Explore every episode of the podcast Seasonal Notes

Seasonal Notes

Season Two, Episode One

The Return of the Light: When the “By Now” Story Unravels

In this first episode of Season Two, Ciara reflects on the quiet unraveling of the “by now” story — the blueprint many of us carry about where we thought we would be by this stage of life.

This episode explores subtle grief, recalibration rather than reinvention, and why midlife can feel less like an ending and more like transitional light — like spring returning slowly after winter.

A gentle, reflective beginning to a new season of Seasonal Notes.

Welcome back to Seasonal Notes – Season Two.

After a winter of short, quiet reflections, this spring season stays with each idea a little longer. Not dramatically longer — just long enough to breathe.

In this opening episode, I reflect on the first essay in my new five-part midlife series:

“When the ‘By Now’ Story Unravels.”

Many of us carry a quiet internal blueprint:

By now, I thought I’d feel more certain.

By now, I thought things would be settled.

By now, I thought I’d be more established.

But somewhere along the way, the straight line softens.

Not because everything fell apart.

But because life introduces variables we couldn’t have accounted for.

In this episode, I explore:

The “by now” blueprint and how it forms

The subtle grief of realising life hasn’t unfolded exactly as imagined

Holding two truths at once — gratitude and ache

Recalibration instead of reinvention

Why midlife feels less like summer and more like spring

Spring is not full bloom.

It’s transitional light.

And perhaps that’s what midlife is too.

This season isn’t a how-to.

It isn’t a manifesto about ageing.

It’s context — the quiet why behind how I live now.

If you’ve ever felt that subtle internal sentence forming —

“If I’m honest, I thought I’d be further by now” —

I hope this feels like companionship rather than instruction.

📚 Mentioned in This Episode

🌿 The Midlife Reflection Series (Five-Part Hub Page)

🌼 Spring Seasonal Reading List

🗓 Coming Next Week

Part Two of the series — exploring the difference between being needed and being known.

If this episode resonated, you’re very welcome to:

– Leave a review

– Share it with a friend

– Or simply sit with it for a while

We’re not behind.

We’re not broken.

We’re not late.

We’re living in real time.

Seasonal Notes

Episode 6 — Leaning Into Winter

Season One: Winter

Welcome back to Seasonal Notes, and to our first episode of 2026.

After a quiet pause over the Christmas season, this episode marks a gentle return — a moment to settle back into winter and meet it where we are.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on what it means to lean into winter instead of resisting it.On the darkness, the cold, the long January days — and how accepting this season, rather than wishing it away, can sometimes make it feel lighter and more manageable.

We talk about:

why winter can feel especially hard once the festivities are over

the difference between acceptance and giving up

what nature teaches us about rest and dormancy

how small, everyday choices can help us feel more grounded at this time of year

and why winter might not be the season for pushing, fixing, or starting over

This is a slow, reflective episode — something to listen to while walking, resting, or pottering at home. No pressure. No instructions. Just a quiet invitation to soften into the season you’re in.

🌿 About Seasonal Notes

Seasonal Notes is a gentle, weekly podcast about seasonal living, slow and intentional rhythms, and finding meaning in the everyday. Each episode offers a calm, companionable space to pause and reflect as the seasons unfold.

✨ Continue the conversation

If you’d like to explore these themes further, you can find me at:

Blog: https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourlittlehouseinthecountry

You can also subscribe to the newsletter over on the blog for seasonal reflections, gentle prompts, and slow living inspiration.

Thank you so much for being here — and for listening.

📖Winter Reading & Seasonal Inspiration

If you’re drawn to the quieter, slower rhythms of the colder months, these are some of the books I return to again and again during winter. They explore themes of seasonal living, rest, reflection, hygge, and finding joy in simpler days. I’ll leave the links below if you’d like to explore any of them further.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.

📚 Winter & Seasonal Reading

The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2026 – Lia Leendertz

The Joy of Wintering – Erin Niimi Longhurst

How to Winter – Kari Leibowitz

Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year – Beth Kempton

My Hygge Home – Meik Wiking

The Art of Danish Living – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Lykke – Meik Wiking

Wintering – Katherine May

The Self‑Care Year – Alison Davies

The Happiness Year – Tara Ward

The Wheel of the Year – Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux

Seasonal Notes — Episode 5-The Heart of Christmas: Why Traditions Matter (and How They Evolve)

Thank you for joining me for another Sunday morning episode of Seasonal Notes. Today’s conversation is all about traditions — the ones we keep, the ones we outgrow, and the ones that quietly evolve as life changes.

This time of year can feel both magical and intense. There are expectations, memories, pressures, and so many moving pieces. But at their truest, traditions are simply about connection — the small rituals and rhythms that help us feel rooted in our own homes and in the people we love.

In this episode, I talk about:

✨ Why traditions matter, especially during the busy festive season✨ How our own family traditions have shifted as the kids have grown✨ Letting go of the idea that “we’ve always done it this way”✨ Creating new rituals that feel real, meaningful, and supportive✨ The beauty of simple traditions — from Christmas Eve dinner to hot chocolate bars✨ How to honour what still feels good and release what doesn’t✨ And how evolving traditions can actually deepen the season rather than dilute it

It’s a gentle, grounded reflection on how we can shape the season to fit who we are now, not who we were years ago.

If you’d like to explore more, you’ll find everything here:

🌿 The Blog - https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com

🎄 This week’s main post: “The Heart of Christmas” https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com/the-heart-of-christmas/

📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/ourlittlehouseinthecountry

Thank you, as always, for listening, for messaging, and for being here.A new episode of Seasonal Notes arrives every Sunday morning.I hope today’s keeps you company. 🕯️✨

📖Winter Reading & Seasonal Inspiration

If you’re drawn to the quieter, slower rhythms of the colder months, these are some of the books I return to again and again during winter. They explore themes of seasonal living, rest, reflection, hygge, and finding joy in simpler days. I’ll leave the links below if you’d like to explore any of them further.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.

📚 Winter & Seasonal Reading

The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2026 – Lia Leendertz

The Joy of Wintering – Erin Niimi Longhurst

How to Winter – Kari Leibowitz

Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year – Beth Kempton

My Hygge Home – Meik Wiking

The Art of Danish Living – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Lykke – Meik Wiking

Wintering – Katherine May

The Self‑Care Year – Alison Davies

The Happiness Year – Tara Ward

The Wheel of the Year – Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux

Seasonal Notes — Episode 4

31 Ways to Slow Down & Savour December

Thank you so much for joining me for Episode 4 of Seasonal Notes.Today’s episode is all about the December calendar — “31 Ways to Slow Down and Savour December.”

This little calendar has become one of my favourite things to create each month. It’s a gentle, steady companion through the busiest season of the year — a way of helping you enjoy December without the pressure to do everything, buy everything, or be everywhere.

In this episode, I talk through:

✨ Why December can feel both magical and overwhelming✨ How the calendar came to be✨ The five themes woven through the month — festive joys, mindful pauses, acts of kindness, seasonal living, and end-of-year reflections✨ How to use the calendar without turning it into a to-do list✨ A handful of ideas from the list that always anchor me during this season✨ Why simple rituals often matter more than the big plans✨ And how you can use these prompts to bring more presence, perspective, and ease into your days

This month isn’t about perfection.It’s about noticing the small things that bring you home to yourself.

If you’d like to follow along, you can find everything here:

🎄 Download the full December Calendar + blog post:https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com/2025/11/25/31-ways-to-slow-down-and-savour-december/

🌿 Read more seasonal posts on the blog:https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com

📸 Come say hello on Instagram:https://instagram.com/ourlittlehouseinthecountry

Thank you, as always, for listening, for sharing, and for all the messages you’ve sent about the first few episodes. I’m so grateful you’re here — and I hope this week’s episode brings a little clarity, calm, and companionship into your December.

A new episode arrives every Sunday morning.See you next week. ✨

📖Winter Reading & Seasonal Inspiration

If you’re drawn to the quieter, slower rhythms of the colder months, these are some of the books I return to again and again during winter. They explore themes of seasonal living, rest, reflection, hygge, and finding joy in simpler days. I’ll leave the links below if you’d like to explore any of them further.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.

📚 Winter & Seasonal Reading

The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2026 – Lia Leendertz

The Joy of Wintering – Erin Niimi Longhurst

How to Winter – Kari Leibowitz

Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year – Beth Kempton

My Hygge Home – Meik Wiking

The Art of Danish Living – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Lykke – Meik Wiking

Wintering – Katherine May

The Self‑Care Year – Alison Davies

The Happiness Year – Tara Ward

The Wheel of the Year – Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux

Seasonal Notes — Episode 3

The Story Behind Our Little House in the Country

Thank you so much for joining me for Episode 3 of Seasonal Notes. This podcast has become a little Sunday space for real, steady, reflective conversations — the kind you can listen to with a cup of tea, in the car, or during a quiet moment in your day.

In this episode, I’m sharing something a bit closer to the heart:the story behind Our Little House in the Country — how it came to be, what shaped me over the years, and why slow and seasonal living has become so central to my life.

I chat about:

✨ Growing up only a few miles from where I live now✨ The meaning of “home” and why it has always grounded me✨ The years of rushing, burnout, overwhelm, and the moment everything had to change✨ Becoming a full-time carer when my eldest child needed me most✨ Finding my way back to clarity, steadiness, perspective, and creativity✨ How the blog, the calendars, and now this podcast grew out of that shift✨ And what winter — this season we’re in — really means to me

My hope is that this episode gives you encouragement, companionship, and maybe a moment of quiet recognition. So many of us are carrying more than we ever say out loud. And sometimes hearing someone else’s story is enough to remind us that we’re not on our own.

If you’d like to explore more, you’ll find everything here:

🌿 The Blog:https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com

📸 Instagram:https://instagram.com/ourlittlehouseinthecountry

Thank you for listening, for supporting this new little project, and for being here. I’m truly grateful.A new episode lands every Sunday morning.I hope today’s keeps you company. 🕯️✨

📖Winter Reading & Seasonal Inspiration

If you’re drawn to the quieter, slower rhythms of the colder months, these are some of the books I return to again and again during winter. They explore themes of seasonal living, rest, reflection, hygge, and finding joy in simpler days. I’ll leave the links below if you’d like to explore any of them further.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.

📚 Winter & Seasonal Reading

The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2026 – Lia Leendertz

The Joy of Wintering – Erin Niimi Longhurst

How to Winter – Kari Leibowitz

Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year – Beth Kempton

My Hygge Home – Meik Wiking

The Art of Danish Living – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Lykke – Meik Wiking

Wintering – Katherine May

The Self‑Care Year – Alison Davies

The Happiness Year – Tara Ward

The Wheel of the Year – Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux

.

Seasonal Notes — Episode 2

The Beauty of Doing Less

Welcome back to Seasonal Notes.In today’s episode, we’re talking about the quiet magic of doing less as we move towards December — choosing gently, slowing down, protecting our energy, and making space for the moments that matter.

I’m sharing how our own family shifted from an overwhelming December to one filled with small, meaningful traditions, and how our beloved “24 Days of December” activity jar became the inspiration behind this year’s 31 Ways to Slow Down & Savour December calendar.

You’ll also hear this week’s personal reflection from our home — storms, power cuts, attic chaos and all — and how the small, steadying moments have been my anchor once again.

🌿 In This Episode

Why December fills itself so quickly

Learning to choose less, more intentionally

How our family created a simple advent calendar of cosy activities

Why small, meaningful rituals bring more joy than doing everything

A gentle invitation to simplify your December

“One Thing I’m Learning This Week” — a personal note

Seasonal resources to support your winter

🕯 Seasonal Resources Mentioned

✨ How to Winter Well — November Calendar

Your free, gentle guide to grounding and slowing down this month.👉 https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com/2025/10/28/30-ways-to-winter-well-november-calendar/

**🎄 Coming November 25th:

31 Ways to Slow Down & Savour December — Advent & Beyond Calendar**A gentle collection of tiny seasonal moments to carry you from December 1st to New Year’s Day.

🔗 Stay Connected

✨ InstagramBehind-the-scenes, daily seasonal living, slow-living reflections, home life & candle stories👉 https://instagram.com/ourlittlehouseinthecountry

✨ The Blog — Our Little House in the CountrySeasonal living, cosy rhythms, recipes, homemaking, calendars, and more👉 https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com

✨ How to Winter Well Calendar (direct link)👉 https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com/2025/10/28/30-ways-to-winter-well-november-calendar/

📅 New Episodes Every Sunday Morning

Seasonal Notes is now a weekly Sunday podcast — a gentle space to ease into the week with cosy conversations about slow, intentional, seasonal living.

💛 Thank you

Thank you so much for listening. If this episode brought you comfort, clarity, or a moment to breathe, I’d love if you shared it with someone who might enjoy a softer December too.

📖Winter Reading & Seasonal Inspiration

If you’re drawn to the quieter, slower rhythms of the colder months, these are some of the books I return to again and again during winter. They explore themes of seasonal living, rest, reflection, hygge, and finding joy in simpler days. I’ll leave the links below if you’d like to explore any of them further.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.

📚 Winter & Seasonal Reading

The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2026 – Lia Leendertz

The Joy of Wintering – Erin Niimi Longhurst

How to Winter – Kari Leibowitz

Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year – Beth Kempton

My Hygge Home – Meik Wiking

The Art of Danish Living – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Lykke – Meik Wiking

Wintering – Katherine May

The Self‑Care Year – Alison Davies

The Happiness Year – Tara Ward

The Wheel of the Year – Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux

Episode 1 — How to Winter Well

Seasonal Notes from Our Little House in the Country

Welcome to the very first episode of Seasonal Notes, a gentle, cosy little podcast from Our Little House in the Country. In this series, we’ll walk together through the seasons with simple ideas, warm reflections, and comforting, grounding rituals for slow and intentional living.

In today’s episode, we’re easing our way into the beginning of winter — a time for softer rhythms, shorter days, glowing lamps, early evenings, and the quiet rest our bodies naturally crave. Together, we’ll explore what it means to winter well:

✨ slowing our pace and listening to our energy✨ embracing pockets of light and warmth✨ simple comforts that anchor us at home✨ gentle self-care that suits the season✨ rewinding, reflecting, and preparing for December✨ noticing what nature is teaching us at this time of year✨ welcoming cosiness without pressure or perfection

I’ll also mention the How to Winter Well calendar — the gentle, daily seasonal prompts I share each month over on the blog and on Instagram. You can find it here:

Winter Well Calendar:👉 Instagram: @ourlittlehouseinthecountry👉 Blog: https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com(Or check the link in the episode description.)

This episode is designed to feel like a warm cup of tea on a dark evening — calm, soft, comforting, and easy to listen to as you move through your day.

🌿 Links & Resources

Read the full blog post version:How to Winter Well — Simple Rhythms for a Gentler Seasonhttps://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com/2025/10/28/30-ways-to-winter-well-november-calendar/

Follow along on Instagram:https://instagram.com/ourlittlehouseinthecountry

Explore more seasonal living content:https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com

🎧 Music Credit

Music: “White Silence” by Alana JordanLicensed via Pixabayhttps://pixabay.com/music/id-415866/

🤍 Thank you for listening

This first episode feels like opening the door to something new, and I’m so grateful to have you here. If you enjoyed this gentle winter beginning, I’d love if you subscribed, shared the podcast with a friend, or left a little comment or heart on Substack.

There’s lots more to come — cosy rituals, seasonal stories, gentle reflections and slow, grounding rhythms for winter and Christmas.

From our little house to yours,Ciara 🤍

📖Winter Reading & Seasonal Inspiration

If you’re drawn to the quieter, slower rhythms of the colder months, these are some of the books I return to again and again during winter. They explore themes of seasonal living, rest, reflection, hygge, and finding joy in simpler days. I’ll leave the links below if you’d like to explore any of them further.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.

📚 Winter & Seasonal Reading

The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2026 – Lia Leendertz

The Joy of Wintering – Erin Niimi Longhurst

How to Winter – Kari Leibowitz

Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year – Beth Kempton

My Hygge Home – Meik Wiking

The Art of Danish Living – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Lykke – Meik Wiking

Wintering – Katherine May

The Self‑Care Year – Alison Davies

The Happiness Year – Tara Ward

The Wheel of the Year – Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux