🪴 Our Little Friday Letter (Friday, 18th July 2025)

A weekly catch-up from Our Little House in the Country

🌞 A Warm Welcome

Hello friends,

I hope this little note finds you well — and that you’ve had even one or two moments this week to pause, take a breath, and feel your feet beneath you.

It’s been another full week here at Our Little House in the Country — in the way that summer days sometimes blur together when you’re juggling house life, work life, and trying to savour the good bits in between.

I’m so glad you’re here for this week’s Friday Letter — a moment to press pause and gently reconnect.

🏡 From Our Little House

Since last week’s letter, we’ve had the most beautiful stretch of weather — those golden, old-fashioned summer days where the heat lingers into the night and there’s barely a breath of air. It felt like a proper Irish summer, the kind we all remember from childhood.

We made the most of it — eating outside, soaking up the sunshine, and celebrating a very special milestone: my eldest turned sixteen. We marked the occasion with a lovely dinner out and a few quiet celebrations at home with family and friends.

My husband also managed to get the front of the house painted, and it looks amazing — one of those jobs that makes everything feel fresh and new again.

After a dramatic thunderstorm rolled through on Sunday night, the weather shifted slightly. On Monday, we still made it to the beach for a beautiful walk, followed by a second-hand treasure hunt with my eldest. I found a Stephen Pearce mug for 50c (a real gem for a collector like me), along with a china plate and a sweet little blue and white transferware jug — all destined for my dresser and future plate wall in the dining room.

Tuesday brought torrential rain — but honestly, it was the perfect excuse to stay in. We lit candles, turned on the lamps, caught up on housework, baked a little, and I even brought my Instagram friends along for a cosy day-in-the-life vlog.

Then, just as quickly, the sunshine returned. On Wednesday, my son and I took an early morning trip to the beach with our dog, followed by a fresh baguette-and-ham lunch in the garden. He’s been working on designing a new tech workspace for himself, so we decluttered his room and made a little progress on that too.

It’s been one of those lovely, layered weeks — full of small things, slow moments, and summer magic in its own real-life way.

✍️ On the Blog This Week

What Slow Living Really Means to Me (Now)
This week’s blog post is a personal one — a reflection on how slow living became a real, meaningful part of our life here at Our Little House in the Country.

While I’ve always been drawn to slower, more intentional ways of living, I (like so many others) spent years caught up in the rush — wearing busyness like a badge of honour. But eventually, it stopped feeling fulfilling. The pace was unsustainable, and it was creating more stress than joy.

Over the last couple of years, we’ve made some big changes — shifting our rhythms, reevaluating our priorities, and building a life that feels more grounded, spacious, and truly meaningful.

“Slow living isn’t about quitting life or stepping away from ambition — it’s about asking yourself what really matters, and gently building a life that makes space for those things. It’s about creating a rhythm that feels like yours, not one dictated by algorithms, pressure, or hustle.”

In the post, I also share 10 gentle ways to begin living a slower life — real-world steps for real people. Here are just a few:
• Find your why — What is it you’re craving beneath the busyness?
• Create space to pause — in your days, your home, your habits
• Simplify the morning rush — even just a little
• Let go of the pressure to do it all
• Start small — and let it be enough

If you’ve been feeling the pull to slow down, I’d love to share this post with you:
→ Read What Slow Living Really Means to Me (Now)

Introducing ‘Equestrian Life’

This week, we’re excited to share something a little different — a brand new series here at Our Little House in the Country.

As many of you know, my daughter is completely pony-mad (and always has been). Over the years, I’ve learned more about hoof oil, turnout rugs, and show prep than I ever expected to — and now, she’s ready to share some of that real-life knowledge with all of you.

We’ve created a new ‘Equestrian Life’ category on the blog — a dedicated space where she’ll be sharing pony care tips, beginner guides, gear roundups, and reflections from the stable yard. It’s her own little corner of the internet, filled with insights from someone who truly lives and breathes it.

The first post is now live: Summer Essentials for Horse Riders — featuring a selection of must-have items we actually use and love, across three trusted brands (TRI Equestrian, Decathlon, and Amazon). Whether you’re heading to pony camp, prepping for a show, or just spending long days at the yard, this guide has you covered.

We’ve got lots more planned — from show day checklists to gift ideas, beginner equipment guides, and a few fun bits for parents too (parka jackets and travel mugs, anyone?). If you have a pony-mad person in your life, we hope this new series will be both helpful and relatable.

We’ve recently partnered with TRI Equestrian and Decathlon, two brilliant companies that support riders at all levels. If you find something useful in the post and choose to shop through the links, it may earn me a small commission — which helps keep the blog going and supports what we do here.

→ Read the Equestrian Summer Essentials post here

Pony-mad teenage rider jumping her Connemara pony at a working hunter competition — part of a blog post on summer essentials for horse riders.

🌿 Theme of the Week: Life moves fast — don’t forget to slow down

This is something I return to time and time again — especially now, as a mother of two teenagers. It feels like the older they get, the faster life seems to move. One blink and another month has passed. I created a reel earlier this week inspired by that exact feeling — little flashes of our summer so far, ending with a quiet clip of my feet in the blue holiday water. That moment summed it up: life is flying by… don’t forget to pause and actually feel it.

But it got me thinking — what can we do with that realisation? Can we slow time down? No, not really. But we can slow ourselves down, even for just a moment or two.

That’s the heart of slow and intentional living for me — not a perfectly curated aesthetic, not abandoning the real world, but choosing tiny pauses throughout a very real day. It’s something I’ve leaned into more and more over the past couple of years, and it’s honestly changed the quality of our everyday life.

Sometimes slowing down looks like getting up early, making a cup of tea before the rest of the house wakes, and quietly planning the day at the kitchen table. Other times it’s saying no to something, or stepping outside for five minutes with a hot coffee, or taking 20 minutes in the evening for a bit of strength training while the rest of the house is buzzing. It’s noticing the joy in something small — a walk by the sea, a plate of food made with love, a bit of pottering in the garden.

And some days, slowing down might mean doing absolutely nothing. Sitting with a feeling. Catching your breath. Letting yourself be.

So whatever kind of week you’re having — whether it’s calm and bright, busy and full, emotional, joyful, chaotic, or a mix of it all — I hope you get to take even one moment just for you. A breath. A conversation. A laugh. A nap. A cup of tea with your feet up. A quiet cry if that’s what you need.

Because life will keep moving fast. But we get to choose how we move within it.

🌸 This Week on Instagram

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know I’m over there most days — sharing the little things from our life here at Our Little House in the Country. I try to keep it gentle and positive, but always grounded in reality — whether it’s tidbits from our week, glimpses of home, or honest reflections.

This week, I shared:
• A heartfelt reflection on becoming a mum 16 years ago, and how proud I am of the wonderful young person my eldest has grown into
• A gorgeous recipe for cranberry walnut energy bites, inspired by my Instagram friend Soraya at @cozebakes (I swapped the dates for cranberries and they were delicious!)
• My first proper mini vlog — a little day-in-the-life peek at what slow living looks like in real life: cooking, laundry, fresh air, garden moments, reading, and the gentle rhythm of an ordinary Tuesday
• A reel and walk-along chat exploring this week’s theme: “Life moves fast — don’t forget to slow down.” I talked about how, even during a beautiful summer, time can still fly by — and how important it is to find one small moment to pause, reflect, or simply feel what needs to be felt.

Oh — and in a moment of what I can only describe as pure 2025 internet awkwardness, I shared my first ever affiliate product story this week (a slow cooker I actually use and love). Let’s just say: talking to camera about Amazon links while your teenager rolls their eyes in the background is peak cringe. But hey — I promised to keep this space real, and if I’m going to share affiliate links, I want to do it honestly, with humour, and only for products we truly use at home.

You’ll also find my usual coffee chats in Stories, everyday glimpses of our home, and whatever else I feel moved to share as the week unfolds.

→ Come say hello on Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ciara Winters | Our Little House in the Country (@ourlittlehouseinthecountry)

📬 What You’ve Been Loving

Before we wrap up, I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for the support and kind words that continue to land in my inbox and DMs each week. Your messages, reflections, and reactions never go unnoticed — I love hearing how something I’ve written resonates with you, or makes you pause and think.

Last week’s blog post about Setting Gentle Goals for the Rest of 2025 seemed to strike a chord. So many of you reached out to say that it helped reframe how you think about goals — not as rigid checklists, but as intentions that can shift and soften as life changes. That it’s okay to let go of something that no longer fits. That you’re allowed to begin again.

One reader said, “It felt like permission to stop being so hard on myself.” And honestly, that’s all I could ever hope for.

So thank you, truly, to those of you who take the time to read, to connect, to message, to comment. Whether we’ve chatted once or many times, I love hearing from you.

You can always find me over on Instagram, where I share daily snippets and have the odd ramble over coffee. Or if you’d prefer, feel free to email me anytime at ourlittlehouseinthecountry@gmail.com or reach out via the contact form on the blog.

Your thoughts, feedback, and ideas — they’re the beating heart of this little corner of the internet. Thank you for being part of it. 💛

🛒 In the Shop

Last week, I quietly launched a new little creative project that’s been on my heart for quite some time — a small printable shop on the blog, offering thoughtful seasonal downloads designed to support your slow living journey. These are low-cost printables, and I’ll still be sharing free ones too, both here in the newsletter and on the blog. But if you’re someone who enjoys a pretty printable or two, I hope you’ll find something useful and inspiring in the shop.

And this week, I’ve teased something I’m really excited about: hand-poured seasonal candles are coming soon.

This is a project rooted in creativity and care — and it’s something I’ve been quietly dreaming about for years. I used to make candles years ago, even during my teaching days, often with children who benefited from calm, creative work. There was something so grounding about it — and I always imagined one day I’d find a way to bring that into my own little business.

So this summer, I’m doing just that. I’ve sourced the fragrance oils (and had a lot of fun testing them!), and I’m currently waiting on tins and containers to arrive so I can begin creating sample batches. If all goes well, I’ll be launching a small, seasonal collection right here on the blog in the weeks ahead.

Of course, there’s never any pressure to purchase — your presence here is support enough — but if you ever feel drawn to pick something up from the shop, please know how much I appreciate it. Every little bit helps support the time, energy, and love I pour into this space.

You’ll also notice I’ve recently partnered with a few brands we genuinely use and/or love — including TRI Equestrian, Decathlon, and Amazon. I only ever share links to products I believe in, and when you click through those links or banners (found on the right-hand side of the blog or in some clearly-labelled posts), I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you.

As always, thank you so much for your support — whether that’s a kind comment, a purchase, or simply reading along each week. I’m so grateful to have you here.

🗂 From the Archives

This week, I’m revisiting a piece that still feels incredibly close to my heart: From Deputy Principal to Slow Living Blogger.

It’s a personal reflection on stepping away from a busy, all-consuming career in education and finding my way toward a slower, more intentional life — one filled with creativity, family, and purpose.

“I didn’t set out to become a blogger again in my forties — it happened slowly, naturally, as I found myself yearning for a gentler life. What began as a few blog posts written in the quiet moments soon turned into something that felt like home: words, connection, creativity, and the courage to start over.”

I chose to share it this week because, with all the talk about slowing down and living with intention, it felt right to return to where this new chapter really began. If you’re navigating change or just wondering if it’s ever “too late” to shift direction, I hope this post offers some encouragement.

You can read it here, or find it in the blog archives under Intentional Living.

🌐 Things I’ve Loved from Around the Web This Week

One of my favourite parts of this newsletter is getting to shine a little light on the wonderful corners of the internet I’ve enjoyed recently. This week’s picks:

🎥 Hannah Alonso’s YouTube Channel — Thoughtful, real, and gently insightful, Hannah shares honest reflections on influencer culture, content consumption, and digital life. A refreshing voice I always look forward to listening to. You can find her on YouTube here.
📝 Dolly Dowsie — If you haven’t yet explored Fiona’s gorgeous blog, Dolly Dowsie, you’re in for a treat. She writes beautifully about family, slow travel, and intentional living, all from right here in Ireland. Her photos are stunning, and her content always feels grounded and gentle. Visit her blog at dollydowsie.com. 🔗 Instagram | Blog
🏡Mum in the Madhouse
Jen’s blog has long been a go-to for practical, creative family life. She shares everything from crafts and home routines to thoughtful parenting ideas. Jen has been unwell recently, so it feels like the perfect time to give her work a little extra love.
🔗 Instagram | Blog
🏠 Sue at Upcycled Home Design (Instagram) — A fellow Irish creative, Sue shares her journey of transforming her new-build home with warmth, style, and a lovely dose of creativity. Her DIYs and upcycled projects are full of charm, and she’s building such a lovely community. Follow her @upcycled_home_designs on Instagram.

📱 Follow Along

You’ll find me most days over on Instagram, where I share everyday moments, thoughts over tea, and gentle glimpses of our home life. You can also keep up with new posts and printables on Pinterest and browse the digital shop right here on the blog.

If you’d like to reply to this newsletter or just say hello, feel free to pop me an email at ourlittlehouseinthecountry@gmail.com or simply use the contact form here — I love hearing from you!

🌿 Until Next Time

Thank you, as always, for being here. For reading, for replying, for sharing my posts, and for showing up with such warmth and kindness in this space.

However life looks for you this week — whether calm or chaotic, joyful or challenging — I hope you find a few moments just for you. To pause. To breathe. To laugh. To cry. To be.

And if you ever feel like you’re racing through life too fast — come back to the theme of this week: life moves fast, don’t forget to slow down.

Wishing you a week of little joys,
Ciara x