Episode 1 — How to Winter Well

Seasonal Notes from Our Little House in the Country

Welcome to the very first episode of Seasonal Notes, a gentle, cosy little podcast from Our Little House in the Country. In this series, we’ll walk together through the seasons with simple ideas, warm reflections, and comforting, grounding rituals for slow and intentional living.

In today’s episode, we’re easing our way into the beginning of winter — a time for softer rhythms, shorter days, glowing lamps, early evenings, and the quiet rest our bodies naturally crave. Together, we’ll explore what it means to winter well:

✨ slowing our pace and listening to our energy✨ embracing pockets of light and warmth✨ simple comforts that anchor us at home✨ gentle self-care that suits the season✨ rewinding, reflecting, and preparing for December✨ noticing what nature is teaching us at this time of year✨ welcoming cosiness without pressure or perfection

I’ll also mention the How to Winter Well calendar — the gentle, daily seasonal prompts I share each month over on the blog and on Instagram. You can find it here:

Winter Well Calendar:👉 Instagram: @ourlittlehouseinthecountry👉 Blog: https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com(Or check the link in the episode description.)

This episode is designed to feel like a warm cup of tea on a dark evening — calm, soft, comforting, and easy to listen to as you move through your day.

🌿 Links & Resources

Read the full blog post version:How to Winter Well — Simple Rhythms for a Gentler Seasonhttps://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com/2025/10/28/30-ways-to-winter-well-november-calendar/

Follow along on Instagram:https://instagram.com/ourlittlehouseinthecountry

Explore more seasonal living content:https://ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com

🎧 Music Credit

Music: “White Silence” by Alana JordanLicensed via Pixabayhttps://pixabay.com/music/id-415866/

🤍 Thank you for listening

This first episode feels like opening the door to something new, and I’m so grateful to have you here. If you enjoyed this gentle winter beginning, I’d love if you subscribed, shared the podcast with a friend, or left a little comment or heart on Substack.

There’s lots more to come — cosy rituals, seasonal stories, gentle reflections and slow, grounding rhythms for winter and Christmas.

From our little house to yours,Ciara 🤍

📖Winter Reading & Seasonal Inspiration

If you’re drawn to the quieter, slower rhythms of the colder months, these are some of the books I return to again and again during winter. They explore themes of seasonal living, rest, reflection, hygge, and finding joy in simpler days. I’ll leave the links below if you’d like to explore any of them further.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.

📚 Winter & Seasonal Reading

The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2026 – Lia Leendertz

The Joy of Wintering – Erin Niimi Longhurst

How to Winter – Kari Leibowitz

Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year – Beth Kempton

My Hygge Home – Meik Wiking

The Art of Danish Living – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Lykke – Meik Wiking

Wintering – Katherine May

The Self‑Care Year – Alison Davies

The Happiness Year – Tara Ward

The Wheel of the Year – Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ciarawinters.substack.com