January House Log

2026 Begins

House Logs are an offshoot of my Nature Log and We Make a Home series, created with the intention to record the beauty and seasons during (at least) our first year living on our new piece of land! I’ll be sharing photo essays about each month, and all the photos will be taken at/in our home and on our land as a way to observe and appreciate this new-to-us place. It will cover explorations both wild and domestic.

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This month’s House Log is a little different than I hope the rest will be—because we still aren’t living in the house yet. While that is changing as we speak, I decided to start this series now, a moment of before before our imminent arrival.

We started the month with a quick thaw. I like when the forest floor peeks out in the winter. It reminds me how sort of incredible it is that everything can hibernate through such a long, cold season and still reemerge or form again in the spring.

But soon after, snow fell! I like snow even more. We got over two feet in one storm: the most I can remember having in a long, long time. Then it snowed on top of that, and it had also snowed before that, so I sometimes find myself in banks up to my knees.

I think there is no better winter sight than sun and blue skies over a snowy landscape. And, despite the freezing cold temperatures, which have been hovering on either side of zero, it is sunny most days.

After the biggest snowfall, wind knocked the snow down off the branches, a glittering aftermath in the sunshine.

A Bittersweet-infested part of the forest that will get some attention this year

Staying on top of snow removal for a place we don’t live has had its challenges. But it’s also hard to complain when your driveway is as beautiful as this.

And, while the dogs have found the deep snow and icy weather challenging, they are also now always frolicking like dolphins or bunnies.

Alfie, our particularly dinosaur-like dog, has endless energy for the snow, even though he has learned the perils of getting caught in his winter coat.

The house is beautiful though, and so warm! I cannot wait to live in a place that holds the heat in! To light the first fire in our woodstove!

I have been also trying to identify some trees, which is easier than you may think in the winter, without the mass of leaves concealing details. We have many Red Maples, which I find to be one of the most easily identifiable trees, with opposite branches and red buds.

I have also been very much enjoying our sunsets.

Our view to the West is forested, and so I did not think we’d be enjoying very many evening displays. But, the whole sky lights up. The tree silhouettes and the shadows on the snow are impossible to look away from.

I have yet to catch a winter bird outing on our land yet. I did watch this resting, spotted friend around for a while, but I never identified it (and it never made a sound).

This quiet place awaits us. There will be many more things to see.

PS: