The little things I love about spring! #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a good week. Mine has been good but I don't have much to share when it comes to the things that I have loved this week. There is a few things but nothing new, that I haven't mentioned over the past few weeks. After answering questions about Spring in The Wednesday Hodgepodge, I had more to add so I thought I would share the little things I love about spring! As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share the things that I have loved over the past week.

Don't get me wrong, not every day here over the last week has felt like a spring day. When I started writing this on Wednesday afternoon it was blowing a gale outside, one minute it was sunny and the next there was rain. I'll take it though, the sun is shining more than not and that makes me happy!

So here are my favourite things about spring!

Not having to wear a massive coat!

This is a big one for me. The heavy winter coat makes me feel like I'm carrying around a duvet which is nice in the winter but by now I am so over it. Plus at this time of year the weather is so changeable but a lighter waterproof jacket does the job.

Washing actually drying outside!

I can’t explain how happy this makes me. After months of using the tumble dryer getting the washing out on the line and it actually drying feels like a proper win. It all smells so much nicer too.

Opening the windows again!

This always feels like a turning point. After months of keeping everything shut tight to keep the warmth in it is nice to open the windows and keep them open all day! Fresh air coming in makes the house feel better.

Lighter evenings!

This changes my whole mood. When it’s still light at 6 or 7pm it doesn’t feel like the day is over after tea. There’s still time to do things, even if that thing is just sitting scrolling on my phone but with the window still open!

Easter chocolate!

I say every year that my girls are too old for Easter eggs and every year I still buy them. If all has gone to plan the Easter eggs arrived with the food shopping delivery yesterday. Of course I bought one for my fella and I too. I have been eating Easter chocolate for the last couple of months. Cadbury Mini Eggs and the mini Reese's bunnies are my favourites.

Daffodils are everywhere!

They just turn up and brighten everything, they are such a cheery flower. Even the scruffiest patch of grass looks nicer with a few daffodils in it. I have been buying them and having them delivered with the food shop since the beginning of the year, they are the most inexpensive flower that adds a bit of cheeriness to my living room.

The garden coming back to life!

After the winter where the garden looked a bit sorry for it's self and we forgot about it, the garden is starting to do it's thing again. Little bits of green popping up and the grass is growing fast, my fella has already had to cut it twice but the new 2nd hand lawnmower we have is fantastic. It has a box on the back which collects all the cut grass to make the job easier.

Planting seeds and hoping for the best!

I always get a bit carried away with this. I’ll plant seeds full of hope and good intentions and then forget which is which or forget to water them properly. Some survive, some don’t but it’s still nice to try. At the moment I am very organised and have everything labelled and I am keeping up with the watering. I even have some shoots coming though.

Hearing the ice cream van again!

Even if I don't buy an ice cream from it every time, it's still nice to hear the little tune that it plays. The ice cream van makes me think of my childhood. My brother and I were always allowed to get an ice cream on a Sunday afternoon. It was such a treat! I have not seen our heard the one that usually comes round where I live yet this year but I think this might be the weekend that it reappears.

Random bursts of motivation!

Spring always does this to me. I suddenly want to get jobs done that I’ve been ignoring for months. DIY bits, sorting cupboards, little projects. It doesn’t always last long but I like the feeling of being productive when it lasts!

What is your favourite thing about spring?

My go to rhubarb crumble recipe!

March in the UK means that spring has arrived and what that means is that rhubarb is available! Rhubarb season in the UK usually kicks off in late February and runs through to about June, with the peak often being around March to May!

There are a lot of classic desserts that I love, like sticky toffee pudding, trifle, jam roly-poly but there’s something about rhubarb crumble that makes it stand head and shoulders above the rest, especially at this time of year! This isn’t just any dessert, it’s the kind that makes your kitchen smell like happiness and even the most reluctant pudding lovers come back for seconds. Tart, sweet, buttery and just a touch rustic, rhubarb crumble is without a doubt, one of the best ways to welcome spring into your life and it’s surprisingly easy to make even if you’re not usually a whizz in the kitchen. Did you know that rhubarb is packed with vitamin C, fibre and antioxidants? so you can convince yourself that you are having a treat but you’re also doing something good for your body.

You can serve it straight from the oven with a dollop of custard or with cream or ice cream. Some people even like it slightly warm with a drizzle of golden syrup and for those of us who like to get a little creative, you can mix rhubarb with other fruits like strawberries, which are the obvious choice but oranges, apples and even blackberries work beautifully too.

Rhubarb Crumble Recipe

Serves: 4 to 6 people.

Prep time: 15 minutes.

Cooking time: 35 to 40 minutes,

Ingredients!

For the filling:

500g of rhubarb,

100g of caster sugar (adjust depending on how tart your rhubarb is).

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional).

1 tbsp plain flour (helps thicken the juice).

For the crumble topping:

100g of plain flour.

75g of unsalted butter, cold and cubed.

75g of light brown sugar (or granulated sugar if you prefer).

50g of oats (optional, for extra crunch).

A pinch of salt.

Instructions!

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4.

Prepare the rhubarb:

Start by washing your rhubarb and chopping it into chunks, about 2 to 3cm pieces. Not tiny bits because they’ll turn to mush but not massive sticks either. You want them to soften but still hold their shape.

Pop the rhubarb into a bowl and sprinkle over the sugar. The sugar isn’t just for sweetness, rhubarb is sharp and the sugar also draws out the juices while it bakes, which helps create that lovely syrupy bottom layer.

Add the teaspoon of vanilla if you’re using it. It just rounds out the flavour and takes the edge off the tartness a bit. It's not essential but I always add it if I have it.

Now sprinkle over the tablespoon of plain flour and give everything a good mix. This is important because rhubarb releases loads of juice when it cooks. The flour thickens those juices so you don’t end up with rhubarb soup under your crumble.

Make the crumble topping:

Put the flour into a bowl and add the cold. Cold is important here. If the butter is soft, you won’t get that crumbly texture and it will go pasty. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips. Keep going until it looks like breadcrumbs. Don’t panic if there are a few slightly bigger lumps; those turn into the best crunchy bits on top.

Stir in the light brown sugar. I like brown sugar because it gives a slight caramel flavour and a deeper colour on top but granulated works fine too. Add the pinch of salt. It sounds tiny but it balances the sweetness and makes everything taste better.

If you’re using oats, stir them in now. They add texture and a bit of chew.

Assemble:

Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the rhubarb. Don’t press it down! Just let it sit loosely on top. If you press it, it goes dense instead of crumbly.

Bake:

Pop it in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. You’re looking for bubbling fruit around the edges and a golden brown top. If the top browns too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil for the last 10 minutes.

When it comes out, it will be molten underneath, so let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. This helps the filling thicken up a bit more too.

Serve it with custard, cream or ice cream but it is delicious on its own too!

Do you like rhubarb crumble?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #48

I hope you are all having a good week. It's Wednesday, which means it's time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce who blogs at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. It's officially spring in the northern hemisphere. Does it feel like spring in your part of the world? If you're in the southern hemisphere it's officially autumn where you live. Does the weather say autumn? Which do you prefer-spring or autumn? Why?

It does feel like spring here now here in England. Not all the time, of course, the morning's and evenings are still chilly but it has been warming up during the day. I know it's spring because Ellie has started wearing shorts and has asked for a new pair of sandals. The lighter nights are slowly happening, which I love and it feels nicer being outside again without having to wear layers and a thick coat. Daffodils are popping up everywhere, people are out cutting their grass, the birds are singing more and the only thing that is missing is the ice cream man coming around in his van. He must be due any day now!

I definitely prefer spring. Spring feels like a fresh start after the winter. Autumn is nice, I do like the cosiness of it but it always feels like the fun days of summer are ending. Once summer is over, the colder, darker days of winter are on their way. Spring is the opposite of that, with everything starting again and we have warmer days and summer to look forward to too.

2. What's your favorite thing about spring?

I think my favourite thing about spring has to be gardening! Seeing the garden waking up again after the winter is special. I love planting seeds and I get a bit too excited about it. I'm no expert, I just hope for the best. I like starting from scratch with the tiny seeds, a bit of compost, water and then waiting. I'm not a patient person when it comes to my seeds and I check on them several times a day as like they’re going to grow quicker just because I’m staring at them. lol When the green shoots come through, I feel like I have achieved something massive.

3. Spring into action, spring in your step, spring to life, spring to one's feet...which spring idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain.

I’d say spring in my step fits me right now. I always say I’m not affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder and that winter doesn’t really bother me but then spring happens and I realise I was bothered. I feel like I have a spring in my step now. I seem to wake up before my alarm clock with more energy, I have more motivation to get things done instead of putting them off and even the boring jobs don't feel that boring when the sun is shining! It’s like I’ve got a bit of a bounce back without really trying.

4. Which spring food from this list is your favorite? What's a dish you like that includes your favorite spring ingredient?

asparagus, strawberries, salad greens like mesclun, artichokes, spinach, eggs, peas, spring onions.

It has to be strawberries! They’re my favourite fruit but they’re just not that great here until later in the year. I bought some a few weeks ago thinking I’d treat myself and they were such a disappointment. They were so small and not very sweet. I do seem to eat more eggs this time of year as well. It’s always hard-boiled eggs, chopped up and mixed with salad cream. It's nothing fancy but it tastes so good in a sandwich. Here in England my favourite spring foods are rhubarb, new potatoes and lamb!

5. What's one task on your spring cleaning list? Do you actually have a list?

I feel like I’ve already done my spring cleaning without even meaning to. After all the DIY, painting and decluttering over the last few months, there’s nothing much left to do apart from jobs around the garden. I don’t have a list apart from having to wash the garden furniture and get my little greenhouses out of storage. I think I would have needed a list if all the work hadn't been done. It's quite nice not having that hanging over me.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Easter really feels like it’s snuck up on me, it is less than two weeks away! Last year, Easter wasn’t until the middle of April, so this year has caught me a bit off guard. I’ll definitely need to get some Easter eggs for the girls, even though I keep telling myself they’re too old for them now. Who am I kidding? I want an Easter Egg too. lol Chocolate always tastes better in an egg shape. Ellie’s got a couple of weeks off college at the start of April and my fella has said he’s planning to take a few days off work too, so it’s looking like I'm going to have to plan a proper family day out. I have no idea where yet? I’ll need to start thinking of somewhere that everyone will enjoy. Eek!

Why I’m useless at giving advice but still love soaking it up!

I always feel guilty asking people for advice. I really appreciate it when it is given to me but I think it's because I am not the best at giving it myself. It’s an odd contradiction! You’d think that someone who loves listening to advice would have picked up a knack for giving it back but no! This isn't a blog post asking for any advice or anything like that, all is good here. It was just one of those things I was laid in bed thinking about and thought I would write about it.

I think part of the reason I’m terrible at giving advice is that I know how complicated life can be. Everyone’s problems and worries are different and no one else fully understands but the person living it. I want to be that person who offers the right words at the right moment, the wise friend whose pearls of wisdom sparkle but the truth is when someone asks me what they should do my thoughts go into overdrive. What if I suggest something and they do it and it somehow ruins their day/life/relationship? By the time I’ve thought through all the possible outcomes, the conversation has usually moved on.

Even though I’m rubbish at advice giving, I love getting advice from others. Sometimes I don’t even want advice that’s practical or logical, I just want to hear another perspective, a different way of thinking about whatever mess I’m in or things that I am fretting over. There’s something good about sharing your struggles and hearing that someone else has been there too or that they see a sliver of light where you only see darkness. When I get advice, it’s not always about finding the right answer but about feeling supported. I think part of why I love hearing advice is the variety of it all. Everyone’s experiences and perspectives are different so even if ten people give you advice on the same problem you’ll probably hear ten different takes on it and somewhere in all of that might be the piece of wisdom that clicks perfectly for you.

Why is it so hard for me to give good advice? I know all too well that what worked for me won’t necessarily work for someone else. Advice isn’t a one-size fits all kind of thing but that said, I’m working on getting a little better at giving advice or at least being more comfortable offering it when asked. I’ve realised that people often aren’t expecting you to have all the answers sometimes, they just want a different perspective, a bit of encouragement or even just a listening ear.

If you ever find me stumbling over my words when you ask for advice sometimes I just can't find the words but I am trying and I do care! Are you good at offering advice or do you second guess yourself like me?