The time has come for our very last post of the year. Heads still reeling that it is December and in dire need of some rest, Ria and I are going to take a little holiday and see you, recharged and refreshed, in 2016. But before we do we thought we’d take a look at the Year That Was…

The Best Bits of 2015:

Hannah: So many best bits! A trip to Melbourne to see friends and brief holiday to Waitomo caves were both highlights. Work wise – it was a thrill, relief and honour to launch my second book, Season of Salt and Honey, at my local bookstore and I loved the chance to try my hand at food styling with Bonnie Machell of Arkade. But the little moments, the domestic things, as dull as they may sound – renovating our lounge, growing our own vegetables, completing the Run Auckland series with my sister – might have trumped the big stuff. I wished to be more settled in 2015 and that wish came true. For a gal with the heart of an adventurer, the pleasure that has come from that has been something of a revelation.

Ria: Salt Spring Island summer days with family–beach afternoons and ice cream evenings, cows to gaze at and hills to climb on bicycles. Going to Toronto (for the second time ever!) to participate in the Forest of Reading celebration with amazing, talented authors, enthusiastic and inspiring readers and the most bad-ass librarians anywhere around. Seeing my baby turn one and my big girl turn four. Renovating our kitchen in the biggest possible way, and loving the result. Picnics balanced on logs at the beach, golden fall hikes, evenings on the couch as the rain pours down.

A lesson you learned or re-learned in 2015:

Ria: Kindness to myself is where it all starts. Beating myself up is unproductive, reductive, violent and mean. It’s also really easy to do, so just stop it. Stop. It. Right, Liz?

Hannah: “To every thing there is a season…A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away…” Whilst so easy to lose myself in the frustration, disappointment or grief of a particular situation, I was reminded that every thing has a season, that some years are good vintages and others not so much. It’s simply part of it. When it’s great – rejoice; when it’s sucky – know it is temporary.

Favourite food moment of 2015:

Hannah: Meeting Antonio Carluccio, the godfather of Italian cooking. He was placed next to me during a function in November and was every bit as frank, wise and flirtatious as you might expect. I think the cherry-topped tiramisu was my favourite dish of the evening but, like all the best food memories, the context and company were even more special.

Ria: Taking a stellar pie-making course with my friend, Tina, led by the amazing Chef Heidi Fink. We learned that not all pie-worthy apples are created equal, that pie crust is more forgiving than you think, and when in doubt, make a galette.

Wisdom or resolution to take into the new year:

Ria: Be more present instead of….everywhere. Multi-tasking can be useful, but the (big) little life things slip past if you’re not watching.

Hannah: Stop. Breathe. Soak it up. The older ladies in the library who stopped me and coo-ed over B1 when she was just a baby were right – “It goes so fast”.

We hope 2015 has been good to you and we wish you and yours very merry and happy holidays. May you eat too much, laugh too loud and feel the love and joy of those you cherish the most around you. We can’t wait to see and hear from you in the new year.

With love and good cheer,

Hannah & Ria x x x