Pine Marten Post #19
Hello lovely person, and Happy New Year!
January joy for you includes; feathered friends, citrus scent, aromatic apples, chonky chocolate and powdered peaks.
Gardening tips for January
Oooooh, how’ve you been managing in all that snow? It’s made things even trickier for lots of folk in January. Although I have to say the scattered light from sun sparkling on ice crystals has been glorious.
How are your little feathered friends faring? Feeding garden birds can get expensive, but if you can stretch to some suet nuggets or similar, they’ll be hugely grateful. We buy our bird food from Ark Wildlife, who I’d highly recommend.
Fragrant musings from the library of scent: Chypre Azural by Les Indemodables
I wear Chypre Azural when I crave the scent of Seville oranges, but can’t be bothered to make marmalade.
A tiny brass bell on the door tings softly as you push it open. Warm air, rich with refreshingly bitter and zingy orange rushes to greet you. Behind a smoothly polished wooden counter, sits a bubbling copper cauldron, puffing smoky, treacle-y toffee wafts.
Frowning with concentration, a confectioner very carefully dips thin, fragile slices of shimmering dried orange into the pot of roiling, boiling sugar. They look up and smile at you, then gesture to a delicate, porcelain saucer on the counter; fine slices of caramelised orange are arranged beautifully in concentric circles. You ease one off the saucer gingerly and pop it into your mouth.
Then sigh with delight.
Nature notes for January
Bobbity-bobbing, still with the cider tang to them, tiny nut-hard crab apples float in frigid peaty water—
rich pickings for hungry little creatures.
Featured chocolate: Jersey’s Finest 70% Dark Chocolate
⭐ Big, chunky pieces—excellent for a gobful
⭐ Bright hints of forest fruits
⭐ Richer and less bitter than lots of dark chocolate, with a rounded and surprisingly creamy aftertaste.
Simple wellbeing tips for January
How can you find better equilibrium in January? ⚖
Are you raring to go, full of fresh start excitement?
Or do you feel more like you're wading through gloopy, sticky mud, already weary at 10am?
If you're struggling, please know you're not alone. January comes with its own particular challenges after the chaos of the festive season, so it's vital to manage your expectations of yourself and everyone around you. It's tough for most folk when it's bitterly cold and it feels like it barely gets light at all.
So how can you make things feel even a fraction easier?
📞 Schedule a phone call with a friend or family member. If you ask them when's a good time to chat, you'll have their undivided attention so talking will feel easier. Even us introverts need strong social connections.
☕ What's your favourite hot drink? Could you fancy it up a bit, or try something new? I discovered chai teabags in Lidl, so I've been luxuriating in fragrant spices wafting from my cup mid afternoon.
🚶♀️ How about going outside for 5 minutes? Or, if you can't, try opening a window and see what you can spot. Just a few minutes of fresh air, breathing slowly and deeply will help to reset your mood.
How are you looking after yourself in January?
⭐ As always, wibbly words and wonky pictures are by me, Rowan Ambrose. All products mentioned are paid by me too ⭐
Over on LinkedIn:
Who am I, and why should you care?
Why it’s important to be gentle with yourself in January
I'd love to hear about what sensory experiences bring you joy.
Feel free to reply to this email, or you can message me on Instagram or LinkedIn.