Monthly Musings – January 2026

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the first entry in my monthly musings. This series is less of a polished recap, more of a grounded pause – what’s taking shape, what’s unfinished, and what I’m carrying forward.

January felt like a fitting place to begin. 

January Musings: A Slow, Snow-Heavy Start

The year started off wrapped in relentless snowfall. Sawdust coated every surface of our home during the ongoing den renovation, I endured an unwelcome bout of food poisoning, and found quieter days catching up on editing photos and writing blog posts. Grounded, reflective, and looking ahead to the year to come.

I don’t feel like January is meant for reinvention. January lives in the darkest stretch of the year, and asking for constant optimism feels out of sync with the season. Rest makes more sense. Instead of resolutions, I made a few lists – part planning, part daydreaming. Not rigid goals, but loose guides: projects I want to build or finish, treasures I want to keep an eye out for, and the shape I hope this year takes. Real resolutions can wait – spring brings the right energy for that.

Projects, in Progress

Projects have been defining the flow of the month. The den renovation slowly continues. A tool caddy and a clothes-drying rack are coming together. I finally started getting some supplies together to transfer recipes into a long-sought vintage recipe box – something small, but deeply satisfying.

Winter sowing, meanwhile, was unintentionally delayed. I meant to start in autumn, then again around the winter solstice. Sometimes life moves differently than planned, and progress refuses to be linear. I’m learning to let that be okay. 

These kinds of projects – unfinished, practical, slightly imperfect – make the house feel lived-in. Each step adds to a home and yard that feel intentional, alive, and even in winter, like a thriving, intentional habitat for both people and the wildlife around us.

Little Treasures

I hoped to start the year with a few thrift outings, but the roads made that decision for me – they were horrendous! Staying home felt wiser – there’s plenty to do here anyway. But when I did manage to get out later in the month, a few pieces followed me back:

• A brass vase that may become the base of a small lamp, adding cozy, ambient light to a quiet corner.
• Birds of Edmonton and Wild Colours: Canada’s Rocky Mountain Wildflowers books. I spotted the bird book online earlier this week and wanted one for myself, so finding it so quickly felt like a small win. The signed wildflower book felt like discovering a hidden treasure.
• A small wooden desk for the den – simple, unassuming, but full of potential for quiet mornings, scattered notes, and the little sparks of creativity that make a house feel like home.
• A vintage wood table and chairs from my neighbourhood Buy Nothing group – literally the set I’d been hoping to find! They just need a little sprucing up, which I’ll save for spring so I can work on them outside or in the garage.

I love the slow hunt – finding objects with a bit of history that softly weave themselves into daily life.

Work, Identity, and 2026 Taking Shape

I’m starting the year still unemployed. I’m having a hard time chasing ladders (or the jungle gym) that lead nowhere meaningful for me. Right now, my focus is on building income from creativity, curiosity, and skill – on my own terms. 

That includes exploring ways to grow my blog so I can keep creating sustainably. It also means experimenting – letting projects be playful and allowing work to take shape without demanding perfection first.

Beyond work, I want to live fully inside each moment: noticing the extraordinary inside the ordinary and letting small, steady joys anchor the days. I’m allowing myself to feel happy – without guilt – regardless of employment status. These are the gentle guides shaping 2026, one choice at a time and the lens through which I’ve experienced January’s everyday moments.

Moments From This Month

• I’m giving a day planner an honest try (again). Hoping that it keeps my days organized and focused – I’ve never been great at sticking with planners. It arrived mid-January, which feels fitting. New pens and stickers are doing their best to give me a dopamine boost. 
• I rarely watch TV, but I was glad to have The Pitt and Grey’s Anatomy back after their holiday break.
• The green velvet chair that I ordered for the den’s reading nook arrived – and thankfully, green on green works! It’s comfortable, grounding, and I can’t wait until the den is finished so I can curl up and read.
• We received what might be the city’s heaviest snowfall since 2004. The streets were brutal – even with good winter tires and 4×4. Thankfully I didn’t get stuck, but I had multiple shovels in my vehicle just in case.
• I picked up a gorgeous Danish Ivy that I found on Facebook Marketplace, along with a Fuschia and a Myrtle. I’ve had a hard time keeping Myrtles alive in the past, so I’m hoping this one fares better. I also couldn’t resist grabbing a Button Fern and a Goldfish Plant while I was at Home Depot.
• A welcome surprise, my local Starbucks still had pumpkin spice syrup left. One final PSL felt like a gentle seasonal goodbye.
• After some procrastination, a bit of uncertainty, and a few tweaks to the plan, I finally started building the bookshelf for the den. The wall’s a little bowed, so the shelves won’t sit perfectly flush, and I had to rethink leaving the back open because of a light switch and outlets. Progress is slow – mostly because math is involved – but even though it’s nowhere near finished, it already feels like the start of something that will make the room feel more like home.
• After years of using Lightroom, I discovered Keywords. Sorting 2025 photos – especially for the upcoming A Year in Review: 2025 Backyard Birding List post – suddenly feels possible. Life-changing, honestly.

Closing Thoughts

January has been about slowly laying groundwork – for ideas, for projects, for noticing. It’s been a month of small momentum, everyday rhythms, and letting things take the time they need. 
Nothing flashy – just steady.
I’m looking forward to seeing where these days carry me, one month at a time.

If you enjoy these slower check-ins, you’re welcome to linger here. I’ll be sharing these monthly musings as the year unfolds.

If this post sparked an idea, made you pause, or nudged you to notice the life in your own space, share it. Every share spreads the invitation: to garden with purpose, to rewild a yard, to create a place wildlife trusts – and helps this little patch of land inspire more backyard birders, native plant gardeners, and nature-lovers.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,
Tracey

---

If you enjoy what I share and want to support my journey to rewild and document this little patch of land, you can do so through my Ko-fi page. Your support helps me continue photographing, nurturing, and sharing this space with you.

---

Leave this field empty if you're human:

PIN IT!