I’m celebrating a new year with the return of Zinnias, Tomatoes and Happy Retirement.
Last year, I started a weekly edition of Zinnias, Tomatoes and Monday Musings…but I quickly realized that a weekly edition was a bit too much for someone (me) embracing a soft life.

Read more here:
So, after taking a long break from sharing weekly musings, I’ve decided to switch to a monthly edition under a more fitting name, Zinnias, Tomatoes and Happy Retirement.
Today’s topic: Celebrating a New Year.
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Celebrating a New Year: Zinnias, Tomatoes and Happy Retirement 1.29.25
Zinnias, Tomatoes and Happy Retirement is a peek at retired life in our country home and garden. Each month I share a new topic (January’s topic is Celebrating a New Year), a few happy retirement highlights and updates from our country garden.
Celebrating a New Year
Cheers to January 2025
Cheers to 2025, to a new year and to January! I really enjoy January, especially since joining the happy retirement club.

Not only does January mark a new year and new opportunities, it’s also a quiet month with plenty of time for reflection and morning coffee by the fireplace.
For many of us, a new year is an opportunity to do a bit of personal reflection and annual planning. I’m not for resolutions, but I do love a bit of goal setting. Creating goals for a new year is very different now that I’m retired.
My goals in retirement are no longer based on shoulds or have tos or what my former faculty role required. Instead, I’m celebrating a new year with goals that are creative and bring me joy, like learning to make the perfect cup of coffee or romanticizing dining at home.
Read more here:

Celebrating a New Year on a New Beach
January is also my birthday month and the time of year when we take an annual beach vacation. This year we visited Islamorada, Florida and stayed at Cheeca Lodge and Spa. It was fabulous.

Bill and I always have the best time on vacations and our first trip to Islamorada was amazing. We enjoyed the beach and pier, local coffee shops and nearby state parks. Plus, lots of good food. And we made daily trips to the jacuzzi (it was a bit too cold to swim in the pools).

During the last night of our trip, we headed back to Miami, Florida where we stayed at the Hotel Breakwater South Beach in the Art Deco District. I love the architecture of the old boutique hotels. Plus, Miami Beach is beautiful. And my birthday dinner at Il Pastaiolo was perfect.

One caveat, South Beach is loud and lively. So be prepared to stay up until at least 1am when everything finally quiets down.
Zinnias and Tomatoes
Let’s chat Zinnias and Tomatoes (aka my flower garden and Bill’s vegetable garden). January in Oklahoma is marked by snow and freezing temperatures. The garden is quiet and the garlic is peeking through the snow while we wait for spring to arrive.

On most days, Bill and I are tucked away inside thumbing through seed catalogs.
As I sift through seed catalogs dreaming about flowers, Bill is a few steps ahead of me.
He has already placed a few seed orders and is making plans for his cool season vegetable garden. Think lots of brassicas…cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and leafy greens. Just last night, I found Bill in the kitchen starting a few seeds.

As Bill is starting his first seeds, I’m still enjoying a few paperwhites I planted before the holidays and trying to decide how many new dahlia tubers I need this year or if I should try a few new zinnia varieties.
Read More Here:
- 10 of the Best Places to Buy Garden Seeds Online
- How to Start Your Spring Vegetable Garden Early
- The Best Flowers for Beginners and New Flower Growers

Cheers to Happy Retirement
In addition to a fabulous beach vacation and dreaming about spring gardening, Bill and I also enjoyed our first snowfall of the season, celebrated a new year with a few day trips, and enjoyed our regular retirement routine.
Celebrating a New Year in the Snow
Our first snow of 2025 was magical, the perfect way to celebrate a new year. The snow was fluffy, the sun was shining, and the temperatures were right around freezing.
Our home was a winter wonderland for about three days. Each day Bill and I bundled up for our daily walk with Midge (my sweet English Pointer). I always hem and haw a bit at first, but love walking in the snow once I’m dressed properly.
As a note, dressing for the cold is something that Bill is very comfortable with (he’s from Illinois), but dressing for the cold is very unfamiliar to me (I’m from Texas). However, daily walks have become part of our retirement routine, almost regardless of the temperature outside.

Celebrating Early Retirement
Finally, not only is January my birthday, it’s also my early retirement anniversary. Four years ago, on my 55th birthday, I submitted my letter of resignation. Best decision ever!
As a retiree, I am so much more relaxed, I enjoy the freedom that each day brings, and I love my newfound time to just be me. I’ve always heard retirees say I do whatever I want, whenever I want. And now I know why.
Read more here:
- How to Enjoy Retired Life: Creating a Retirement Routine
- 8 Reasons I Love Day Trips as a Retiree
- Why I Love Early Retirement
Cheers to retired life, and as always, happy gardening!
X Penny Pennington Weeks

Previous Editions
My New Etsy Shop: Zinnias, Tomatoes, and Monday Musings, 3.4.24
The Good Life: Zinnias, Tomatoes, and Monday Musings, 2.26.24
Vintage Loves Times Two: Zinnias, Tomatoes, and Monday Musings, 2.19.24
The Start of Something New: Zinnias, Tomatoes, and Monday Musings, 2.12.24
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