I’m thinking about calling February the new January. With me? I’ve felt a bit arse-about-tits throughout the whole of this month, and still do, a bit. Bursts of excitement and activity like a couple of wonderful workshops, followed by bouts of being unable to face anything other my duvet. Sleep deprivation has hit really hard this month too- which has not helped anything. Ever. So I’m calling February, my January. A month of action, movement and progress- even just a little- is what is called for. Onwards! Auden turns one this month so I am so full of soppy nostalgia for this time last year.

The first tender signs of Spring are apparent, and I am allowing them to seep into my psyche. If I think about it, meditate on it, I start to literally feel the grounds swelling energy in my bones. The mornings and evenings are getting ever lighter, crocuses and snowdrops are sprouting and trees are budding hopefully. Spring is so very close now.

February holds some wonderful celebrations to tide us over until the spring solstice next month. Here are 10 of my most favourite things to do this month. I have now been sending out these monthly prompts for three years! Can you believe that?! Without further ado, here are 10 wonderful things to make, do and celebrate in the month ahead.

1) PANCAAAAKKEEESSSSS

The first and, lets face it, the only thing you need to remember about February is Pancake Day. February 13th is Shrove Tuesday, a festival that celebrates the feasting before lent, traditionally marked by eating pancakes (in the UK we mean the thin crepe like ones). It is basically the best celebration of the year and I am planning on eating them all month.

2) Celebrate your girlfriends on Galentines Day!

Galentines- a day to celebrate female friendship-is on the 13th February - YES, THE SAME DAY AS PANCAKE DAY AND NOW MY LIFE IS COMPLETE. Gather your female friends and family members to eat pancakes, drink cocktails and and toast your goddess selves!

3) Go spring flower hunting.

Hellebores, Tulips, Daffodils, Snowdrops and crocuses will start appearing this month;. Wrap up warm and go hunting for them growing in the ground. Or -equally as cheering- spot them in the shops and market stalls. Frankie sings a very sweet Crocus song every year whenever she sees them and we point them out to each other whenever we come across them.

4) Do some planning for the year

In the spirit of February as the new January, we’re ready to finish our planning. Dave and I have not quite finished our January Book, which is our review and planning process.We will be making some time this month to complete it, and If you feel ready for a bit of that, or haven’t had the chance to do it yet, or finish it, then I invite you to make some time to do so. It is such a rewarding process, both personally and work wise. Link to download here. (I'm blown completely away by the response this has had so far. Life changing stuff, apparently!)

5) Health check your relationship.

It’s the month of love, and if you bypass the tat, why not celebrate it? (any excuse for a celebration!) Or use it as an excuse to do some deep and meaningful chatting (we call them DMC’s- are we the only saddo’s who refer to it as that?!) My January Book is a very good tool for this if you want some prompts.

6) Date yourself.

Book a solid chunk of time in your diary for you and you alone to do something date-ish. Take time to nourish yourself, and re-discover what you love. A mornings reading? A gig? Afternoon tea for 1? A film?

7) Give your friends a Valentines gift.

Because why not. Make little posies of local Spring flowers, or gift them a little pot of bulbs, or make them some heart shaped shortbreads. This is a lovely thing to do with children too.

8) Light the candles on the still-dark mornings and evenings.

This is the first thing I do when I go downstairs in the morning. It stays lit almost all day, if we're in,  and as the gloaming sets in, I add more and more. Posh divinely scented ones, cheapy tealights, pillar candles, dinner candles. It matters not. They add such a cosy ambience.  

9) Eat forced rhubarb

It is one of my travel goals to visit the candle lit forced rhubarb barns in the UK in February one year. Short of a visit, I’m happy to just eat the stuff. I like it simply stewed, to dollop on top of porridge and coconut yogurt. Or baked into a (Vegan, GF) Rhubarb crisp. or crumble . Yummmm.

10) Nourish yourself.

Our family have been swapping colds and sickness bugs all winter so we have been bolstering our bodies with as much healthy stuff as we can. For us, this looks like daily smoothies (not too fruit heavy -because hello sugar-, supercharged with powders like baobab, acai powder, flax and chia seeds etc) and I have developed somewhat of an addiction to Golden Milk. I have adapted this Anna Jones recipe for golden Turmeric milk and use Oat Milk instead, add a sprinkle of pepper, and leave out the honey. It’s divine, and has magical detoxing properties. I have been craving it twice a day, lately!

P.S my Deep Winter Spotify playlist is being added too all the time, and I have started my Spring list.

February very-nearly-Spring- blessings to you all. I hope the start of the change of season can be an inspiring one for you.

In Embracing The Seasons