February was a salve to the months of bushfires, smokes, heat, personal stresses and work slog.

It's my birthday in February, which always feels like a marker for new beginnings. Rain, clear air, letters from afar and time spent with those close made the month feel like a better start to the year than January. And don't get me wrong, I know that's a luxury. For many, the months ahead will be a haze of stress, anger and disappointments. It'll be some time yet before they can let go of the summer we've had. But for me, right now, with a new disaster looming, it was a short moment to recharge and regroup.

I WENT TO... Wingham, on the NSW mid-north coast. I tagged along on my partner's road trip to film a Two Minute Postcard travel vlog about a bushfire-affected community. Wingham has had rain since we visited but at the start of the month things were pretty dire. The area has had prolonged drought, great swathes of land were razed by bushfires early in the season and others have now had pockets of flooding along with crop destruction caused by native wildlife displaced from natural habitats and looking for a feed. I marvelled at the strength and resilience of the people we met, despite the circumstances, and their deep love for the area they call home.

The month finished up with an overnight in Newcastle, and this weekend was spent camping with friends at Myall Lakes. There was plenty of swimming, lazing about with a good book and chatting over a hot cuppa.

I ATE... So much travelling meant there were plenty of opportunities for a good feed. A breakfast and a lunch at Wingham's Bent on Food and Garden Grub Cafe were memorable, but a selection of small plates and great service at Meet, in Newcastle was the standout. You also can't go past a camp breakfast of french toast, topped with banana and maple syrup.

I OP SHOPPED... Still no op shopping, but I plan to change that with a mini road trip later this month. I've got days of overtime to take and I'll be enjoying a little adventure to catch up on friends, spend time with family, and op shop.

I READ... Like almost everyone on the planet, I read Delia Owen's Where the Crawdads Sing. The mystery keeps the pace moving, but mostly I enjoyed the natural history references as well as the take on poverty, loneliness, abandonment and sense of self that sweeps through the chapters.

I MADE... That cowl I cast on last month as mindless knitting to keep hands busy and allow my mind to wander was finished during the road trip to Wingham. It'll have to sit on the shelf for quite a few weeks before it's cold enough to wear it. We've got a 37C day here tomorrow for the second day of autumn.