Wildflower Moments (January 2025)

Things that make and made me happy, my favourite 6, a healthy recipe with ginger and lemon, a book update and more...

Every month, I write about my Wildflower Moments, taking a moment to pause and appreciate the beauty of the past month (and season). Moments that brought me joy—and maybe might bring you joy too. The books I read, am reading, or plan to read… and sometimes a poem I wrote or a recipe I loved.

What Made Me Happy

• NASA’s Instagram account with stunning images and fascinating facts about our universe.

• A beautiful post by

  Ta Hiron
  about living with the seasons and embracing winter.

• If you love writing but often lack inspiration, check out this post by

  Terje Äkke
  .

• Our last-minute decision to go skiing in Sweden!

• Imbolc and lingering winter vibes can be found here and here. If you’re working and love the Pomodoro technique, this might be helpful. Or simply choose a crackling fireplace here.

My Favorite 6…

Scrolling through my phone, I found quite a few wintry photos—not surprising for January. We had a few frosty nights that led to stunning views in the mornings. I enjoy these moments immensely. 😊

1. Leaves caught in a thin layer of ice during a Sunday afternoon walk.

2. The sun and a bright blue sky paired with brown reeds during another Sunday walk. I love these beautiful, muted colors.

3. The flowers of the hydrangea in my garden after a cold night.

4. Our cat Teun, cozily asleep in his basket. We often envy his blissful naps...

5. The leftover stems of Joe-Pye Weed in my backyard, so gorgeous with a layer of frost.

6. If you look closely, there is still plenty of beauty to be seen in winter. I took this photo during a silence walk. I didn't manage to get out of my head very well, but certainly enjoyed it!

Winter Recipe…

Here’s a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack that also ties beautifully with Imbolc!

Imbolc

Ginger-Lemon oatmeal waffles

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 150 g oat flour

• 150 ml almond milk

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 2 eggs

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 2 slices of ginger

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and cook the waffles in a waffle iron.

We topped ours with yogurt, lemon curd, and a sprinkle of coconut. If you don’t have a waffle iron, you can turn these into pancakes instead.

Books I’m Enjoying…

I recently reread Wintering by Katherine May and remain just as captivated by it the second time around. I might dedicate one of my Wildflower Book Notes to it—a series I still plan to start 😉.

I’m also deeply impressed by A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter. This memoir, set around 1934, recounts Christiane’s journey to Spitsbergen, where she joins her husband conducting research. It’s a stark tale of survival: being snowed in, enduring weeks of darkness, subsisting on limited food, and facing the harsh reality of hunting. A true winter read!

Another book I’m enjoying is Nature Tales for Winter Nights, a collection of short stories and essays by various writers, all winter-themed.

Poetry

Here’s a poem I wrote during Beth Kempton’s Winter Writing Sanctuary:

Storm

Blow clouds across the ceiling.
And leaves through the room.
Wave your worries out the window.
And your anger after them.
Storm a tree into the kitchen.
Cry with its branches.
Yell rain against the doors.
And let the wind howl.

Inspired by an untitled poem by Jos van Hest in Dichter nr. 19.

During a reflective day, I rediscovered the art of writing an ‘Elfje’—a short poem of 11 words spread over five lines (1, 2, 3, 4, and 1 word).

Angel
White feather
There you are
I searched for Winter
Angel

From my Notebook

• Replaying conversations in your head while walking (or running)—revisiting what was or pondering what’s yet to come—until you’re back home and ready to move on with your day.

• I’m sure I annoy people too: not paying attention, being too fast or too slow. Grumpy or too cheerful…

• It was a winter of longing. Longing for rest that didn’t want to be found…

• I hold a feather in my hand, from the end where it was once connected to the bird that let it go...

• Through confrontation, I find transition…

Maybe take a moment to reflect on January. What were your favorite moments? What did you read? Where did you go? What are you grateful for?

For now, I wish you a beautiful February filled with peace, light, and a lot of tiny moments and tiny pleasures ❄🤍🙏🏼