit. Netflix. An orphans rise against the odds to become the Worlds number one chess player.
- All Creatures Great And Small. My 5. Heart warming 1940s comedy drama about a young vet who accepts a job in a Yorkshire Dales Vetinary practice. This is a remake of the original series, and just as good. ❤️
It’s nice to find a nice cosy read and I did in Winter Holiday from the Swallows and Amazon’s children’s book series by Arthur Ransome. I am immersed in a world of frozen lakes, snowy igloos and secret signals. Thanks to the What is it about books ? blog for the recommendation. ❤️
So this is my first foray into using the new WordPress editor. I hope it turns out okay.
Do leave me your own thoughts on how you are spending January?
sunshine and celandines 
Jealous of your robin! I would love a robin visitor but we only get sparrows and tits.
I get those too. X
Hope all your travel plans come to fruition! (Bridgerton is wonderful, isn’t it?) I can also recommend The Great on Channel 4.
Oh yes, I need to see that! X
Interesting info on the new nature reserve’s history, and I like the owl on the tree trunk, it looks quite real 🙂
It’s beautiful isn’t it. I am so looking forward to when the reserve opens. X
Sounds like you’re spending the month much like I am finding a balance between getting out for walks and enjoying cosy home comforts too. Must watch Bridgerton, I’ve heard so much about it. I’ve been reading lots of cosy crime this month, Agatha Christie’s Poirot and the 2nd in the Bronte Mysteries series. Take care. X
Bridgerton is fab. Rather like if Gossip Girl did Jane Austen. Enjoy your mysteries. X
I thought your blog looked a bit different. All seems to be working ok though. A couple of years ago we decided that the way forward was to embrace the lethargy of January, rather than trying to fight it. We now treat it as a month for hunkering down and taking it slow … it feels a lot better than the alternative of getting frustrated by not achieving much. I might have a look at the RSPB bird watch … thanks for the reminder 😃
My sentiments about January exactly. It should be all about hygge and enjoying winter comforts. X
Sounds like you’ve plenty to keep you occupied during the cold weather & we don’t have access to anything other than plain ordinary TV, but like you I’m missing Yorkshire and we do watch The Yorkshire Vet, even though they are mostly repeats now. The walks in Yorkshire sound good & we enjoyed the series Walks with your dog done by celebrities a few years back & hoped I’d be able to get it on DVD. Looking forward to all the bloggers who do the bird watch & see how they go. Take care, stay safe & warm and hugs.
I loved that series ‘ Walks With Your Dog’ too.
Maybe you can do your own garden birdwatch simultaneously. You get some amazing visitors. X
Hyacinths are the same family as blue bells so they will smell the same. I love your cheerful window display. Such things lift the spirits 😁
Thank you. They certainly do. Xx
I like your winter walks collage!
The picture of Winter Holiday was so familiar because we were brought up on them and my parents still have the complete hard back set that they read to us when we were young. We even sailed in some of the same locations.
Ah, wonderful memories. 🙂
This is the only Swallows book I have read ( am still reading ) and it’s perfect for January. I’m sure I will check out the others this year. X
That book cover brought back happy memories! I read all the Swallows and Amazon books in those editions. I think I owned one paperback of the original story, but the rest all came courtesy of the public library. We’re toying with the idea of booking one or two trips, but not maybe until August when SURELY life must be better. Please?
Oh I hope so!
You have a trip booked for March to D & G don’t you? Hope there’s a chance that you can go. X
We rolled our Christmas cottage in the Scottish Borders, over to Easter, so early April. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, but not 100% confidant by any means! At least we can keep pushing that forward even if we don’t get anything else sorted.
Ah January. The blizzard month. Currently hunkered down listening to 100k winds shake the house. School buses not running so I’m home for the next few days (I drive bus!!). We’ve just been watching “The Crown”, Dirk Gently, and “Yellowstone”. About to start “Peaky Blinders”. And just finished a fascinating read called “Fossil Men” about the discovery of an ancient humanoid older (by a million years) than Lucy. 😊
Oooh sounds like you do need to hunker down.
I am totally rubbish and not even seen The Crown yet, I am sure I would love it too. I couldn’t get into Dirk Gently and I’ve watched a bit of Peaky Blinders. It’s been very popular here.
Keep safe and warm. X
It’s lovely to see the days very gradually becoming slightly longer. That always cheers me up. The first small snowdrop opened in my garden yesterday, an early riser. There are lots of daffodil shoots poking through so I don’t think they will be long. It’s always a joy to see the first of the early spring flowers arrive. I won’t be planning any trips for now, but I really must start walking locally, if only to get a bit fitter. These months of inactivity have done me no favours, health wise. It’s time to remedy that at the start of a new year.
That’s good to hear about your spring flowers. I have some snowdrop shoots popping through but no flowers yet.
I have joined a couple of local FB groups where you can download photos from local walks you do, or just look for some inspiration. There might be some for your area. X
January is becoming a bit of a drag. We’ve enjoyed some occasional bright days but mainly it has been dark and wet.
However, I am looking forward to taking part in the bird watch at the end of the month. X
Me too. X
Speaking of Eurovision-theres rumours that Steps are representing the UK this year. Think we all need a bit of glam!
Haha, really. 😄
Think they’re thinking it over. Probably not good for the image if they keep receiving politically motivated ‘Nil pois’
What a lovely post, making the most of Winter and some great snuggly treats. I’m on the look out for hyacynths at the moment. My bird watching/feeding took a big knock- I stared to put food in the bck garden to encourage the birds- well the magpies and the pigeons came and then I spotted a RAT. so that was the end of that, and now I know why no-one feeds the birds round here. So I shall stick to filing the table in the wood at the front of the house. I’m reading and knitting mostly!
I am always scared I will get a rat one day. Yikes! I do have a Wood Mouse. It’s nice that you can still see the birds on the table in the woods though. I expect you are such a good knitter that you can also watch TV at the same time. 🙂
Sometimes I can knit and watch TV, but mostly I crochet and watch TV, or try not to fall asleep and pretend I am watching TV.
Stay warm. Thanks for the link to the Primrose reserve – one for the future.
It will be a small reserve but maybe nice to take a look at if your visiting Clitheroe, along with the castle and Holmes Mill. I am excited because it’s an area you couldn’t get a look in before. Hope the humans don’t scare off the wildlife though!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying ‘Winter Holiday’ – it’s one of my favourite books. The rest of your January sounds pretty great as well!
Thanks to your lovely post. 🙂
What a cheery post about January. Have to say I am going slow, crafting a bit, reading a lot, watching mountains of TV ! Bridgerton – fab series – binge watched it! Eurovision – funny film – Will Ferrell at his best!
Can’t beat mountains of TV in the Winter. I’m glad someone else has heard of the Eurovision film!
I have told several people about Eurovision !
Ugh, I really hate the new WordPress editor. Your blog looks good though. I’ve not planned any holidays yet, waiting for things to calm down a little re: the virus. This January I’ve been enjoying walks with Riley. I also enjoyed the series Ghosts. I am also watching the Crown, bit late to the party but watched the first series and it wasn’t too boring. The new nature reserve looks nice, look forward to it opening and seeing your blog post on it 🙂 xx
I am definitely late to the party when it comes to The Crown. Hopefully I will get round to it eventually. Ghosts is such a fun show! Wil and I are on season 5 of Criminal Minds. There are about 14 seasons, so that will keep us going a good while. 🙂
I’ve just heard that the reserve definitely won’t be opening in January now. I suspect it will probably be Easter. X
Januarying. I like that! Winter Holiday is my absolute favourite Swallows and Amazon’s book and you’ve just reminded me that I had planned to re-read it this winter. My copy is a bit more battered than yours though, about 40 years old and falling apart!
Yay! I am really enjoying it. Though I suspect children are nowhere near as sensible, yet adventurous , these days. X
It’s definitely been the weather for staying in and keeping cosy. Well done on the 65p bargain – I love the smell of hyacinths. I’ve been attempting to paint robins – still not done one I’m completely happy with. I’ve hardly watched anything you’ve watched – although we were completely addicted to Queen’s Gambit x
My hyacinth was a really great bargain, not sure why it was so cheap, as it wasn’t in flower when I bought it. Good luck with your robins, I am sure they are fab! X
It was probably approaching it’s best before date and nobody actually looked at it! Thank you. Been sidetracked by ladybirds today. x
Live ones or drawings or fabrics? X
Painting 🙂 x
I devoured the Arthur Ransome books when I was a kid, and don’t think I’ve read Winter Holidays. Hmmm. Must keep an eye out for it in second-hand bookshops. I enjoyed yo9ur collage pic, and also your robin. They really do have a red breast, don’t they? We have the Cape Robin here, must look him up, but pretty sure he doesn’t have that cheery red chest.
Looks like the Cape Robin has a red ( orange ) breast just like our robin, not quite as bright. X
Just watched the 2016 Swallows and Amazons. Much was filmed in Heptonstall.
Really! I have watched it, but didn’t realise there was filming in Heptonstall. Shall have to watch again soon. X
I’ve just finished watching Sneaky Pete – it was so good!
January is normally a month when I hunker down, get back to normal after Christmas and spend lots of time reading and decluttering. This year is no different except , obviously, can’t pop out and have a cuppa with friends. Soon.