Themes and Plans for January

Welcome to a new year, welcome January! 

I thought that I would kick of 2014 by posting my themes and plans for the month. As you know, I do love celebrating the year in every which way I can. Seasonally and of course celebrating my faith through the Liturgical year is very important to me. So at the end of each month, I spend a little time focusing on the month to come and try to mark our journey through the year by celebrating those things that are precious to my heart. 

January is a funny month. I think both January and February need allot of help in celebrating them! Although the shortest day has past with the Winter Solstice on December 22nd, January is still a very dark and cold month. There is a saying that goes, 'As the day lengthens, the cold strengthens'. Here in England we usually get our snowfalls during this time (Jan - March), this month is usually the coldest of the year! 

This is the month that wildlife struggles along. Little birds rely on us to help them through these cold dark days.

So, in short, this is the perfect time to look at the month ahead and find the beautiful characteristics that are unique to January and plan some celebratory fun things to do.

Here are my plans for the upcoming days.

Folklaw

Gem: Garnet

Flower: Carnation or Snowdrop

A Traditional Rhyme: If January's calends be summerly gay, 'twill be winterly weather till the calends of May!

Full Wolf Moon ~ 16th

Our Lady and All Saints:: 'The Crooked Spire' Famous landmark of our town

Faith:: Celebrating the Liturgical Year

1st - The Naming and Circumcision of Jesus

6th - The Epiphany of our Lord

25th - The Conversion of Paul

Nature

Frost

Snow

Hungry Birds

Bare branches

Snowdrops

Lengthening Days

Coldest Days

Frozen Spiders webs
slippery walkways - be careful!

Home and Garden

* Dream about this year's garden! Plan beds and browse through seed catalogues

* Dig over fallow beds

* Make sure bird feeders are always well stocked and that water is available and accessible

* Warming and wholesome food

* Clean out school room and ready for the start of the new term
* New calendar and personal planner for 2014
*Buy in salt, grit and check snow shovels 
* Scoop up indoor bulb kits that are on special now

Arts & Crafts

*Bake Twelfth Night Cake for The Epiphany of our Lord

*Make some delish 'star' shaped snacks around Epiphany (the star that led the wise men to Jesus)
*Ice Art or here
* Make some window starts to brighten up these dark days (as pictured above)
Tutorials here, here and here

Homeschooling

* Plan out the next school term before lessons start 

*Back to lessons - 6th

*Big Garden Bird Watch 25th - 26th

* Start Recording nature Sightings and upload to Natures Calendar
* New Handbook of Nature Newsletter to work through from Barb
*Art lessons resume
* Check out winter reading books from the library or download onto Kindle (see my updated Winter Book Basket for some ideas on my right-hand sidebar)
* Winter Poetry

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