We've hit winter! Which obviously means it's time for me to write another list of things I want to achieve over the next few months.

1. Read three books
Nothing feels more wintery than sitting curled up in a blanket and reading, and yet this appears on all of my seasonal lists. The reason being that I love reading but I have to remind myself to do it. When reading I can fully switch off, which is why it is so important.

Having finished Alice in Wonderland, I want to read Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, and The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

2. Progress my patchwork quilt
A perfect activity for dark evenings and yet I haven't picked this up in ages (20 weeks if my Instagram feed is to be believed). At last count I had 241 hexi flowers completed, I'd like to have added at least 60 to this number by the time we hit spring, it'll take me to over 300 hexi flowers and into the home straight! I'll also be reinstating my Sunday patchwork update on Instagram.

3. Make home improvements
I feel like I've mentioned this a lot recently but in the spirit of starting a new year with good intentions I want to make a dent in the long list of things I have to do around the house. This is on my Wish List for Year 40 but so far I've made little progress.

The following are things that I think are achievable over winter.
- Paint the gloss work in the hallway (which I've been meaning to do for well over a year)
- Make little changes to the kitchen (I have a list of jobs to fix niggles, these include moving wall cupboards, hanging doors and replacing pieces of skirting board - exciting stuff!)
- Paint the kitchen
- Paint the downstairs loo

In the seasons that follow I'm going to work my way through the downstairs rooms and sort all of the little jobs that never seem to make it to the top of the list. Then I'll turn my attention upstairs.

4. Make dumplings
A winter dish if ever there was. After the success of the first lot I'm looking to make a vegetable broth with bacon dumplings, and a thai broth with fish dumplings. Get. In. My. Belly.

5. Make Jaffa Cakes
It's been on the to-bake list forever. It's time to get it done.

What are your plans for winter? Do you have any winter traditions?