I’m not able to download photos at the moment but checking in to say that we’ve had snow, sleet mixed with ice, and many cold nights in this new year. I’m officially ready for spring!
The herd are handling things with grace, as are the dogs and cats. I’m not sure the honeybee colonies will make it through this but they surprise me every year, so we’ll see.
Life is busy here on November Hill. I’m seeing a lot of clients, doing a lot of EMDR with them, starting a year-long writing course with Craft School, doing three different trainings for my re-licensure in July, and have one course on the schedule for my advanced native plant studies certificate.
I’ve been doing work getting our mountain property into a carbon offset program, more work getting it into a wildlife habitat conservation program, and wishing there were a similar plan for small farms like this one.
I am hugely blessed with amazing family, including siblings, nephew, husband, children, and grandchildren. I am so grateful for the time I spend with all of them. Ditto with good friends. My aim for this year is to do more things in person, invite more people over, bake all the birthday cakes myself this year, and get truly serious about vegetables in the potager.
It sounds like this is the year of Doing Everything, but really I think it’s the year of doing good work and having community. Relaxing and playing and resisting.
Also reading good books, and speaking of that, I’m 3/4 through Virginia Evans’ The Correspondent, and it is so so good. I rejoined the library and am checking books out and putting books on hold and waiting my turn for books, and this has been a joy and a pleasure, and a reminder of what was a huge part of my life since I was 4 years old. After I learned to read the school library and the public library became my favorite places. And I’m reclaiming that now.
Last time my grandchildren were here they came in and said they wanted to read Mr. Putter and Tabby books on the bed! I can’t think of a better thing to do, and we did it.
A small but good thing: I’m almost done with a little embroidery/felt project that I have been working on for months. A little at a time. I’m doing tai chi. I’m still painting the bedroom wall, last section of the last wall. The trim and ceiling is next. It’s taking a long time - that’s okay. I’m happy to be hip deep in projects right now.
For anyone reading, what are you doing this year? How are you holding up? Comments are welcome, lists, fragments, any format. And whether you comment or not, happy 2026.
