By Jenny Barnett

As the dishes settle and the fire crackles low, there’s a quiet kind of work that follows a holiday feast; not hurried scrubbing or frantic tossing, but a gentle, respectful reset. It’s a time to honor the abundance that just passed through our hands and to prepare our winter kitchen with intention.

Compost, Broth, and the Beauty of Leftovers

The remnants of a well-loved meal don’t have to be waste. Vegetable scraps become compost for next year’s soil, and a picked-clean turkey carcass transforms into a rich, nourishing bone broth, simmered slow on the stove or tucked into a slow cooker while snow taps the windows. Save onion skins, herb stems, and carrot ends in a freezer bag for broths throughout winter.

The Reset Ritual

Wipe down the counters with a warm vinegar blend. Gently scrub your cast iron with salt and oil. Fold away linens and refill your flour jars. This isn’t just cleaning, it’s preparation for a season of stillness and sustenance. A slow and sacred transition from celebration to hibernation.

• Cast Iron Care Kit → finexusa.com
• Beeswax Wraps for Leftovers → etsy.com

Grateful Hearts, Full Journals

Before rushing into the next task, take a moment to sit with a warm drink and jot down a few things that mattered this season, the laughter around the table, the quiet helpers, the meals that turned out just right.

Try one of these prompts:

• “Today, I am thankful for the hands that helped…”
• “One small moment that filled me up this week…”
• “This winter, I want to slow down by…”
• Gratitude Journals → papier.com

This is the pause. The in-between. The gentle return to rhythm. And in that pause, we begin again with warm leftovers, tidy shelves, and hearts full of memory.

— Jenny