Happy Monday, dear readers!
Oh, how sweet it is to get back to blogging...in a simple, lovely way that suits me just right. Today I thought I would share some of the happenings around our house this spring so far.
Our garden has been bursting with colors for about a month straight now, and it's ever so glorious! The redbud tree was the first, as usual, (aside from the daffodils, which didn't bloom this year for some reason) and it makes for the most pleasant view outside my upstairs window. As the grass was slowly returning to vibrant shades of green, there were speckles of violet scattered throughout thanks to the grape hyacinths and periwinkle. The wild wisteria and azaleas were next and pastels of pinks, purples, and white were everywhere. It's so beautiful as we drive around town because literally almost every house and business has azaleas in abundance. My mom and sister have also planted several pots of flowers and we're anxiously awaiting their growth and blooms this summer.
Despite the fact that it's nearly May, we've been enjoying some rather delightful cooler temperatures. And we will gladly take them, too! We know that as soon as the heat and humidity come, they'll be here until late September, at least. I've enjoyed the opportunity to wear cardigans these spring days and am happily soaking up every bit of this chilly weather.
I've also been working on quite a few projects...learning hand embroidery and completing my first project, mending some skirts, redecorating my room, other small, simple sewing projects, and watching {{winks}} my sister build some IKEA furniture for my room. I am not talented in this area at all, but she is our in-house builder, so I'm grateful for her skills and talents. And my room looks so lovely with these pieces in place!
Our evenings have been spent rewatching a very favorite show of ours...The Amazing Race. We watched the entire series over the past year, with the exception of the most recent seasons which we watched as they aired on TV. And some nights, we like to have a home cafe night...last week, I made vanilla iced coffees and added an extravagant touch...homemade whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Usually, I don't make them that fancy, but sometimes, it's just fun to go over the top!
I've also been enjoying a cooking challenge that I gave myself. Last autumn, I did something similar by choosing 31 different cookbooks that were on my shelf that I hadn't used that much. In trying to step outside my usual go-to handful of cookbooks and recipes, I challenged myself to pick one meal from each book and cook them for dinner. It was a wonderfully fun challenge, and a tasty one too! We ended up finding many new favorites and I rediscovered the joy of cooking again.
This spring, I've challenged myself to use just one cookbook. It's a new edition of a cookbook that I subscribe to yearly and it recently arrived in the mail. I went through and wrote down every recipe that looked appealing and now I'm working my way through them. So far, I'm about a week into it, and so far, we've loved nearly everything! I hope to share pictures and details of the challenge and meals once I've completed it!
Another happy in my days has been reading...and just last Thursday I completed an absolutely splendid novel by a very favorite author of mine. Truth be told, there are some books that sit on my shelf for a few years before I get around to reading them. Not because I don’t like them or am not excited about them, but simply because I’ve got other books lined up in my mind to read first. Any book by Katherine Reay, however, must be read shortly after it lands on my shelf. This one was no exception! I’ve read three of her novels so far, and with each one, she becomes a real favorite of mine a bit more. This is an author who truly steps “into the wardrobe” with her writing. There are few authors that can really make me fall in love with a story and she is no doubt one of them. To read a book by her is to experience something magical and heartwarming and wonderful all at once. Her characters are some of the most relatable and real feeling ones I’ve met. The way she takes you to a setting with her gorgeous descriptions is beyond magical...you feel like you are there. And her stories grasp hold of you from start to end...you are mesmerized, intrigued, moved, and charmed by every one of her tales. “The Austen Escape” was a delightful tale of friendship, healing, forgiveness, learning to truly see yourself and those around you, adventure and whimsy, a bit of mystery and a sweet, gentle romance. As with every Katherine Reay novel, I’m sad to see it end, but am thankful for the journey it allowed me to go on. Here’s to the next one!
And finally, we are venturing into sourdough baking! Our starter is 7 days old now (isn't it cute?!?!)...see the above picture. It's in a gallon-sized mason jar and is growing quite rapidly every day. This is something we've wanted to get into for over a year now, but it always seemed so overwhelming and complicated. But thankfully, I've come across some wonderful resources that explain every step so well and make it easy for a total beginner, like myself. It's got a bit to go before we can start actually baking with it, but you can bet we are excited for our first loaf of bread!
Well, that pretty much wraps up our home happenings so far this spring. Our days have been filled with simple joys and quiet sweetness, just how I like it and what I'm grateful for. I'd love to hear how your spring days are getting on...feel free to share in a comment below.
A quick note:
Blogger is making some changes over the summer. The email subscription service, FeedBurner, will no longer be available for use. So, if you would like to receive new blog posts in your email inbox, I have added a new subscription form to the sidebar. It's called BlogLovin', which you may have heard of. If you simply submit your email into the form, whenever I share a new post, it will be sent directly to your email inbox.
If you would like to follow via Blogger, you can simply "follow" under the "Kindred Spirits" title on the sidebar. All new posts will be on your Blogger feed and it's a really nice and easy way to keep up with your favorite blogs.
I'm really disappointed that FeedBurner is no longer going to be available for use because it's what I always use to follow my favorite blogs. But these two ways are easy as well and super simple to navigate and use. If you do have any questions, though, let me know and I'll help as best I can!
May your Monday be lovey and your week be sweetly splendid, dear friends!
♥