🪴 Our Little Friday Letter (Friday, 25th July 2025)

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

🌞 A Warm Welcome

Hi there — I’m so glad you’re here this morning. I hope you enjoy this week’s little letter from Our Little House in the Country and that something in it feels like a small moment of connection in the middle of your day.

Oh goodness — newsletter number three already… and somehow the last one of July! I know there’s still a few days left in the month, but with next Friday landing in August, this will be our final July letter. I’m not quite sure where the month has gone — it seems to have flown by in a quietly lovely way. Nothing wild, nothing dramatic… just summer doing its gentle thing.

---

🏡 From Our Little House

This week has somehow managed to feel full without being frantic — the kind of week where a nice little rhythm settles in and everything ticks over just as it should.

Most mornings start early — usually around 6:30 or 7:00 — and when the rain stays away, my husband and I head out for a walk before breakfast. Then it’s home for a quiet cup of tea or coffee in the garden, talking through the day ahead while the teenagers sleep in and the house is still peaceful.

By mid-morning, the daily rhythm kicks in. I turn into the usual mom taxi, dropping my daughter down to the yard so she can look after her pony and catch up with her pony friends.

Earlier this week, I had my first lesson — not from a riding instructor, but from my daughter, who walked me through every step of mucking out, feeding, turning out, etc. I offered to help. She declined. “Just watch and learn.” And so I did — in wellies, in the rain, notebook at the ready!! I’ll be taking over the morning duties once school starts back, and let’s just say… I’ve been told the standards are high. There may or may not have been talk of hidden cameras to ensure compliance.

Meanwhile, my eldest and I have been squeezing in beach walks most afternoons, getting our second bit of fresh air in for the day — dog in tow, raincoats on — and it’s been really lovely.

Back at the house, everything’s feeling fresh and summery thanks to lots of paint and a very determined husband. The exterior of the house has had a full refresh and looks so much better — I hadn’t realised just how badly it needed doing until it was done! We’ve been making plans now for a new plancha grill (which I absolutely loved using in France last year) and a more permanent roofed pergola for the patio — because anyone living in Ireland knows that outdoor dining needs a bit of backup!

Behind the scenes on the blog, I’ve been in full planning mode. It’s possible the highlighters, colour-coded spreadsheets, and matching leather-bound planners are a bit… much. But it’s working! I’ve mapped out content up to Halloween, including blog posts and weekly newsletters — and I really love the sense of calm and focus that brings. Maybe it’s a teacher thing — the urge to map out every week and season, colour-code the whole lot, and make sure there’s a plan. Anyone who’s ever done lesson planning will know the feeling!

I’ve also been deep in candle testing mode. A few new autumnal blends are in the works, and I just got some new equipment that I’m excited to try out this weekend.

And finally — a big week in the pony world. My daughter is competing this weekend — her first show with her new pony, and she’s diving straight in with a big one! I won’t be attending (I’ve heard I’m best kept out of the way to keep nerves calm on both sides 😉), but she’ll be reporting back in next week’s Equestrian Life post with all the details. She’s slowly turning it into quite a little corner of the internet — and I honestly couldn’t be prouder.

So yes — another week passed, another one about to begin. There’s something comforting in these seasonal routines, in finding your footing even when the days fly by. I hope you’ve had a week that felt good in your bones — and that the weekend brings you whatever you need most.

---

✍️ On the Blog This Week

On Tuesday, we shared a new post in our Slow and Intentional Living series:
Slowing Down in August — a gentle guide to embracing the final stretch of summer with a slower, more intentional rhythm.

Even though August hasn’t officially begun just yet, the final days of July always seem to carry that quiet reminder that summer doesn’t last forever — especially in households like ours where the school holidays began back in May and will wrap up again before the month is out.

So this post is a soft little nudge to pause before the pace of September begins. It’s about savouring the in-between days — the ones that can feel both full and fleeting.
As I wrote:

“A gentle invitation to embrace the rhythm of August as it really is — imperfect, real, and quietly full of moments worth noticing.”

Inside the post, you’ll find:

• A short reflection on why August holds a unique kind of stillness
• Ten gentle ways to slow down this month
• A free printable version of the list, along with an August journaling prompt page — perfect to pop on the fridge, tuck into your planner, or save to your phone for later

Read the post here → Slowing Down in August
Download the free printable below

---

Also this week, my pony-mad teen shared her second post in our Equestrian Life series —
10 Summer Essentials for Your Pony

This week’s post is her take on the must-have gear to keep ponies cool, hydrated, fly-free, and summer-ready. It’s been such a joy watching her take ownership of this little corner of the blog — her own safe and creative space online, where I’m gently managing things behind the scenes.

Next week, she’ll be sharing her Show Day Essentials, including a recap of her first competition with her new pony (mentioned earlier in this letter!). She also has some really fun posts planned, like:

• What’s in My Grooming Kit
• A Day in the Life at the Yard
• A Day Out at the RDS Dublin Horse Show

So if you (or someone you know) has a pony-loving teen in your life, feel free to share the blog with them — there’s lots more coming soon!

---

🌿 This Week’s Theme: Here

This month, I chose the word here as a quiet guide — a reminder I keep returning to as the summer days slip by.

It’s so easy, isn’t it, to fall into the rhythm of what’s next — the plans, the to-do lists, the mental tabs open all at once. But I’ve been gently reminding myself: this moment matters too. Be here.

Not forever, not always — because we live real lives with real demands — but even just for a breath.
To be here in the slow mornings.
Here in the messy, funny, spontaneous bits.
Here with our children, with our partners, with ourselves.
Here in our homes, even if they’re noisy or need tidying or the Wi-Fi’s still down (as was the case in ours this week!).

It’s about noticing the moment we’re in — not rushing to perfect it or squeeze something out of it, but simply settling into it. Breathing it in.

That’s the spirit I want to carry into August.
Not urgency. Not pressure. Just presence — in whatever form it takes.

As always, these little themes aren’t meant to be lofty ideals. They’re reminders, grounded in the chaos and beauty of everyday life. A nudge to pause. A cue to slow. And a gentle invitation to come back to the present — to be here.

---

🗃From the Archives

This week, as we talk about slowing down in August and anchoring ourselves in the present moment — here — I thought it might be the perfect time to revisit a favourite post from earlier this year:
“Five Gentle Ways to Embrace a Calmer Life – Slow Living for Busy People.”

If you’ve ever longed for a slower pace but felt like real life just doesn’t allow for it — this one’s for you. It’s full of gentle, doable ideas for bringing a little more calm into your everyday, even when things are full or a little chaotic. These are small shifts, not overhauls — realistic suggestions for creating moments of pause and presence that actually work in a busy home and a busy mind.

I’m sharing it today because this is exactly the kind of support I need in August too — not a long list of things to add to the calendar, but just quiet encouragement to pause, to breathe, to be here — even if only for a moment at a time.

Here’s the link if you’d like to read it or save it for later:
➡️ Five Gentle Ways to Embrace a Calmer Life

---

🌸 This Week on Instagram

We hit a little milestone this week… and while numbers aren’t everything, I’ll admit this one gave me pause. I reached 7,000 followers — and it honestly still doesn’t feel real! I set myself a quiet little goal this year to grow my small, gentle corner of the internet, and somehow, with a bit of intention (and a few rambly Stories), we got there.

I’ve been on Instagram since 2014, took a long break, and returned about two years ago — but it’s only in the past year that I’ve truly started showing up with more purpose. To think this time last year, I had around 3,000 followers… well, it’s just a reminder of what slow, steady effort can do. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s found their way to my page, resonated with my ramblings, and cheered me on from the sidelines.

This week over there has been a little quieter — a mix of tea chats, a spontaneous live video where I chatted through blog plans, and a peek at my freshly decluttered kitchen (colourful, cosy, and very not minimalist). I love colour. I love real life. And I love sharing both — even if it’s just a little “good morning” photo with a heartfelt caption as I sip my first cup of tea.

If you’re curious to see what slow living looks like in real life — the messy, colourful, dog-hair-on-the-floors kind — you’ll find me over there most days. I’d love if you popped over to say hi.

📸 @ourlittlehouseinthecountry

View this post on Instagram

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

---

📱 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 so much for being here, for reading, and for sharing these little moments with me. Whether you’re catching up with a cuppa in hand or reading this on the go, I hope something in today’s letter felt like a small exhale. I’ll be back next Friday with another note from our little house — and in the meantime, you’ll find me pottering around over on Instagram or scribbling away behind the scenes.

Wishing you a gentle weekend, and a week ahead that feels spacious and kind.
Take care,
Ciara x

🌿 If you’ve enjoyed this week’s letter and you’d like to receive it directly to your inbox each Friday, pop your email in below. I’ll only ever use it to send this gentle weekly newsletter — no spam, no sales pitches, just one real-life email each week from Our Little House in the Country. I’d love to have you along x