…I saw a sky of the brightest blue. A brisk sunny day in January is most welcome, especially when it follows a cold day of perpetual rain. As usual, I lacked the luxury of time to languish in the surprisingly warm sun so I soaked up the brilliant warmth with an urgent thirst. I love being outdoors come rain, wind or shine although I won’t stay out as long if it’s wet, and cold rain is my least favourite weather.

While I was perched on one of my favourite stones, I recorded a cheerful birthday video message. It’s impossible to be miserable on such a day.

By this evening, a thick veil of fog has enveloped the village and I’m pleased not to be out in it.

I received 2 books for Christmas which I love and they’re giving me some deeper insight into seasonal cycles. I now know that this intriguing specimen

is a hoof fungus. Look at its underside:

The only problem is that there are no photos or illustrations in the book so I end up using my phone in bed to help me recognise UNO’s (unidentified natural objects).

One of the books is an almanac. I’ve never had an almanac. I love the feel of that word in my mouth. Try it! I patiently waited to stumble across a piece of shedded silver birch bark for this exercise

although it might be a while before it dries enough for me to write on it.

It’s been a good week and it picked up as the weekend approached. My mood has been more buoyant and I’m sure that’s got something to do with waving goodbye to the longest ever January. I swear it gains a week every year.

Last Saturday I played for a wedding promotion event at a venue where I’m a recommended supplier, and on Sunday I played at a regular local fayre. These events are really tiring and as yet, no uptake. I try to reassure myself and not take it to heart but it does cause me some concern. Paying to work and getting no business is the pits, it really is.

However, on Sunday evening, after the fayre, I got an email from a couple I met a year ago who are now very keen to book me for their wedding this year, so there’s a silver lining if ever I saw one.

And today, Monday 2 February, feels like my blue Monday. It’s a grey damp day. I hear the rainwater dripping steadily into the drain outside. Imbolc is behind us and the full moon arrived last night bringing with it an ensuing flatness today. Yesterday seemed a good day to pack away my Christmas tree and its embellishments, a day earlier than planned – today is Candlemas – but it felt like the right time. That might also be a factor – delayed post Christmas blues. I spent a significant amount of time working on my laptop over the past 4 days, so that’s definitely a factor and, somewhat unusually for me, I’m not in the mood for exercise.

I want to be in southern Spain but I can’t go this winter. I crave light, brightness, sea, sand. The weather seems to exacerbate my negative outlook and my problems become a hundred times bigger than they are in reality. I’m finding planning ahead difficult and I’ve slowly been coming to terms with the fact that I probably won’t be undertaking any more major home improvements once the remedial work is completed on the kitchen. I’m grateful for my home but the shabbiness grates.

There’s only one thing for it – bed by 7pm.