January 2026

My podcast programming this year is simple – love letters to nature. I invite you to join me in this collaborative project to reweave ourselves to the natural world and each other.  Share your love letters with me at fromtheoutsidellc@gmail.com and I will read your loving words to nature on my podcast. How does nature make you feel, how does she sustain you, support you, inspire you, excite you? Read your letters to nature and listen for a response. What wisdom does she offer you? As we profess our deep love and gratitude to our source of life, let us deepen our sense of place, purpose, and sense of belonging.

The month, I welcomed the very frigid temperatures and frozen precipitation of winter, the bright, warm, morning sun on my body, and the bounty of birds in my backyard. Listen as I read my January love letter to nature. What moments of joy, love, and gratitude did nature offer you in January?

Transcript

Hi everyone! Welcome to Season 4 and Episode 35 of the From the Outside with Sarah C podcast! I am Sarah Croscutt, the host and creator of this podcast and the owner and facilitator of From the Outside, a series of plant and nature-based lessons that help us to cultivate a deeper relationship to the natural world, ourselves, and each other. In addition, I am a published environmental writer. My work has been included in several anthologies published by Plants and Poetry Journal, including Rituals and Remedies, vol 2 which is scheduled for release today. You can read my essay, A Remedy for Grief, and the discover the work of other talented creatives on their website, (www.plantsandpoetry.org) In addition, I have had essays published in Wild Roof Journal (www.wildroofjournal.com) an online journal of environmental writers, poets, and visual artists. I am also the author of The Fairy Circle Way: Cultivating Connection Through Nature, a collection of my own lyrical essays, insightful narrative, inspired visual art, and simple, step-by-step practices that are designed to guide you in connecting more deeply to nature’s wisdom and yourself.  You can learn more and find links on my website, www.fromtheoutsidellc.com.

In the past year or so, I have begun to deepen my connection to my Irish and Welsh ancestral roots. Each of us can claim indigeneity to this beautiful planet. Our earliest ancestors lived in kinship with the natural world. Their relationship with nature, their highly regarded source of life, was rooted in respect, reverence and reciprocity.  

We are living in unbelievably uncertain times. Many of us are feeling a deep sense of grief and loss – for humanity and our beloved planet. As I tend my own grief and hold the collective grief of others, I lean into nature, her comfort and wisdom. If we lean into our grief, we feel its entanglement with love. They are intertwined. Love is the wellspring from which we experience joy, gratitude, and grief.  It grows from our profound presence and awareness. Love is the most authentic and creative state of being.  In love, we recognize or “see” each other in a state of deep acknowledgement. In turn, we kindle our circle of belonging and kinship – to nature, to ourselves, and to each other.  What we love we honor and protect, deepening the authentic relationships with others that soothe and support us in times of sorrow. 

My podcast programming this year is simple – love letters to nature. I invite you to join me in this collaborative project to reweave ourselves to the natural world and each other.  Share your love letters with me at fromtheoutsidellc@gmail.com and I will read your loving words to nature on my podcast. How does nature make you feel, how does she sustain you, support you, inspire you, excite you? Read your letters to nature and listen for a response. What wisdom does she offer you? As we profess our deep love and gratitude to our source of life, let us deepen our sense of place, purpose, and  belonging. 

January has been an exceptionally cold month. Currently, we have the remnants of a week-old snow, sleet, and ice storm on the ground. My driveway and yard are an ice rink! It was a very cold week, lows in the low teens and single digits and highs in the upper 20s with somedays barely inching above freezing. Fortunately, my yard is in full sun, so even with the very cold temperatures, I have been able to chip away a bit in the driveway. However, the walk to my mailbox is treacherous! I love the cold weather, and this week has reminded me of my time in Alaska. The bitter cold and shoveling of snow just to get out of the door! I shoveled so much snow when I lived there! Until yesterday, I was feeling a bit couped up which for the most part I don’t mind. I do feed the birds during times of snow and ice, and I have enjoyed watching them flock to the feeder and the yard, but even that task has proved to be quite slippery. Another snowstorm is on its way tomorrow afternoon and the arctic temperatures will remain in place until mid-week next week. I love spending time hiking in the forest during the winter, but it has simply been too icy.  So, when I am not chipping away at ice, I spend time on my front porch in the early morning sun. This weekend, we mark the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. As I warm myself in the winter sun, the thoughts of “what do I want to grow in my garden” this year are beginning to thaw and wake up. Time marches on and so do we…But it is so important to remain fully present in the season we are in!

To my beloved Nature, 

In January, 

I thank you for:

1. The cold, quiet winter days and nights – there is nothing like the quiet of winter and the silence and stillness that snow fall brings. 

2. The bright sunlight on a cold winter’s day.  As I sit in my sit spot, my front porch, I am so thankful for the warm sun on my face and my body. I feel its warmth move through me completely. It lifts my spirits. I love the brightness of the early morning sun in my eyes. I know it is setting the stage for a good night’s sleep. This time of year, I highly recommend a few minutes in the bright sunlight daily, especially those of you who may suffer from seasonal affective disorder. I sit for about twenty minutes, but do what works for you – even a sunny window can do wonders!

3. The birds! I could sit and watch for hours – blue jays, woodpeckers, chickadees, cardinals, tufted titmice, wrens. I even saw a mockingbird today! I have two pairs of mourning doves that are sitting in one of my raised beds every morning. They have been so puffed up because it is so cold. A couple of days ago, I saw them perched on the trellis and in some of the overwintering plant material – perhaps the ice-packed raise bed was too cold! Sometimes I see them on my deck, just looking inside. I love the splash of color the birds provide on the landscape and the flurry of activity in the cold, quiet landscape. 

4. Connecting with the winter season. Winter beckons us to rest and restore. Although we love the comfy cozy indoors – hot beverages, rich soups and stews, and perhaps a warm, indoor fire – a daily dose of nature can clam our nervous system, melt away the winter blues, and make us feel like we are clearing the cobwebs a bit. Winter is a wonderful time to get outdoors, take some deep breaths, soak in the sunshine, and sit in the quiet. One of the activities found in book, The Fairy Circle Way, is creating a sound map. The past few days, I have been creating a daily, morning sound map from my sit spot– aka my front porch – as it continues to be too icy to venture much further.  If you live in an apartment or place with limited access to the outdoors you can guide yourself through this practice indoors – find a sunny spot and just crack a window! As I sit, I settle into the sounds and sensations of the landscape. I sit for 20 minutes or so - you can choose more or less time. I use a sheet of paper to list how my physical body is feeling – the warm sun, the wind, the temperature, the cold air moving through my nose and into my lungs. I also note how my emotional body is feeling – am I noticing any subtle shifts in my nervous system? This activity further guides us in connecting our whole body to the landscape through intentional listening. What do you hear and from direction is it coming? These are all sounds – sounds of nature and man-made. Imagine you in the center of your page. You will listen and write down the sounds you hear and the direction from where you hear them from that reference point. Here is list of what I heard and included on my sound map on January 28, 2026, at 10:15 am: 

o   A blue jay in the tree across the street chatting with another blue jay to my right, in the neighbor’s tree next door

o   A chickadee to left in the crape myrtle tree

o   The rustling of the dried sea oats in the wind below me and to my right in the garden

o   The windchimes in the garden to my left

o   Water running from the gutter on the roof down the spout on the far left of my house. It sounded like a stream – I just sat and closed my eyes and imagined a beautiful mountain stream. I noticed I was really focused on that water sound! 

o   A train whistle – the train was traveling to right

o   A small, single engine airplane to my right – probably originating from the small airport near my house. 

Do this activity over several days and notice how the sounds differ – and note the changes in your physical and emotional body! Please check out The Fairy Circle for a variety of simple, step-by-step practices to connect you more deeply to nature and yourself. 

Announcements and Upcoming Events

As I mentioned last month, my book, The Fairy Circle Way: Cultivating Connection Through Nature is now available through Amazon in Kindle, paperback and hardcover formats, Barnes and Noble, and most book retailers as it is available for global retail distribution through IngramSpark. If you have been listening to this podcast from the beginning of Season 1, you are familiar with my fairy circle model as a practical guide to cultivate a purposeful and intentional relationship with nature. My book is a collection of my own lyrical essays, inspired visual art, insightful narrative, and simple, step-by-step, daily practices designed to guide readers into a deeper relationship with nature and themselves, reconnecting them to their sense of belonging, their truest self, and the wisdom of the natural world. If you choose to purchase the book and feel led, please write a five-star review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, etc. so others may find it. 

 If you are in the Richmond, VA area:

The SelfCare Sunday series is now Wisdom from the Wild! We will continue to meet the 1st Sunday of the month at 10:00 am at Powhatan State Park, Powhatan, VA. We will meet at the Equestrian parking lot. However, our February and March (2/8 and 3/8) session will be the 2nd Sunday of the month at 11:00 am at the Powhatan County Public Library. We will begin our park sessions in April. Each month has a theme that follows the rhythms and cycles of nature. You can visit the Events tab on my website or the Powhatan State Park website (https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/powhatan) for details. 

Description

Whether you’re a veteran outdoor type or only beginning to discover your connection to the natural world, Wisdom from the Wild will lead you on wonder-filled journey to recovering your sense of belonging and finding your truest self, rooted in the rhythms and raptures of nature. Through a variety of mindful observations and reflections synchronized with the seasons, we will examine the ecology of natural ecosystems, explore our own ecological body, and practice integrating nature’s wisdom into our daily life. The program series is free of charge, but parking fees ($5) apply. 

February’s session is Sunday, February 8, 11:00 am, at the Powhatan County Public Library. The theme is Cultivating Connection.

Here is the description:

Do you long to feel more connected to nature, to others, and to yourself? This month, we will explore ways we can cultivate a purposeful and intentional relationship with nature through activities that encourage deep listening and changing our perspective to guide us in tapping into nature’s wisdom.

Thank you so much for listening! I encourage you to venture out – to your backyard, a local park, a green space near where you work and spend a few minutes purposefully and intentionally connecting with nature.  Use your whole body – really integrate into your being what you see, smell, hear, and feel.  Spend time with those you love or sit in silence, solitude, and stillness. They are important states of being in nurturing our nature connections. Acknowledge nature’s wisdom and role in your life. Nature shows us how beautiful and transformative growth can be! Remember, we are all connected to the source of life and each other! With that said, you can connect with me through my website www.fromtheoutsidellc.com, or on Instagram @sarahc_outside. Links to podcast, website, publications, webinars, and all the things can be found there! Visit my website for upcoming classes in the local community, latest publications, and details on workshops available for educational settings, professional development, recovery programs, conferences, or other groups. As always, please feel free to reach out! 

Until next time, take care!