My word January is a tough month to get through!!

You sound really fed up Chris :(
I like January because the days are getting longer, bulbs are coming up, spring is to look forward to, and all the nonsense of Christmas and new year are out of the way. I can also devote lots of time to my art and local history researching. I can't see anything to dislike about all that.

If the weather is dull and wet I don't care. Cold temperatures make me feel ill. I am always happier when it's mild and raining.

dull and wet means sewing for me or reading. And a good storm watched from the safety of home is wonderful. As a child we'd wrap up warm and go down to the beach and watch the waves roll in etc.
January has snowdrops, winter aconites and Cyclamen coum. Noses of the various bulbs poking through too.

I knew there must be SOME positives and it was lovely to read about them. Thank you everyone.
x
Please keep them coming.

Great blog, Chris! Thought provoking too. That picture!!! Looks so dramatic and typifies a bleak winter scene!
Love your little poem too!
I just feel January is a limbo month - post New Years and pre the awakening of spring. I do like ‘Hogmanay’ in Scotland, and I miss the family and celebration when I’m not able to get up there. The weather in January is driech, still dark and too cold for proper gardening. Going out a few times a week in the dark and windy cold weather to yoga isn’t all that joyful!
Wet, muddy, bitterly cold, and I’m trying to fit the rest of my annual leave in before the end of March and trying to get back to healthy eating after Christmas 😂
However, I often like it if I have a good psychological thriller to read, log burner on, cosy blanket and OH is watching one of his motorbike shows or antiquing shows…
Plus, I guess, before we know it, it’s a little lighter in the early evenings and the bulbs are flowering..

Kate you put that so very well. Positives and negatives of this challenging time of year. I must be honest I enjoy the evenings - getting warm and cosy by the fire and getting involved in a good book. I find the days harder but there ARE signs of Spring around so I must dwell on those! Thank you.

I think January is harder when you're not working and there's no daily employment to break up the wet, cold, grey. It seems an endless month then. At the moment we can't see much evidence of new growth because of the mud.. By now, I'm bored with reading books, knitting and football which all began months ago to help pass the time. The few bright days have been lovely, though.

Ange I have said exactly those same words! When you are working you are not as aware of the weather as when you are retired. It seems to have a much bigger impact on what you are able to do and how you feel.
Just a little bit of brightness makes a big difference.

Other than the cold, damp, dark days I don´t find January to be a bad month!

I'm always on the look out for the first flowers to show their heads! I've seen some Snowdrops in flower but that is all the spring bulbs I've seen as yet around here.

My spring bulbs are beginning to show their noses through the soil in the pots but none are about to flower shortly.

I had to smile at your little poem Chris!
What do I do...well..more thorough cleaning round the home, watch "Escape to the Country" where I " escape"!
I keep on feeding the birds and filling up the bird baths,
stay in bed a bit longer and as you know..go to our favourite little cafe every lunch to have home cooked food or a snack and a good chat to the other regulars.
I also check out plants for this year either in catalogues or nurseries online.
Cheer up Chris, it will soon be spring! xxx

I agree with both positives and negatives Chris,and I hate the cold,and especially the wet days ,but,like Rose and also yourself,we go out as much as possible,for lunches, or just a sandwich, and to our traditional local Cinema, where we can view the latest films at 10.30 am,every Thursday with a free cuppa,an Organist,and an Usherette at the Interval,,all for £ 5 each!
On 'good' days,we take our Daughters little dog for walks,which although we don't always feel like it, it does us all good :o)
Cosy evenings watching favourite programmes, looking in on Goy,reading,doing crosswords,word searches etc,and other things on my laptop,and some chocolate ,or similar, as a treat,which at the moment is most evenings !

Roll on spring and summer,where the garden will see me return to a calorie free zone ! hopefully ..Lol. x

Thank you for your three very positive thoughts about January which were all really uplifting especially as I do a lot of the things mentioned!!! Perhaps it isn’t quite so bad after all!!!

It has been fun to read this blog and comments. I will just say that I agree with Roald Dahl who said
"If I had my way I would remove January from the calendar altogether and have an extra July instead."
Nuff said ... :o))

One thing I do like about some January days. The sun is at a low angle and the effect on the trees can be magical. I love to sit in the conservatory and look up into the branches of a big sycamore under a bright blue sky. I love late afternoon sun on the mossy trunks of big trees. I love the first celandine and the first primrose (yes I've seen them already!) and in the next village there is a row of incredibly early daffodils which are a shock every January! I saw them yesterday.

But I am very nesh (a wimp re the cold) and Hate shivering when everybody else is warm enough (which is most of the winter). Hang on in there, we are half way through January and after that there should be only about 10 more weeks of cold weather...

Shirley - Well said Roald Dahl - I have a lot of time for his wise and funny words!!!

Stera you describe the beauty of the winter sunshine so well. Today has been a lovely day here and we did do some tidying up jobs in the garden. It makes you feel so much better to see bright skies and feel a little bit of warmth from the sun.

10 weeks you say…………!!!

Lovely bright frosty day today. The blue skies, sun & frost make me feel happy as I can get out, anywhere will do, shopping, Socialising, it doesn’t matter, as long as I can get out of the house, see other people, chat to them on the bus or in a cafe etc. This is how I deal with life, January included. What gets me down are endless days of rain & grey, everywhere grey & wet. Who likes ‘walking in the rain, a getting soaking wet.’ Remember the song by Johnny
Cry Ray? When I come home I’m ready to relax & settle to indoor pursuits, like the ones already mentioned. Had a good sweep up in the garden recently but the ground still as hard as iron, nothing growing at all, a lot of mouldy looking Pelargoniums in my shed!☹️

I concur Hwyl; 'I like January because the days are getting longer, bulbs are coming up, spring is to look forward to, and all the nonsense of Christmas and new year are out of the way'! To add; the days are getting longer, The plans for what to do in the garden this year and what not sow are buzzing in my mind!
Deep breathe and repeat as often as required. Those dreary winter blues will melt away!

January brings the snow
Makes our toes and fingers glow!

What can we plan to do?
We have a whole year to go!

Which seeds to sow?
Where is the pot to help them grow?

Mother Nature is waking up
We best get ready to help her up!

Feverfew it really was a truly lovely day today. It is the dark, wet and dreary days that get us down. I feel so much better on a day like today. So glad that you do too so let’s hope for a few more of them!

Ajh thank you especially especially for the rhymes included and your positive attitude to January. Today was sunny and bright and made all the difference. Today on a walk I saw white snowdrops on the ground and white snow on the tors on Dartmoor under deep blue skies - wonderful!!

i've really enjoyed this blog... I quite like January always have done, new beginnings and all that goes with it, planning for the coming months, deciding if we intend to book a holiday and if so where to go and when, saying that your photograph perfectly matched my mood for a while, the wet dreary days seemed so long this year and I don't mind admitting I felt like staying in bed with my book, made even worse by the fact my goy was playing up yet again, darn site, I couldn't even answer your comments on my blog, I swear it goes with the flipping weather just to annoy me... Pleased to say I'm alright this week, we've had hard frosts every night with very cold but sunny days, however I can breathe easily, the nights are drawing out, signs of spring in the garden and I'm raring to start again..
When I was younger February was waste of time month for me, hubby used to say I was always moody and would fight with my own shadow out of sheer boredom.

"Today on a walk I saw white snowdrops on the ground and white snow on the tors on Dartmoor under deep blue skies - wonderful!!"

Sounds wonderful, Wildrose! I would have loved to have been able to see them with you!

"we've had hard frosts every night with very cold but sunny days,"

Snap! It's been the same here for several days & we are forecast several more days of the same!

Lincslass I can relate to so much of what you said here. I am hoping that the worst is over. These last few days have been so welcome and the sun actually felt quite warm at times!! There ARE signs of spring about now and we must cherish those!!

Balcony I would have been delighted to have your company!! The nights are very cold but when the next day begins with bright sunshine it is just perfect. Take care though on the ice.

I have to agree with Shirley and Roald Dahl…..

this January has been exceptionally tedious…… unable to get on to the garden….. wet then more wet….then severe frosts one after another….we moved South for the milder climate!, what happened and we are not out of the woods yet!…. I really dislike the cold and being cold is even worse sorry no positives from me…… if it were possibly to hibernate I would believe me….

Oh fabulous! Snowdrops! I must keep a look out! A sure sign spring is on its way! 🙏 Glad the dogs n came out for you Wildrose

Dotty I agree with you totally!! It is a month that seems to drag on and even when the sun does come out it is still bitterly cold.
I do think hibernating is very appealing!!
One good thing - it is nearly over!!

A. jh. It was lovely to see a few snowdrops but I feel even happier when I see daffodils in flower - then it really is spring!!!