Things of Beauty: January - February

January and February were my very favorite type of months: quiet but not in the least tiresome with a lovely amount of time for dreaming and other excellent subjects.

Very Favorite Things

My new Bible reading program, cozy plaid jumpers that make me feel like Molly Gibson (which is one of my favorite things to feel like), my horse’s fluffy winter coat, Kellie Falconer’s Blog Party (that is one of the highest highlights of my year!), luxurious baths, and my newest love—houseplants.

Reading

Three books and several short stories finished. I am starting these next two months of reading on a bold and daring number: Ivanhoe. I have read books thick (in both girth and writing style) before, however… there is that about Scott’s writing which is both quite challenging and very addictive to read, so with the two combined I shall conquer it!

Writing

I worked on They Searched Who Laughed every single day of February. I wish I could say it was all filled with joyful inspiration, but it wasn’t quite. Oh there were the days where I wrote 500 words with the said substance bubbling out of my fingers as fast as a mad mountain brook, but there were also some nights which found me with a furrowed brow tapping out words before the laptop screen which blazes a hole of light in the dark room because it is 10:45 PM and my-sister-is-asleep-which-is-exactly-where-I-should-be-too! But I’m glad I defied Time anyway. My ambition this month? Actually write at a reasonable hour, that the Inspiration need never be stopped by the clock.

Other Creative Work

Let me see: I blogged a bit (great fun!), and did some baby-sitting (ah, now that is both terribly fun and challenging!) I also did two photo shoots with Arwen as my model. There were several pleasant shots from the first, but the second… Think long unbound hair, flowing 70’s style dresses, leather hats, cowboy boots, thoughtful facial expressions, and that crisp golden light of afternoon…and every shot turning out more perfect than I had dreamed.

Outdoors

Two six inch snowstorms + freezing weather = happy girl.

I was born in the Spring, and I do love it as I do every other season, but perhaps it is the slick ice filled sledding, the crisp cotton-candy hue of the sunsets, the stark beauties of tree shapes bereft of any outer show, or that the earth and heavens seem to grow closer in the frozen navy and diamond sparkled nights… But Winter and I have been getting along quite well this year, and I shall miss it when it goes.

Cooking

I have been on another Paleo stint of late, which means every single meal upon the menu must be Paleo approved, which means (hooray!) more recipe and healthy blog surfing. I love blog surfing. A favorite find? These Ultimate Coconut Flour Pancakes from Empowered Sustenance. And please don’t let the fact that they are extremely healthy give you concern about their taste. Their scrumptiousness is beyond compare.

Discoveries

Travel blogs.

You know the saying that says if God closes a door, He opens a window? Well that is exactly what several amazing travel/lifestyle blogs have been for me, an open window that allows me to breath some of the fresh air of travel, even while staying in the room in which I am placed.

What were your favorite delights in January and February?