And So 2025 Begins - What Are My Intentions?

      Good Morning, guys! This could be the last blog post again for a while, because I will have finally caught you up on all the moments I captured up until the time of me scheduling these posts. Which feels amazing, I must say, what a delight to be on top of another area of life. 

I've been together with Raccoon for 3 Christmases now, which is wild, and looking forward to continuing to annoy each other for many more holiday seasons. 

We currently hope to continue living in the same place for another year, at least, but we haven't really settled what all we want to do with our living situation in the future. I suppose economy and finances will dictate a lot of that, but life tends to change quickly, so one never knows. 

I am starting off 2025 by going off birth control pills for good, after having been on them for 12 years! Not going to lie, this has been an intense and rough transition. The detox period is wild, I have been sick a lot and dealing with extreme amounts of fatigue. It was definitely the right move for me to get off such a prescription and I have no regrets, but I am only beginning to 1-2 year journey to balance my hormones naturally, so I am sure I will have lots of updates in the future to share. 

I actually am considering talking more about it on Tiktok and maybe Instagram Reels, to continue adding my experiences to herbalism and building the Mole Hill Apothecary brand. Slowly but surely, right? And knowledge is power, and I want more women to hear other women talking bluntly about life dealing with hormones and the lack of research done in that area. 

I decided to do the Pascoe Detox Kit, which is a homoeopathic kit, but essentially just uses diluted herbs. I really love the well thought out blends, and the full spectrum support for all the internal organs, detox pathways, and mental health. 

I have decided to do a half dose for 2 weeks, then pause for a while, and do a second half dose 2-week cycle later on. I am quite sensitive to most things, so this felt right for me. 

As I type, I am 4 days into this detox and it is definitely clearing things out, I feel. Hopefully it can do a lot more and help my skin as well. 

New Years Eve, we didn't go anywhere or do anything, because we are Old Folks now. But, I did burn some bay leaves, throw some salt, smudged the house, and hung these ornaments that I wove some gentle spell work into. It felt... right. I love everyday magic and being very intentional and practical with how one implements this into life. 

Also, these ornaments smell amazing!!!! 

Learning a lot more about making my own herbal regiments at home, so I can customize them to me. 

I have been downing a lot of spearmint tea and am quite sick of it really, so I made some of my own spearmint capsules. I am looking forward to testing these out, seeing how they digest, if they can help my skin and hormones. 

I felt very witchy mixing up herbs using a mortar and pestle, creating my own supports. Haha

I am still working towards completing my first diploma in herbalism, which I hope to have all wrapped up in mid-March! I continue to be amazed at what plants can do and being off birth control has opened a lot more doors of what I can use myself. 

I have also made big moves away from anything chemical or synthetic in day-to-day life, so shampoos, cleaning supplies, cotton swabs, make-up, feminine products, dish soap... we are moving to natural, truly clean products and I am making a lot of own skincare products too. Trying to practice what I preach! 

I am returning to 5 days a week at work, and hopefully stepping into a new role, so I am unsure where that will leave hobbies for a while, so I may disappear for a bit. But hopefully it is all for the better good, and each step will take me close to where I want to be. 

And with that I hope to.... 

Glorious Hoarfrost Days

      We have been having so many thick, foggy days which are among my favorites. I love Twilight Vibes and the east coast, and fog is reminiscent of both for me. Foggy days on The Island were super special, and so I enjoy such weather.

Plus, in the wintertime, it turns into thick hoarfrost that coats absolutely everything and makes the world feel very magical. This year, it lasted for days, and I was able to go out on a sunny day and capture so many incredible shots. 

So, bundle up, and let's go for a walk! 

Remember the spooky cathedral from my night at the opera post? This is the same cathedral in the daytime! Isn't it lovely? 

I don't know how, but I picked a super quiet time of day to be downtown. It's almost never quiet so this was a real treat. This was the view from where I parked! 

Maybe I should make a drinking game and every time I say beautiful, gorgeous, or stunning y'all take a shot? Honestly, I will try to not make many captions because it will sound like a broken record eventually. Haha

"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost." ~ J. R. R. Tolkien

"It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it." ~ J. Burroughs

It really was breath taking, partially because there was a slight cold breeze in the air, and partially because it is magnificent. 

"Frost is the greatest artist in our clime - he paints in nature and describes in rime." ~ T. Hood

"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness" ~Unknown

I wish I had captured a clearer shot of these leaves, but I decided to post this one anyways because it looks like its wearing a furry jacket. 

Heading onto the bridge to enjoy the fog floating over the river. 

"Cold indeed, and labor lost:

Then farewell heat, and welcome frost!" ~William Shakespeare

Ready to take a shot? ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!!!!! (2 shots from the use of all caps) 

Then I wanted to experiment with captures where the frost on the bridge bars were more in focus, then the scene behind the bars more in focus. I wasn't expecting to capture so many good sunbeams! 

At this point I really couldn't feel my hands, but I hadn't quite gotten to all the vantage points I wanted to and I am really glad I carried on. 

Because then I was able to capture this delightful view! Feels like a postcard! Or a movie... 

"What miracle of weird transforming Is this wild work of frost and light, This glimpse of glory infinite?" ~J. G. Whittier

"January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,

A frost-mailed warrior

striding a shadowy steed of snow." ~E. Fawcett

The sun was reflecting off the thick frost and it created this golden glow. 

You will have to go check out my Tiktoks to see the culprits of this darling, foot-art. They really did run to and fro and up and down, not really minding I was there. 

"I like this day; I like that sky of steel; I like the sternness and stillness of the world under this frost." ~Charlotte Bronte

Another one of my favorite captures. The breeze came through, and the trees began to shed some of their frosty jackets, and it fluttered down in giant flakes. The sun reflected off of them as they floated away, and somehow, I captured that on film. 

"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold" ~Unknown 

I wandered around a bit, trying to find the ice sculpture I overheard a lady chatting about. It was still quite quiet downtown at this time of day. 

And then I found it! The incredible ice sculpture of the Nativity Scene! They did amazing!!!!! 

And with that, I am wrapping up December memories that I captured. There were a LOT more, some of which y'all may have seen on Instagram stories or Snapchat, but there were also plenty I didn't capture because I was enjoying being in the moment.