Winter makes me want to hibernate all season until March swings around so my wishlist of things to do tends to be far more compact than any other season. There are a few things that pique my interest:

Photographing the winter highlights

Get crafty

Read my book pile

Catch up on letter writing

Seek out the first flowers 

Consider our aims and goals for 2018

Plan the allotment and cutting garden

Blah blah, blah.
Yes, I know how dull it is to hear about peoples' unrealistic resolutions to get a beach body and become a super successful human being. I can't deny that my hopes and plans for the new year include some aspirations but hopefully I've kept mine within the realms of possibility and practicality.

Something which has become profoundly clear of late is the realisation that unless I get up and take steps to making something happen, it's just a wasted thought. Get off your backside and make it happen or pipe down; that's the truth. Words are easy, but action speaks for itself.

With that in mind I want to make some simple changes to enrich my life and how I reach out to others. Firstly, I wan to be more careful with my language. Often in real life I swear a lot and it's mostly uncalled for (swearing at the microwave for example). Words carry more weight when used infrequently. Eating meals at the table as opposed to on the sofa is an important one. Sitting up properly and enjoying food instead of absent-mindedly lifting my fork up and down ought to be standard anyway, I've been so slack on this over the last couple of years.

C and I are discussing holiday plans. There may be some changes on the horizon.

Naturally, the obvious 'adopt a healthier lifestyle through a good diet, exercise, sleep and balance' has to be an aim although I don't feel like now is the time to quantify any specifics. Our allotment produces so much each summer, and to a lesser extent over inter too. I want to use more creatively, waste less and get the balance right of what we grow. Wasting less in general needs to be prioritised. Before Christmas we tried to eat our way through the contents of the freezer and it's shocking how much just gets shoved in there only to be forgotten and abandoned. We still have a bag of frozen strawberries from 2015 that were going to be made into jam... More homemade food would be lovely, simpler food and comfort food. Less nonsensy food. Drinking more water and less alcohol.

We already make quite a few things from our own and foraged seasonal produce. I cannot imagine ever running out of jam; even giving some away still leaves plenty. As well as strawberry and raspberry jam we make gingery apple jam, pickled onions, cabbage and beetroot. Rosehip syrup, elderflower cordial. I make courgette pickle - which has been fantastic and courgette chutney which also was a treat. Onion chutney, redcurrant jelly (sadly the recipe we followed didn't perform!). I want to forage much more. Nettles, roses, edible flowers and leaves. Nuts. More, more, more.

I want to grow so many flowers. My plans for this are coming along nicely and I can't wait to get started. We also have lots of vegetable plans too.

Keeping things simple is so much easier said than done. I want to make more things, be creative, practice skills, learn new ones. Make cards. Wrap neatly. Put thought into things. Completing the tidying and furnishing of the craft room will get things more on track with this. Buying a unit for storage will be a good start.

Supporting local businesses is really important to me and I want to further this as well as lending my support to good causes. Being more open and giving with my heart. Expressing more gratitude and really relishing the little things.  I want to write when it feel right. Taking time for myself on creative things, relaxation or investigation is more than ok, it's a necessity. The more I indulge myself in what I want to do, the more it pays off in what I have to do.  So no more feeling guilty about drawing a line under chores to break off to read a book or write up a blog post.

This turned into a monster of a post but it's superseded any kind of winter wishlist (plan: make it to spring) and it feels good to sit here, airing my thoughts. Oh, and I want to give the blog interface a facelift but that's going to take a good lot of time so we shall see. Plenty to come this year, who knows what, but I am thrilled to have you along for the journey.

Take care,
love, Sophie

Summer is what you make it; that's what I believe.
I'm planning to continue savouring every moment, come rain or shine.
The season has offered some highlights already which have been a delight so I'll first strike off a few that we've already encountered. Inevitably, there are a few crossovers with my spring goals list.

Done

• The wardrobe swap - This year I laundered most of my summer clothes before cramming them in the wardrobe. I really need to get my wardrobe refined so that I get rid of things I no longer want to wear...
• Get up to see the sun rise on the Solstice - We got up, but the sun didn't. A cloudy morning but with a warm breeze (delightfully empty)

In action

• Planting out at the allotment - We grew so many plants from seed in the greenhouse and all but 5 are planted out (they're too small and fragile). 
• Tending the allotment - It's a constant work in progress but we're ploughing on 
• Cook with our allotment produce or give it away - we're about to start with the bulk of the harvesting time soon so I need to remain vigilant on using it or giving it away.
• Taking evening strolls - There have been so many beautiful evenings already we've taken a walk. There's nothing stopping you.
• Cutting flowers and bringing them inside - yes, I've done this often and it's been so uplifting. I'm searching out more vessels to store them in.

To do

I don't want a new me in 2016, I want the old me back. The Sophie who enjoyed running, made goals, worked out several times a week and ate a balanced diet. I'd rather like to be able to wear everything in my wardrobe without having to avoid the ones with a tight waistband and I've had quite enough of deciding whether to sit my jeans above or below the rapidly inflating spare tyre.

2015 has been a mixed bag of a year but I've learnt a few lessons, broadened a few horizons and believe it or not I picked up a few ideas I'd like to further. What I'd really like from the new year is to enrich life, simplify life and to fill it with more love and positivity. My thinking is that by working on myself, it will filter out to all aspects of my life and others may benefit too.
So here goes

Read

I want to allow at least 20 minutes a week to sit down with a book. Uninterrupted reading. To those of you who regularly read it wont sound like long at all but if I start off small, I can add to it. For Christmas I asked for a few titles which came recommended and my idea is to only read books which have either been shortlisted for literary awards or which get good reviews.

Eat clean

Less waste

Recycle

Thinking time

Self care

Put care in and take joy out

Support local and independent businesses

Allotment goodness

Blog

Generally 

It's a special thing to capture a moment in a way that feels like a true representation of how it felt to be there at that precise point in time. My photography goal is to be able to set down in a series of pictures exactly how I saw things. I'm a believer of taking in the absolute joy and wondrousness of everything nature has on offer. The ordinary is not ordinary. It might happen every day, every single day, but it is far from mundane. Everything is special and magical and amazing. I desperately want to be able to recreate in images how I'm seeing everything. Taking one stand alone photograph to put on a wall in a gallery is of little importance to me; I don't go out looking to take 'the' picture. I go out with the aim of capturing the absolutely fascinating way that things just are.

Sophie

I've been gathering my thoughts on this year's fitness goals for a while now but it's been difficult to pinpoint exactly what I want to work towards achieving this year. I want to get back into eating sensibly; plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat, more fish and whole grains. It all sounds so simple and straightforward but putting it into practice tends to be a little more of a challenge and it's one I want to rise to. Making small changes like drinking more water instead of coffee and limiting alcohol to weekends are all within my control. After years of bad skin, I have learned to relish my clearer complexion, so I'm willing to make compromises to keep it nicer for longer.

As an early bird, I really want to get my days off to the best start I can ensuring that both my appetite is satisfied and I'm nourishing myself from the start with a healthy breakfast. I want to get back into porridge ideally. My top tip is smoothies; if like me you really can't face eating raw spinach, try a home-made smoothie with some fruit and yogurt or milk, you can have it anytime of the day and you can pop in whatever you like.

In 2013 and 2014 I had my heart set on running; it gave me something to focus on and strive towards which was great in a way because it kept me busy and the rapid improvement kept me motivated. This year I'm not so sure that I want to focus on it so heavily. More than a few times I took to the roads with nothing more on my agenda than to jog along, enjoying the peace of the countryside, the fresh air, sunshine on my skin and the ability to run along while breathing easy. The enjoyment was immense. This year I want to capture that feeling of pleasure much more often.

Conversely, I also want to pursue the harder bootcamp style workouts that seem to be right up my street. I now go to two different classes a week, one of which is just amazing and pushes me in different ways every time. My original thinking was to seek out a personal trainer which should give me a regular commitment, way to keep focussed and some motivation to do my best at all times. Maybe something I will undertake come spring?

One thing I really have learned about a healthy lifestyle is that the more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to stick with it; the longer you stick with it the more you get into it. It's a real priority for me to smile more and to take more enjoyment my lifestyle. You only live once, this isn't a dry run. There is something gratifying about brand new workout wear; I don't often treat myself to new gear but maybe this year is that time to make a change. Let me say I've never worn such fabulous quality outfit, it's a whole new experience! I have Anthropologie to thank for sending me this outfit from Pure + Good. They have a fabulous range of high quality activewear online, it's great to see some unique pieces that stand out and look special.

The static stripe legwarmer leggings are such a great fit, I went for size small which is approx. 6 – 8 which is a comfortable snug fit, made from something incredible, a thick, stretchy fabric which gives and stays in shape (and certainly wont let anyone else see your underwear through it when you bend over – we've all seen someone else's wardrobe malfunction). The foot strap detail is rather clever too, I wish all my workout leggings were as good. I'm never usually confident enough to parade around in just a crop top but I'm happy to make an exception for this stripelace racer back bra which is again made of some kind of marvellous thick material. There is a flattering amount of padding to not only offer a reassuring amount of support but also leaves me feeling way more feminine than usual with a little bit of cleavage. Blink and you miss it, but still.

The pretty lace back really deserves to be seen, it's gorgeous isn't it?!

In summary, I want to smile; I want to lead a lifestyle that makes me happy, keeps me healthy, allows me to feel strong and capable while inspires others to do the same.

Sophie