Thoughts on January

The first daffodils of 2014

For me, January has a clean, fresh feel to it.  It doesn't seem like the start of the year - for me that will always be the new school year in September - but rather, January is a tidying up and a re-grouping.  A shake of the shoulders, chin in the air, and carrying on with a renewed sense of determination.

Back at University today

A new term started for me today: a new module, new reading lists, new tutors, one new pen and no new notebook (so restrained of me), plus all my lovely nursing friends together again.  But, alarmingly, it's my last ever term of teaching on this course.  After this, I have placements until July, then the summer holidays off, and placements again up to Christmas, when I qualify.  Qualify!  It's pretty scary to even write that word. 

So I am enjoying the sense of calm and resolve that this time of year brings for me, and trying not to think too much about my time at University coming to an end.  I am grabbing as much fresh air as I can, looking out for the first British daffodil bunches in the shops (Waitrose had some this week!), running, baking bread, and reading novels.

 
And I'm also filling up all my spare days with plans of nice things I want to do while I still have a bit of time on my hands.  Its January now, and I've got the time and inclination to fritter away 20 minutes photographing blood oranges; but before I know it, it will be December and I'll be a fully qualified nurse.  Fewer blood oranges and more actual blood, I should imagine.  Not long now.
 

Rhubarb and other nice things

I saw large packets of new season forced rhubarb in Waitrose this week. How could I resist - just look at this colour!

When it came to cook it I had originally planned to make a rhubarb and apple crumble, but in the end I didn't want to dilute or cover up the mad pinkness of it all. So I made plain, stewed rhubarb with the juice of a blood orange. The blood oranges are very sweet and the early rhubarb is not particularly sour so you don't need any additional sugar for this.

Chop a large armful of early forced rhubarb into pieces about 2cm long. Put in a pan with the juice from one blood orange. It looks like you need more liquid but you really don't - the rhubarb gives off a lot of liquid as it cooks. Simmer over a gentle heat, stirring every now and then, for about 15 mintes until the rhubarb is soft. Serve in glass bowls to show off the amazing colour.

There are small bubbles in the last picture because I couldn't wait to take the photo and the stewed rhubarb was still very hot. The bubbles go as it cools to room temperature. I served this for pudding with natural yogurt and the children went slightly beserk, licking out their bowls and demanding to know why there wasn't any more, and when was I going to the shops again? I don't think it will be long!

Other nice things that have marked this week:

• Seeing a great exhibition about Grace Higgens at the British Library yesterday. Then coming home on the tube listening to a Woman's Hour podcast about that very same exhibition.
• Sunshine.
• The purchase of bright yellow fabric for the binding of my quilt, and the steady progress of the hand quilting. I am hoping to finish it all by the end of this month.
• The booking of part of our summer holiday. A week at one of these cool farm tents in August.
• The booking of tickets for G and I to go to this music festival in July.
• Eating Anna's amazing blackberry jam for breakfast (generously and not too begrudgingly shared by O who definitely knows it is HER jam...).
• More sunshine.