Wanderings Lately :: January 2020

This month has very much dragged along, I don't always agree that January feels like the longest month but for this year it seems to have gone on for ages. Christmas seems such a long, long time ago!

Thankfully the days are definitely getting longer, and although the mornings are still dark I've enjoyed a couple of cycles home in the twilight. Spring might be a way-off yet but some signs are showing. I noticed today that the tree in front of the church opposite has blossom already appearing on it's branches. It's been interesting to watch the transition of those trees from bountiful summer to sparse winter. Nice to see life forming once more.

January has been a hectic one at work, as I straddle two roles and things jumped forward a few steps in the yearly application cycle. Looking ahead, I am hoping for a few work trips in the spring, although nothing is ever guaranteed.

Quite glad to get January out of the way, the start of the year always has such promise but January also has such grey, miserable weather and sits in a shadow of Christmas. What does it really have going for it? Bring on February - the best month!

New Year's Day walk. It was nice to get out in the new year for some fresh air and a muddy wander through a local nature reserve before heading back to work and routine.

Making use of a Christmas present from my Nan. Shortbread made using an old fashioned mould. I've made a couple of other batches since this one too!

After new year, our Christmas tree just about made it to the 6th January. 

It wasn't fun trying to get it out of the living room though...

We were finally able to cash in Victor's Christmas present from 2018. A trip down the slide at the Olympic Park. It was fun, but I wouldn't rush back.

Celebrating Burn's Night with some Cullen Skink. A traditional smoked haddock chowder. The recipe wasn't great, but the soup was still delicious!

A visit at the end of the month to the Chelmsford Museum was very enjoyable. Lots of info on local well known people, who had made an impact in different areas. One I had not heard of before was Edward Bawden a "storytelling artist'. He'd illustrated for lot of famous novels, poems and short stories, plus designed things like wallpaper and tiles. He had a very distinctive and pleasing artistic style.

Randomly there's a bee hive in the museum. They looked a bit slow and had quite a few dead bees inside - I suppose because of the time of year - but it was fascinating and quite relaxing to watch them all buzzing around inside. The local honey on sale was £6 a jar though, so I decided to pass on buying that to try!