Looking Back on Our January
What a breath of fresh air January has been! We have worked hard to get our homeschool rhythm back, and I am so thankful for the structure it brings. Our co-op has resumed our regular meetings full of fun and fellowship with friends. We welcomed our new cocker spaniel puppy, Molly, after our heartbreaking loss of our springer, Pepper, at the end of December.
On the farm side of things, we hauled off the first load of yearlings for the year. The 4H pigs arrived; these two have affectionately been named Chris P. Bacon, and Kevin Bacon. The new life on the farm always feels like a peek into spring, as do the daffodils that are springing up around every tree and fence line. I would love to tell whoever planted them years before us just how much we look forward to their arrival, how many dirty child hands have excitedly picked every one, and how many jars, cups, and vases have displayed yellow flowers all over our home and the joy they bring.
We have made two trips, to Gulf Shores for New Year’s celebrations and Auburn for business meetings and some much needed down time. I always return home from a trip feeling inspired by everything we’ve experienced, whether food, decor, artwork, or just simply the atmosphere. I love looking for ways to incorporate those elements into our lives in some way- whether it’s the creeping fig on our front porch after our honeymoon in Savannah, or a new dish like the biscuit beignets at a restaurant in Auburn. I believe these collections of inspiration are what shape our lives and home into something that tells our story in some way.
I have enjoyed cooking some of our favorite comfort foods as well, starting the month with a whole roasted chicken and a batch of fresh banana bread, and ending the month with a new recipe for those biscuit beignets!
As we head into February, it feels like we’re finally settling back into our normal pace again. January is a month of reset- getting everyone back into routines, feeding schedules, school days, and all the little rhythms that keep our home and farm running. It was slower in some ways, a little messy in others, but it gave us time to breathe and figure out what this new year needs to look like. Stepping into February feels like a small step forward—still icy winter, still busy, but with a little more purpose behind our days.
