Starting the Year Slowly
January arrived with frost and silence. After the noise of the holiday season, the first weeks of the year felt like a deep exhale — the kind of stillness that only winter can offer.
This month was about getting back to basics. No grand plans, no ambitious resolutions. Just the daily rhythm of wood, water, and light.
Energy and Light
The days are still short here. We’ve been running on roughly four hours of usable solar, which means being deliberate about when we use power-hungry tools. The batteries have held up well, though the cold does reduce their capacity noticeably. By mid-month we adjusted our habits: charging devices during the peak window, shifting heavier tasks to brighter days.
There’s something clarifying about limits. When energy isn’t invisible and infinite, you start to notice what actually matters.
Reading and Thinking
January was a good reading month. I spent time with:
- Ivan Illich’s “Tools for Conviviality” — still one of the sharpest critiques of industrial systems I’ve encountered. His concept of “radical monopoly” keeps coming back to me.
- A few essays on degrowth economics — particularly the tension between voluntary simplicity and systemic change. Individual choices matter, but they aren’t sufficient.
- Seed catalogues — not exactly literature, but there’s a particular pleasure in planning a garden while the ground is frozen.
Kitchen Notes
We’ve been eating well despite the limited fresh produce. Stored root vegetables — carrots, potatoes, beetroot, onions — form the base of most meals. Fermented cabbage and preserved tomatoes fill gaps. The sourdough starter is thriving in the warmth near the stove.
One unexpected success: a simple celery root soup with toasted walnuts that has become a weekly staple.
Looking Ahead
February will bring the first hints of longer days. The plan is to start indoor seed trays by mid-month and begin preparing beds once the ground thaws enough to work. There’s also a community repair café starting in the village — I’ve offered to help with small electronics and bicycle maintenance.
The year is unfolding gently, which feels right.