I'm just reading this now -- that's what happens when one takes a total Substack break for a week and a semi-break for the following week. I enjoyed reading about your holidays, and the book tree is such a fun idea.
It sounds like we may have more snow on the horizon, and this cold is certainly hanging on. We went out for a walk at 4pm and it was 1° when we left and -1° when we got back. This morning it was -8° here. There is something comforting about this cold -- it reminds me of when I first moved to Aveyron and winters were usually like this.
Her too this morning my thermometer reads -8c, and I know once away from the terrace it will be 2 degrees colder! It’s hanging on indeed… but like you (ignoring the amount of logs we are having to haul into the house!) I feel invigorated, and comforted, I love these cold spells, they feel far more normal than the long; warm, wet winters we have had over the past years. And, I believe they are necessary for the evolution of nature to survive as it should.
I have not had a deliberate Substack break Betty but I may as well have, my days have been so busy and filled with necessary chores, time has slipped away… I am horribly behind and absent, which of course is never a good thing for ones visibility where algorithms are concerned… I am trying not to feel downhearted especially as overnight i’ve lost many subscribers both paid and free! I guess I need to pay more attention!
Yes it looks as though we may have a little more snow coming… although here I am so sad to see, it will quickly turn to rain. Mores the pity… another few days off from classes would have been welcomed, I do not look forward to this morning and the chaos that will undoubtedly reign one tiny bit!
Have a good day, I know you have been back to work for a week already! Bless you… and thank you for always reading, for all your wonderful support! Much love xx
Magical, Susie! What a trip reading through all of this.
Do you diarise (is that a word?) each day as a small snippet before bed, or do you remember it all and let it all out in one session of writing after the fact? Either way, it is alive and captivating.
Love the book tree and video, and all the mesmerising photos.
I hope you and the family had a wonderful Christmas. Happy new new year to you. May 2026 be filled with calm and much nature and nurture.
My favourite lines are your closing words! 🤗
"this day is filled with small wonders I won’t forget; catkins, the first snowdrops, winter light caught in early morning cobwebs so much more magical than any fairy light could ever be, the raven I almost never see swooping so low in front of me I feel the swoosh of his wings and all of us marvelling at what a medicinal miracle hot whisky is."
I am sure diarise is a word, and if it isn’t it should be…
As for the way I write, it is a veritable myriad of notes both remembered and written type affair… from start to finish! I have notes on my phone, photographs, plus pieces of paper stuffed into the sleeve of my laptop, my pockets my bag, when I finally sit down to write I usually find that half are missing or completely illegible, some have only one word and I have to restitch the patchwork to remind me of what tugged my heart or the corner of my eye(s).
I wish I could tell you otherwise, although I can say this, if I haven’t witnessed the event in one way or another, I cannot write about it. I have little time spare for imagination which is why my short story (inspired by The Sernox which I will never forget) is unfinished.
I am delighted you enjoy reading whatever finally comes out on paper though, truly! That makes my heart glow!
I hope your first Christmas in your new home was made of new memories to be filed and returned to and that the new days ahead will be the making of many more… Happ New Year my friend and thank you, so much. 💛
That all conjures up such an image. So great to hear that that's your process.
I await with joy the moment your short story materialises.
Speaking of The Sernox, I'm considering doing an edit and a record of me narrating it, possibly as a live post (to test out what Kimberly and Ben were talking about during our pre-Christmas chat).
It's been a lovely, quiet and special Christmas for us here. 🙏
Stop considering Nathan, just do it! I have been hunting an excuse to read The Sernox again for ages but with so much else here to stay caught up with, couldn't quite find justification, I will search no longer!
I am glad for you both, new year, new home, new inspirations... enjoy!
Louise my lovely friend, I will happily dance in the mud and the snow with you any time of year you choose, and I know a few furry and woollen friends who will join us for the fun too! Just let us know when 🐏
Sending love and a bundle of good wishes across land and sea to you — I hope your year is beginning with a smile! 💛xx
It was fun to do a little ride along with you over the holiday. Such gorgeous images you paint with words and your camera. Here’s to many more in the new year!
Ben it was not only fun but so amazing to meet everyone in one place, face to face (ish) perhaps we could make it a traditional green thing!
Thank you for all your support over the last year, I am excited to begin listening to your new novel! I will be raising a glass to our amazing creative community tonight, here’s to a new year of words! 🥂
Beautiful photos, as always. I'll get back to reading the written part, which no doubt is equally inspiring, when I'm a little less exhausted. Many blessings for the New Year, dear Susie 💗 ✨🥂🎉
Veronika, please take time for you... exhaustion has held my hand tightly these holidays. I believed at this point it would be possible to rest, Rosie is departed, friends and passing visitors gone but fate thought throwing in a few red herrings to the week might be fun, imagine the seal sat on a ball at a circus, clapping its flippers looking everything but the sad and tired creature it is...
Take good care dear lady, look after yourself and Josh and I hope the New Year brings with it new energy in bucketfuls! Much much love 💞💫🥂xx
Ah Susie, but you are a goddess of the hill, of Christmas kitchen, of dancing in the pews, and taking us on magical journeys through frosted landscapes and heart warming, heart healing prose. Sending all my love and wishes for a beautiful start to 2026.
A goddess of the Hill - most definitely 💛 the moon is indeed glorious, I have been admiring her beauty. One more day of freedom and then I will be back to work, but it has been a lovely break xx
Thank you sweet soul, I am not sure I have ever been a goddess in the kitchen but I do put my whole heart and soul into trying, even with snowflake distractions!
The dancing on the pews was such a success I am secretly planning to write a whole script for next years little ceremony, I can only hope those who usually do write the scripts will agree, dancing made magic of the whole, usually rather tedious, hour! There is a long time between now and then though and if the powers that be have their uneducated way, I will not be placed in the same school(s), a fact that breaks my heart. I can but pray...
Love back dear one, I hope you're having a peaceful first weekend of the year, the wolf moon is glorious here, can you see it? xx
HI Jo, Post Office queues are a given here, even at opening hours, fights in supermarket carparks much less so. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, or get out of my car and say something to calm her down! The foolishness of people.... it leaves me speechless!
I think no matter what life throws in our faces if we can turn away and think 'to hell with it' we will always find a little magic somewhere, wonder is in the heart always, we just have to release it to make it real! I know you know...
I love that you liked the book tree, it's an absolute palaver to build but a tree of trees... isn't that the best! 🌲🌲🌲
With the exception of my dearly beloved, we are all free of the flu bug and counting hours to the return to classes, I was praying hard for at least a metre of snow to delay the inevitable but not a flake has fallen since! Hey-ho... there is time yet for snow this winter... 🤞🏽
Sending love back to you, flu or no flu, I may have one last hot whisky anyway, just to be sure! 😂xxx
I love what you shared about you danced on the pew with the very active little boy at the back of the church (because this was easier than trying to stop him) for a pre-Christmas mass, and how the priest winked at you and said he wished everyone would dance like you were, and then the people in the church all danced - ‘just’ beautiful !
Maryanne, it was like a little Christmas miracle, unexpected and perfect! And everyone smiled and laughed and it was a joyous sound in that cold church usually so silent... I am not terribly religious but whatever god(s) are out there I am certain they prefer singing and dancing to tears and silent prayers. It was beautiful, so very beautiful...
Thank you so very much for reading and commenting, I send you wishes for a wonderful smile filled new year. 🎶xx
Thank you Michela, I am so very lucky to work with the teachers I do... few others would put up with my tardiness I am certain but I make up for it tenfold by standing in for them when they are absent, an unspoken agreement rests between the four of us because it isn't really my job to do so.
I don't think I have ever been more surprised by a priest in my whole life... it was truly a beautiful sight to behold with everyone dancing - if god(s) were watching I am certain they would have approved! x
Sweetest thanks Leah, apologies for my tardy reply... I hope your festive holidays have been perfectly wonderful — thank you so much for reading I am delighted you like our tree! It felt like small thank you to all those that went into the making of the books... 🌲
Ha ha, from winking priest and dancing congregations to kicking cars to families coming down with the inevitable. I loved it Susie. What a pleasure that was. Thank you :)
Joyeux Noël Susie! I do hope by now all signs of said lurgy have passed on or are certainly on their way out the door! Wishing you all a very happy new year x
Excuse my tardy reply JoJo, the wretched lurgy dragged on and on but has thankfully, finally moved on for good, thank goodness for hot whiskies!
I hope your festivities leaned more into the magic and wonder of the season than ours did and if I haven't said this already (I have written it so many times!) I wish you a wonderful new year, I am looking forward to reading your bite sized pieces of 'dégustation' when it arrives! xx
Thanks so much Susie. So glad to hear you’ve moved past the lurgy! Be gone! We’re still within the longest consistently very cold spell here, but it looks very winter wonderland this morning after a very heavy frost! Think I’ll wait to do my run later if the temps pop back over the threshold! 🤣
Here too JoJo, it was -10c this morning, half the school had no heating so we have spent the day in the ‘garderie’ which was the only place to stay warm! Apparently it will take the rest of the week to repair and warm up again… you can imagine the excitement of 67 kids and the despair of four teachers! Quelle belle rentrée! 😂
Wow -10°!! Hopefully it will all return to normal very soon!! We’ve had a very quick thaw here this afternoon, back to mostly green everything and blue skies! Most welcome.
From the hunter with the expensive taste to the book tree, from dancing in the church to the capon that wouldn’t cook, I smelled and tasted, laughed and felt teary. Such a treat to wander and wonder with you through your days. Thank you Susie!
Ahh thank you for calling by Sumaya, I think these moments amongst loved ones are so often filled with tears, for every possible reason imaginable…
I hope your holidays were special for all the best reasons, stuffed with smiles and laughter and dancing in fluffy snowflakes too… Happy New Year beautiful soul xx
Funny how my snow covered vistas, cold comforts of the woods, and frosty cheeks turn your book tree into a book igloo, sans the door.
I sincerely hope every red nose that surrounds you, are now frost tipped from long walks on the hill and not tissue raw (dare I use the word , snot?)
Dance on , dance on into the New Year to the unnamed tune of joy and kindness , always on repeat in your head. I can hear it playing across my hill this morning.
Good Morning Lor with the sharp eyes and senses… I had a feeling you’d spot that oddity - I was not happy with that shape! Three times (not on the final film cut) I tried to rebuild to make a more conical fir tree shape but it just wasn’t happening this year and time… Oh Boy, they don’t make enough of that any more do they?
The ‘S’ word is still present and annoying… we think ourselves recovered and then, with a huge bang on the head we are down again swimming in a sea of soggy tissues. I have asked it to bugger off both politely and otherwise… next time I may get physical, not that this scrawny body ever scared anyone before!
I danced alone into 2026 and most of the night too as Seth attended a rather noisy online bed party… then today in my woodland, tired but happy making smoke signals to the all 365 new days to be kind, to be filled with empathy and compassion and joy… I think they were listening.
Happy New days dear soul, may each be packaged a little differently with secrets in their pockets! xx
Gosh ! If I had known, I would never have touched that ‘tender spot’ by envisioning your book tree, and inserting it into my frosty cold winter landscape that my eyes called an igloo. While I like the tree idea, I really do love the igloo. Just think, you could have built the curved roof entrance door , crawled in and read a book, 😊❄️
Lor my lovely, I am not so precious as to have taken even the slightest notice! I just wasn't surprised that you spotted the shape.... (bugger, there is no igloo emoji!)
Now there is a fabulous idea! I have always wanted a reading nook! 📚
I'm just reading this now -- that's what happens when one takes a total Substack break for a week and a semi-break for the following week. I enjoyed reading about your holidays, and the book tree is such a fun idea.
It sounds like we may have more snow on the horizon, and this cold is certainly hanging on. We went out for a walk at 4pm and it was 1° when we left and -1° when we got back. This morning it was -8° here. There is something comforting about this cold -- it reminds me of when I first moved to Aveyron and winters were usually like this.
Her too this morning my thermometer reads -8c, and I know once away from the terrace it will be 2 degrees colder! It’s hanging on indeed… but like you (ignoring the amount of logs we are having to haul into the house!) I feel invigorated, and comforted, I love these cold spells, they feel far more normal than the long; warm, wet winters we have had over the past years. And, I believe they are necessary for the evolution of nature to survive as it should.
I have not had a deliberate Substack break Betty but I may as well have, my days have been so busy and filled with necessary chores, time has slipped away… I am horribly behind and absent, which of course is never a good thing for ones visibility where algorithms are concerned… I am trying not to feel downhearted especially as overnight i’ve lost many subscribers both paid and free! I guess I need to pay more attention!
Yes it looks as though we may have a little more snow coming… although here I am so sad to see, it will quickly turn to rain. Mores the pity… another few days off from classes would have been welcomed, I do not look forward to this morning and the chaos that will undoubtedly reign one tiny bit!
Have a good day, I know you have been back to work for a week already! Bless you… and thank you for always reading, for all your wonderful support! Much love xx
Magical, Susie! What a trip reading through all of this.
Do you diarise (is that a word?) each day as a small snippet before bed, or do you remember it all and let it all out in one session of writing after the fact? Either way, it is alive and captivating.
Love the book tree and video, and all the mesmerising photos.
I hope you and the family had a wonderful Christmas. Happy new new year to you. May 2026 be filled with calm and much nature and nurture.
My favourite lines are your closing words! 🤗
"this day is filled with small wonders I won’t forget; catkins, the first snowdrops, winter light caught in early morning cobwebs so much more magical than any fairy light could ever be, the raven I almost never see swooping so low in front of me I feel the swoosh of his wings and all of us marvelling at what a medicinal miracle hot whisky is."
I am sure diarise is a word, and if it isn’t it should be…
As for the way I write, it is a veritable myriad of notes both remembered and written type affair… from start to finish! I have notes on my phone, photographs, plus pieces of paper stuffed into the sleeve of my laptop, my pockets my bag, when I finally sit down to write I usually find that half are missing or completely illegible, some have only one word and I have to restitch the patchwork to remind me of what tugged my heart or the corner of my eye(s).
I wish I could tell you otherwise, although I can say this, if I haven’t witnessed the event in one way or another, I cannot write about it. I have little time spare for imagination which is why my short story (inspired by The Sernox which I will never forget) is unfinished.
I am delighted you enjoy reading whatever finally comes out on paper though, truly! That makes my heart glow!
I hope your first Christmas in your new home was made of new memories to be filed and returned to and that the new days ahead will be the making of many more… Happ New Year my friend and thank you, so much. 💛
That all conjures up such an image. So great to hear that that's your process.
I await with joy the moment your short story materialises.
Speaking of The Sernox, I'm considering doing an edit and a record of me narrating it, possibly as a live post (to test out what Kimberly and Ben were talking about during our pre-Christmas chat).
It's been a lovely, quiet and special Christmas for us here. 🙏
Stop considering Nathan, just do it! I have been hunting an excuse to read The Sernox again for ages but with so much else here to stay caught up with, couldn't quite find justification, I will search no longer!
I am glad for you both, new year, new home, new inspirations... enjoy!
You know how much I love your tree, never tire seeing it. I think you should leave it up year round 🤣 Sending lots of love and hugs.
Thanks gorgeous, I am afraid the tree is already packed away in bags and boxes again... the space was needed for other madnesses!
love and light and hugs always sweetie... 💛💫xxx
Susie, loved one. May we all dance in 2026! Amidst the melting snow and mud, we need joy and fun in our lives.
Here’s wishing you a year filled with good health, warm friendships, and… enough.
Louise my lovely friend, I will happily dance in the mud and the snow with you any time of year you choose, and I know a few furry and woollen friends who will join us for the fun too! Just let us know when 🐏
Sending love and a bundle of good wishes across land and sea to you — I hope your year is beginning with a smile! 💛xx
It was fun to do a little ride along with you over the holiday. Such gorgeous images you paint with words and your camera. Here’s to many more in the new year!
Ben it was not only fun but so amazing to meet everyone in one place, face to face (ish) perhaps we could make it a traditional green thing!
Thank you for all your support over the last year, I am excited to begin listening to your new novel! I will be raising a glass to our amazing creative community tonight, here’s to a new year of words! 🥂
Beautiful photos, as always. I'll get back to reading the written part, which no doubt is equally inspiring, when I'm a little less exhausted. Many blessings for the New Year, dear Susie 💗 ✨🥂🎉
Veronika, please take time for you... exhaustion has held my hand tightly these holidays. I believed at this point it would be possible to rest, Rosie is departed, friends and passing visitors gone but fate thought throwing in a few red herrings to the week might be fun, imagine the seal sat on a ball at a circus, clapping its flippers looking everything but the sad and tired creature it is...
Take good care dear lady, look after yourself and Josh and I hope the New Year brings with it new energy in bucketfuls! Much much love 💞💫🥂xx
Ah Susie, but you are a goddess of the hill, of Christmas kitchen, of dancing in the pews, and taking us on magical journeys through frosted landscapes and heart warming, heart healing prose. Sending all my love and wishes for a beautiful start to 2026.
A goddess of the Hill - most definitely 💛 the moon is indeed glorious, I have been admiring her beauty. One more day of freedom and then I will be back to work, but it has been a lovely break xx
Thank you sweet soul, I am not sure I have ever been a goddess in the kitchen but I do put my whole heart and soul into trying, even with snowflake distractions!
The dancing on the pews was such a success I am secretly planning to write a whole script for next years little ceremony, I can only hope those who usually do write the scripts will agree, dancing made magic of the whole, usually rather tedious, hour! There is a long time between now and then though and if the powers that be have their uneducated way, I will not be placed in the same school(s), a fact that breaks my heart. I can but pray...
Love back dear one, I hope you're having a peaceful first weekend of the year, the wolf moon is glorious here, can you see it? xx
Ah Susie what a joy this was despite the kicked in car doors and post office queues.
You are a true Christmas Goddess. A dancing one, at that!
The wink of the priest, the book tree (!!!❤️), the innocence of children, snow flakes, panic, fear, illness and above all WONDER.
Thank you dear Susie and I hope you are recovering and perhaps enjoying a little rest and another shot of whiskey.... Much Love. ❤️❤️❤️
HI Jo, Post Office queues are a given here, even at opening hours, fights in supermarket carparks much less so. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, or get out of my car and say something to calm her down! The foolishness of people.... it leaves me speechless!
I think no matter what life throws in our faces if we can turn away and think 'to hell with it' we will always find a little magic somewhere, wonder is in the heart always, we just have to release it to make it real! I know you know...
I love that you liked the book tree, it's an absolute palaver to build but a tree of trees... isn't that the best! 🌲🌲🌲
With the exception of my dearly beloved, we are all free of the flu bug and counting hours to the return to classes, I was praying hard for at least a metre of snow to delay the inevitable but not a flake has fallen since! Hey-ho... there is time yet for snow this winter... 🤞🏽
Sending love back to you, flu or no flu, I may have one last hot whisky anyway, just to be sure! 😂xxx
❤️❄️🌲🙏xx
I love what you shared about you danced on the pew with the very active little boy at the back of the church (because this was easier than trying to stop him) for a pre-Christmas mass, and how the priest winked at you and said he wished everyone would dance like you were, and then the people in the church all danced - ‘just’ beautiful !
Maryanne, it was like a little Christmas miracle, unexpected and perfect! And everyone smiled and laughed and it was a joyous sound in that cold church usually so silent... I am not terribly religious but whatever god(s) are out there I am certain they prefer singing and dancing to tears and silent prayers. It was beautiful, so very beautiful...
Thank you so very much for reading and commenting, I send you wishes for a wonderful smile filled new year. 🎶xx
Thank you & Happy New Year Susie 😌 🎶
I love the picture of you arriving for lessons high on the morning, and the wonderful way that the priest embraced the oddity of your dilemma.
Thank you Michela, I am so very lucky to work with the teachers I do... few others would put up with my tardiness I am certain but I make up for it tenfold by standing in for them when they are absent, an unspoken agreement rests between the four of us because it isn't really my job to do so.
I don't think I have ever been more surprised by a priest in my whole life... it was truly a beautiful sight to behold with everyone dancing - if god(s) were watching I am certain they would have approved! x
I love the book tree! (and, the entire post, of course!) Merry Christmas!
Sweetest thanks Leah, apologies for my tardy reply... I hope your festive holidays have been perfectly wonderful — thank you so much for reading I am delighted you like our tree! It felt like small thank you to all those that went into the making of the books... 🌲
Ha ha, from winking priest and dancing congregations to kicking cars to families coming down with the inevitable. I loved it Susie. What a pleasure that was. Thank you :)
Belated thanks Jonathan, I hope your festive break was a little less afflicted by the inevitable and a little more by the magic...
I have to admit hot whiskies did much for us in aiding the latter! 😉
Joyeux Noël Susie! I do hope by now all signs of said lurgy have passed on or are certainly on their way out the door! Wishing you all a very happy new year x
Excuse my tardy reply JoJo, the wretched lurgy dragged on and on but has thankfully, finally moved on for good, thank goodness for hot whiskies!
I hope your festivities leaned more into the magic and wonder of the season than ours did and if I haven't said this already (I have written it so many times!) I wish you a wonderful new year, I am looking forward to reading your bite sized pieces of 'dégustation' when it arrives! xx
Thanks so much Susie. So glad to hear you’ve moved past the lurgy! Be gone! We’re still within the longest consistently very cold spell here, but it looks very winter wonderland this morning after a very heavy frost! Think I’ll wait to do my run later if the temps pop back over the threshold! 🤣
Here too JoJo, it was -10c this morning, half the school had no heating so we have spent the day in the ‘garderie’ which was the only place to stay warm! Apparently it will take the rest of the week to repair and warm up again… you can imagine the excitement of 67 kids and the despair of four teachers! Quelle belle rentrée! 😂
Wow -10°!! Hopefully it will all return to normal very soon!! We’ve had a very quick thaw here this afternoon, back to mostly green everything and blue skies! Most welcome.
It has just begun to snow here… I am hoping for inches but doubt it will amount to even one… although I am relieved the temperature has risen!
Oh nice!! Just bitterly cold here but I should head out for air and a leg stretch!
What a beautiful Christmas! ♥️
Thank you AnnMarie it was a beautiful Christmas, a little unexpected in places but we all smiled regardless… I hope yours was the same! 💫♥️xx
Thank you, Susie. Our Christmas was lovely too.
From the hunter with the expensive taste to the book tree, from dancing in the church to the capon that wouldn’t cook, I smelled and tasted, laughed and felt teary. Such a treat to wander and wonder with you through your days. Thank you Susie!
Ahh thank you for calling by Sumaya, I think these moments amongst loved ones are so often filled with tears, for every possible reason imaginable…
I hope your holidays were special for all the best reasons, stuffed with smiles and laughter and dancing in fluffy snowflakes too… Happy New Year beautiful soul xx
Funny how my snow covered vistas, cold comforts of the woods, and frosty cheeks turn your book tree into a book igloo, sans the door.
I sincerely hope every red nose that surrounds you, are now frost tipped from long walks on the hill and not tissue raw (dare I use the word , snot?)
Dance on , dance on into the New Year to the unnamed tune of joy and kindness , always on repeat in your head. I can hear it playing across my hill this morning.
Good Morning Lor with the sharp eyes and senses… I had a feeling you’d spot that oddity - I was not happy with that shape! Three times (not on the final film cut) I tried to rebuild to make a more conical fir tree shape but it just wasn’t happening this year and time… Oh Boy, they don’t make enough of that any more do they?
The ‘S’ word is still present and annoying… we think ourselves recovered and then, with a huge bang on the head we are down again swimming in a sea of soggy tissues. I have asked it to bugger off both politely and otherwise… next time I may get physical, not that this scrawny body ever scared anyone before!
I danced alone into 2026 and most of the night too as Seth attended a rather noisy online bed party… then today in my woodland, tired but happy making smoke signals to the all 365 new days to be kind, to be filled with empathy and compassion and joy… I think they were listening.
Happy New days dear soul, may each be packaged a little differently with secrets in their pockets! xx
Gosh ! If I had known, I would never have touched that ‘tender spot’ by envisioning your book tree, and inserting it into my frosty cold winter landscape that my eyes called an igloo. While I like the tree idea, I really do love the igloo. Just think, you could have built the curved roof entrance door , crawled in and read a book, 😊❄️
Lor my lovely, I am not so precious as to have taken even the slightest notice! I just wasn't surprised that you spotted the shape.... (bugger, there is no igloo emoji!)
Now there is a fabulous idea! I have always wanted a reading nook! 📚
I know, I went looking for an igloo emoji !
We’ll have to settle for this 🛖, which looks very much like your hut for Millie and friends . ( If I am remembering correctly )
It’s the perfect match! Watch out for it in future comments! 😂
I thought so!!! Created, apparently, just for you!