For what feels like the first time, I’m really savoring the slowness of midwinter. With the rush of the holidays behind us, I have been settling into what the rest of the natural world is doing; resting, reflecting and conserving energy for the coming year. New Years Day was unseasonably warm here in Pennsylvania. I celebrated by throwing open every window in the house; inviting in a shift in energy along with the glorious fresh air. 

Instead of making resolutions and plans like I normally have, I decided to let this year surprise me. To lean into hibernation and trust that spring will come in it’s own time. In the meantime, I thought, I can just be. 

After about a week of that, the idea for what you are reading now came to me, fully formed. 

That may seem like a quick turnaround, but to be honest, I feel as though I’ve been hibernating for years. This blog has been neglected for some reasons you can probably guess  (namely, giving birth twice and writing a book in between) and others that are a bit harder to pin down. I started my website 10 years ago, and in that time it’s seen many names and iterations. Most recently, it’s been the hub for my residential interior design business. But as I’ve stepped away from serving clients for the time being, it has taken me a while to work out what purpose this space holds now. Does creative work still have a place in my life as a stay at home mother of two young children in the era of covid? And if so, what could that possibly look like? 

What I’ve landed on is an offering from the heart. This year, I am publishing four collections of blog posts centered on the seasons. Each collection will include essays, prompts, and how-to’s on all the topics you’ve come to expect from me: home, garden, design, motherhood, soulful living, crafts, etc. The content of each issue of my Midseason Journal will be released all together and live on my homepage. You can pour yourself a cup of something warm and dive into them all at once, like your favorite magazine or Netflix show. Or you can pick and choose the stories that interest you; some to read now and others to save for coming back to later. 

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about my identity, creativity, and purpose this past year. This shift towards living and working seasonally is what feels most aligned and sustainable to me in this stage of my life. I wonder if you might be feeling a similar pull…

For me, the seed was planted in April of 2020, when my daughter and I were spending more time outside than ever. It was the first time I had slowed down enough to notice that our backyard maple tree grows tiny chartreuse blossoms before it pushes new leaves. 

Since then, I’ve found comfort through the practice of slowing down and being fully present with whatever season I am in, whether that’s in the outer world or in my own inner landscape. In tending to myself with the devotion and care of a gardener. And the purpose that has been rooting deeper and deeper in my heart is this:

To lay down the false urgency, mindless consumption, disconnection, and preoccupation with keeping up appearances that is plaguing our culture in any big or small ways that I can. 

To lean into the natural cycles and rhythms of life, make peace with its inevitable ebbs and flows and move forward with authenticity and contentment as my north stars. 

In this first week of February, we are at the halfway point of winter. From here, the days will continue to get longer, and there will soon be small signs of the coming spring. I challenge you not to rush ahead. But to stay here, savor, and remain open to the lessons that only the stillness of winter can bring. I’ll be right here, rooting ever deeper alongside you. 

This post first appeared as the introduction to the Winter 2022 edition/ issue of my Midseason Journal. You can find all four seasonal collections in their entirety, here.