Soulful Reflections | 03.24

Celebrations, adventures, new discoveries, making memories, books, and more!

Welcome to my Journal of Soulful Reflections.

March actually felt quite surprisingly long! Definitely not in a bad way though, as it was a really joyful month spent celebrating. Plus it was filled with lots of happy memories, adventures, new discoveries and wonderful time spent with loved ones. Perhaps my anticipation for the coming warmer weather made it seem to linger longer than usual! But then I can't help but wonder: How did April sneak up on us so quickly?!

Sadly the magnolia tree next-door has lost just about all its pretty pink blooms due to the wind. But I have noticed the beautiful vibrant green leaves that are beginning to emerge. I feel there’s a life lesson in this somewhere… Much like the rhythm of life, as one chapter ends, another begins, but with it it can bring so much beauty, vitality, and new beginnings.

Here are a few of the things that I got up to in March:

• Celebrated my 34th birthday.

• David and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary.

• Had a very delicious birthday meal at Ego in Lichfield. (When you join their mailing list you get a free three-course meal each year when it’s your birthday!)

• Relaunched my small business, Clementine Rose.

• Attended a talk which was part of the Lichfield Literature Festival.

• Spent a few days back in my hometown.

• Met up with a friend, had a lovely catch-up, and had the most delicious tuna and cheese toasted ciabatta!

• Visited one of my favourite local villages in Lincolnshire, Crowland. Had a tour round the Abbey, and visited the library to view their local history exhibition. (Highly recommend!)

• Met up with a friend in Birmingham and had one of the most tastiest burgers ever at Five Guys! (Also my first time going to Birmingham solo)

• Found a book in a local charity shop called Fenland Families. (It was lovely reading about small local businesses from throughout the years gone by, and some that I grew up knowing. Thankfully there are still a few who are still in business!)

• Gave the conservatory a good spring clean.

• Celebrated Easter with our church friends (David was also playing the organ). Then we had a very yummy roast dinner for tea, and maybe some chocolate too!

Some March favourites:

• Wild garlic: It’s officially the beginning of wild garlic season. David whipped up some delicious flatbreads with wild garlic inside. I’m already looking forward to having them again! He also added a fried egg on top, and some chopped chives. Chef’s kiss! If you have any wild garlic growing near you, highly recommend trying it. It makes really good pesto (which you can also freeze)!

• My small business relaunch day: I officially relaunched my small business! You can read all about it here. It felt so wonderful to finally relaunch it. It’s something that I have spent several months working towards, and the love and support I received just blew me away.

• Bluebells: I love it when the bluebells begin to emerge, bringing with them a beautiful sea of blue and violet. Did you know… the earliest British botanists called them crowtoes! They’ve also been called wood hyacinth, lady’s nightcap, and cuckoo’s boots.

• M&S beef wellington hand cooked crisps: A bit of a random one, but I really do love these crisps! Honestly, M&S do the best crisps, they have so much flavour, and are just really delicious, and great for an evening snack!

What I’ve been reading:

The Wisdom of sheep by Rosamund Young
As I mentioned a little bit further up, I attended a talk which was part of the Lichfield Literature Festival. I went with a very dear friend, and had a really wonderful time. The brilliant author Rosamund Young was here in Lichfield talking about her book The Wisdom of Sheep, which honestly is such a beautiful and inspiring book, filled with humour, warmth, wisdom, and what life is truly like living on a farm that lives in harmony with nature. I definitely recommend checking it out, along with Rosamund’s other book which I’ll be sharing next!

The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young
Again, another brilliant book by Rosamund Young. I absolutely loved it! Just like The Wisdom of Sheep, it’s filled with humour, warmth, and so much wisdom and insight, but it also shares the raw, emotional, and honest tales of the life of a farmer. I loved hearing all about the cows, their stories and adventures. It’s a book that I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

Surrender Your Story by Tara Sun
This book had been on my list for quite some time! So as you can imagine I was so happy when I received it as a Christmas present. I finally got round to reading it, and wow, it really is an inspiring, biblically-rich, encouraging and powerful book, filled full of truth. I’m already looking forward to reading through it again! This time with lots of sticky tabs at the ready!

If you could have a garden filled full of one specific springtime flower, what would it be?

I’m asking a really difficult question here aren’t I?! Honestly I would love a garden filled with forget-me-nots. Although tiny, they sure are mighty! They attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, possess medicinal properties, offer health benefits, and are very beneficial for the land. Plus they are so pretty!

Until next time…

In my Journal of Soulful Reflections, you can expect to uncover more personal entries infused with inspiration and encouragement inspired by the beauty of the natural world, and the ebb and flow of the changing seasons. I invite you to come alongside me in my monthly journal entries, where we can collectively take a few moments to pause, reflect, and unwind.

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