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!