Welcome to Sunday Senses
Happy New Year!
This past year was a busy one! As I think about the new year, my first priority and goal is to slow down. This shift in perspective allows me to spend more time doing the things I love and may have missed over the last year.
One of those ambitions for me this year is to enjoy my own home. The best way I can think of doing this is by jumping back into projects that I’ve been placing on the back burner. I’m also hoping to channel more energy into styling and decorating different rooms around the house. Doing so in winter helps me feel more settled in as we make our way toward spring.
Because it’s quieter, January is a nice time to get off the Cape as well. I love visiting my son in New York or my daughter in Philly, as it means I get to see them and enjoy some cultural experiences—whether that’s visiting a new museum, catching a show at the theater, or attending the opera.
| “I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape — the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.” – Andrew Wyeth |
As my family and I settle into winter on the Cape, I’ve gathered up some of my five favorite senses that help us stay cozy and cheerful deep into the season and celebrate where we live. I hope these bring you warmth and joy, too. Have a great week!
My 5 cues for the first month of the year…
SIGHT
Winter is a beautiful time to embrace the artful swoop and angle of branches and plants.
There is nothing like bringing the outdoors in to make you feel closer to nature. I like to follow my rule of bringing nature inside, even in what I call “stick season” (winter through to early spring). It’s a beautiful way to appreciate winter’s natural architecture and give more texture and dimension to your spaces. I look for branches that have dried seeds or berries, or any of the evergreen varieties in my yard, like inkberry. Occasionally, I like to add some twinkly lights, as it’s hard to give those up after Christmas!
Outside of using just branches and twigs, I find a light touch of greenery feels right, especially as a contrast to the grayness outside. If you live in a city or an area where it’s difficult to forage your own sticks and branches, or if you consider yourself to have not such a green thumb, I’ve put some faux options below that’ll last you year after year.
Another sight I enjoy on the Cape is a winter sunset. Each one is so vibrant against the muted landscape, even during nature’s dormant cycle. We often see some of the most beautiful of the year. Watching it paint across the sky is a perfect way to relax and unwind. The holidays can be overstimulating to our senses, and I also find it therapeutic to clean out, organize, and pare down. This helps solidify January as my peaceful month.
Taste…favorite winter dishes
It’s the time of year to enjoy crackling fires, comfort food, and quiet company. That brings me to our taste cue for this month, which is a combination of my favorite cookbooks for winter recipes, a delicious recipe we often lean on for dinner this time of year, and a non-alcoholic drink, which is a great way to start 2026—especially if you’re doing Dry January.
Let’s start with my two go-to cookbooks that make this season so much tastier. I love Ottolenghi’s Simple and Jamie Oliver’s 5 Ingredients. They both feature very simple, satisfying dishes, including Jamie Oliver’s Epic Rib Eye Steak recipe, which we love to make.
Another winter family favorite is the Silver Palate chicken marbella recipe paired with pan-fried potatoes with rosemary, which I’ve put down below!
Scent….
January, for me, is a time to rejuvenate and reset for the year. Therefore, I often focus on cleaning this month. I keep an eye out for a warmish day when I can open the windows and let in some fresh air! This always makes you feel re-energized, even if it’s a little chilly out.
We use air purifiers in winter (especially with Sparrow!), and I look for cleaning products that smell just right! Lighter fragrances that aren’t cloying or heavy are best, especially since the windows are often closed, save for those rare days.
Touch/Texture
Leave it to warm flannel sheets, down-filled duvets, and classic woolen plaid blankets to help quell the chill of winter’s wind and freezing temperatures. I’m a big fan of Boll & Branch for the bedding sheets, pillows, duvet sets, and duvet inserts. I also love a classic plaid woolen throw from the Scottish brand Johnstons of Elgin and Pendleton Woolen Mills. Any warm blanket or throw from them is perfect for wrapping up in while watching a movie.
If you’re looking for a few other ways to add literal and visual warmth to your home, consider adding a sheepskin. I add these to my leather library chairs to make them super inviting this time of year! You can also place them on the floor so you have something soft underfoot when you get out of bed. My favorites are from Overland Sheepskin—their quality is unmatched, and their color selection is beautiful.
This is also a great time of year to refresh your towels as well! While you’re cleaning out your home, get rid of old bath and hand towels that have seen better days. (We bring our old towels to local animal hospitals and shelters.) You can replace them with options that are ultra plush and cozy. It’s a little luxury you’ll love having this time of year!
Sound
If you listen closely, you’ll hear the sounds of winter whispering away…
I have a handful of sounds I love hearing when winter arrives. From the waves outside to the crunching of the frosty ground under my feet on the way to a beach walk, they’re all sounds that are good for the soul! At home, I spend more time in my library in front of the crackling wood in the fireplace. There’s nothing like the soft white noise of a fire or the ocean playing in the background while reading or listening to a book. Three reads on my January reading list are as follows:
Let me know if you read any of these and enjoy them, too!
See you next week…
