Owls are “present for us in some deeper way or place, where night lives inside us.” – Jennifer Ackerman, in her book What An Owl Knows

January’s official bird is the owl and what a magical and mysterious creature to start the year off with! Full of majesty, owls evoke a sense of introspection and wonder that Januarys also seem to do.

There are around 200 species of owls in this world so there’s a favorite owl for just about anyone! Like the cute little saw-whet owl, the striking Barn owl, the regal Great Horned owl, and the ethereal Snowy owl. 

They also come in a variety of sizes, ranging from the smallest owl, the Elf owl which weighs 31 g to the largest owls, which include the Eurasian Eagle-Owl, which can weigh up to over 4 kg!

Most owls are nocturnal, solitary, birds of prey and have evolved to become exceptional hunters. Some anatomical features that help them with this include their stereoscopic, forward-facing eyes which allow for greater depth perception in low light and the asymmetric ear placements, which allows them to pinpoint the location of their prey. 

In addition, owls have serrated edges on their wings, which allow them to fly almost silently! Since most owls hunt in the dark and they are all farsighted, the ability to fly silently helps them hear their prey (since they can’t see them too well once they’re close). 

Owls play an important ecological role, keeping rodent populations in check. 

Some of the threats to owls are hunting, habitat loss, pesticide use, vehicular collisions, and viruses. There are many organizations working on owl conservation and you can do a quick internet search to find some in your geographical region.

If you’re looking for a great, easy-to-read book all about owl facts and lore, I recommend Jennifer Ackerman’s What an Owl Knows. I have a review of the book HERE.

Cozy January - self-care suggestions: scent your home, write a letter to a friend, visit a museum, go on a nature walk, try a new recipe, re-read a book

Winter is the perfect time for cozy introspection and for pampering yourself! Take inspiration from Nature and embrace a slow, quiet way of life for the next few months, practicing self-care and kindness to yourself and others.

Nourish your body and physical surroundings with good food, cozy blankets and scents, warm baths, and lots of hydration. Nourish your mind with books, crafts, and conversations with friends – phone calls, FaceTime, Zooms, and snail mail are all ways to chat with loved ones.

And, of course, nourish your soul by finding time to rest but also enjoying time by yourself and with your chosen community. It’s a great time to prioritize sleep but also remember to shake those dark weather blues by being physically active – you can still go on nature walks during this time and the cold, wet weather will uncover a whole new landscape of natural wonders! Take a look at the cute mushrooms I saw on a recent walk in the rain.

It’s important to have things to look forward to at all times of the year and especially so when things are so grey and the days are so short. Plan some celebrations and low-key get-togethers with your loved ones – game nights, potlucks, movie nights!

Remember, there is beauty in all seasons and you just need to be open to it!

Have a cozy winter!


Small mushroom with pinecones on the forest floor.
Tiny mushrooms and a stick on the forest floor.
Lots of little, red mushrooms on the ground in the woods.
The Naming of the Birds by Paraic O’Donnell

“They are to have new names, the master says. They are to be called after birds.”

The Naming of the Birds by Paraic O’Donnell is the second in the gothic mystery series featuring Scotland Yard’s Inspector Cutter and Sergeant Bliss, and journalist Octavia Hillingdon. If you haven’t read the first book, The House on Vesper Sands, you should definitely check it out too!

I love mysteries and this one was satisfyingly twisty! Set in the 1800s, the characters are well crafted, with unique and memorable personalities and the plot is really well-paced, keeping you turning pages long after you should be asleep!

We learn more about our protagonists and their pasts in this installment, as they investigate a gruesome murder. This crime may have ties to a decades-ago fire in which dozens of children were killed at an asylum.

This is a dark tale that explores themes of revenge, justice, and abuse, but O’Donnell’s writing keeps things from getting too grim, with witty interactions between characters and evocative descriptions of the surroundings.

I particularly loved how he brought the natural world to life- full of wonder and rich imagery. For example, here’s a passage about a hawk that was spotted by one of the characters: “It vanished then, until he caught it settling on a parapet. It folded itself away, black brushstrokes against a black ground.”

Breathtaking!

The Pongal dish made by my mother this year, and served with coconut chutney, sambar, and vadas. The guest post below was written by my father.

 “The greatest wealth is to live content with what we have” – Thiruvalluvar, Tamil poet and philosopher

My memories of the Pongal festival goes back to the late 1950’s, growing up in the southern Indian city of Madurai in the state of Tamilnadu (formerly Madras). Pongal is a harvest festival celebrating the abundance of crop, and to recognize everyone who contributed to the bounties. 

The primary agricultural products are rice and sugar cane along with cow’s milk, coconut and clarified butter (ghee) – so these are, expectedly, the focus of the festival. Pongal is also the name of the ceremonial dish that is cooked with these products and was traditionally prepared in an earthen pot on a wood burning stove. 

The word Pongal means ‘boiling over’ in my native language of Tamil and signifies ‘abundance that runneth over’. This is physically represented by the literal boiling over of the Pongal cooking in the pot. 

While the main theme of Pongal is celebrating the bounty of agricultural crops, on the first day of Pongal, called Bhogi, people clean their houses and decorate the houses with flowers, Old possessions are discarded for new stuff – symbolizing the renewal of life itself. The second day is dedicated to Surya (Sun) the giver of energy and life and the end of winter reminding us the northward journey of the Sun – (uttarayana) or the winter solstice. 

The third day of Pongal is dedicated to maadu (cow) and to recognize them for all their contributions to agriculture and humanity. The cows and calves are bathed and decorated with flowers and their horns are colorfully painted. They are also fed with ‘Pongal’ dish and sugar cane. I remember these acts increasing the bonds with the household livestock and in developing compassion towards other beings. 

Of course, other members of the household livestock e.g. chicken were also part of the festivities. The fourth day of Pongal (Kanum Pongal) – kanum literally meaning ‘seeing’ in Tamil i.e. meeting with friends and family to strengthen to appreciate their respective hard work that no doubt was intended to increase the bondage and spirit of community. It was also the day we remembered the downtrodden in the society by sharing the meals.

Pongal festival reminds me of the importance of recognizing fruits of labor and hardships, respecting nature and fellow humans and above all it reminds me of the ancient Tamil poet and philosopher, Thiruvalluvar  who told us that “The greatest wealth is to live content with what we have” and “ True happiness is found in giving away and not in keeping”.  

“And now we welcome the new year full of things that have never been.” – Rilke

Happy New Year! Let us head into the coming year with wonder, hope, and possibilities – moving towards the best version of ourselves that we can dream of.


This is not a call for perfection but, rather, an invitation to kindness. We need to accept the beauty that is within us and in other people and treat ourselves, and others, with kindness, respect, and compassion. If we’re doing something that is disrespectful to others, or disrespectful to the best version of ourselves, in most cases we have the power within to stop.
By choosing kindness, compassion, and respect at every step of the way, we will find our way down the path we should be on, ready to welcome a new year full of things that have never been.