A could-do list for February
Old-school pancakes & snowdrops spectacles | Garden planning & marmalade making | 15 joy-giving activities for a cold, short month.
Plant some spring bulbs in glass jars. The exposed bulbs and tangle of roots look especially pretty. Narcissi, hyacinths, snowdrops, muscari, and paperwhites brighten up any windowsill.
Reread a novel or story you loved as a child. I’m rediscovering the Anne of Green Gables books that 9-year-old me devoured under the desk at my village school when I was supposed to be doing fractions.
Visit a sauna. We’re in the dog days of winter now, and although the light lingers a while longer in the evening, it’s still biting cold. There are lots of lovely spas and sweathouses up and down the country, but if you’re fortunate enough to live in a coastal town like Brighton or Bude, you can go for a sauna on the shore before plunging into the sea.
Plan your garden. There’s nothing quite like sitting down on a Sunday morning with a cup of tea, light streaming in the window, as you pour over seed catalogues. Daydreaming about the colours, textures, sounds and heady hues of the garden is a tonic for February. Create Academy has many beautiful courses to inspire you, from a cut-and-come-again masterclass to growing a spectacular garden in pots. I recommend these courses by Willow Crossley and The Land Gardeners too.
Do some spring cleaning. Organise your wardrobe. Go through your books. Sort out your cupboard or drawer ‘of doom’ (aka the place where you keep all the random sh*t that you don’t know where else to put).
Discover a new route with an app like Komoot. Pull on your boots and get out for a wander. (Cake recommended.)
Savour Seville marmalade season by inviting friends over for a breakfast feast of crumpets and marmalade. Or, you could tie up your apron strings and make some jars of Seville and Blood Orange Marmalade yourself.
Seek out snowdrops. These pearly-white beauties are quite the spectacle. Find magnificent displays in wonderful places Painswick Rococo Garden or Lacock Abbey. Shaftsbury organises a magical snowdrop latern parade every year.
Buy a beautiful candle. You don’t want one that’s too wintery or clove-heavy as we enter the spring, nor is it quite the season for something light and floral. I’m currently loving Oliv’s gorgeous Black Pepper and Oakmoss candle.
Go on a trip to the seaside. Lyme Regis is one of my favourite seaside towns to visit. There’s something so special about sitting in the car (the windows all steamed up) with a bag of fish and chips and a flask of tea, watching the sea with Radio 4 playing in the background.
Treat yourself to some nice pyjamas. It’s still winter so allow yourself to indulge in cosiness a little longer. I picked up this rhubarb-and-custard set and I look forward to slipping into them as soon as I get home.
Make old-school pancakes. There’s nothing like the pancakes of childhood with a big dose of lemon juice (the squirty kind) and spoonfuls of sugar.
Watch a pancake race. Legend has it that a woman heard the shriving bell while making pancakes and dashed to church, still clutching her frying pan. Now there are races all over the UK, but it allegedly started in the little town of Olney back in 1445.
Cook yourself or a loved one a dish from Skye McAlpines ‘A Table Full of Love.’ Inside the gorgeous marbled pages, you’ll find recipes to comfort, seduce and celebrate. From Toblorene fondue to roast duck legs with winter citrus, it’s the ultimate Valentine’s treat and a lovely addition to your bookshelf.
Do something you’ve always wanted to do but you’ve never quite got around to. It is a leap year, after all!
So many lovely ideas. I love the idea of "could do", no pressure, not another thing to complete or tick off, just nourishing suggestions to be adapted to each of us. The sea is calling me too at the moment; it's so magic in every season