We're well and truly in Fool's spring at the moment and while it has been so lovely to feel some warmth on my face when I pop out at lunchtime, it does feel unnervingly early doesn't it?! It's been inspiring me to consider a few other things I can do for the environment because this really isn't right - we should be snugging into our knitwear for a little while longer yet. I've been making a real conscious effort to carry tote bags with me and try to cut down on plastic where I can but are there any other wee things that you do already to make things just that little bit more sustainable that are easily adoptable?
In the meantime, on with the highlights of February...which, unlike January which was the longest month ever ever ever, has just flown by...
****
♥ Shetland... The new series started this month and I've been so excited to have it back on the screen. One of my colleagues was complaining that it's too slow but I completely disagree - I love the fact that the details are drip-fed over the course of the series, generally keeping me guessing until towards the end. Every time I watch it I long to visit Shetland itself too. Bleak, yes, but absolutely stunning. Perhaps this year will be the year I finally make my dream trip up north?!
♥ Signs of spring... They're starting to pop up everywhere, have you noticed? And not just because of the unseasonably warm weather. At the beginning of the month, when it was still chilly, I saw my first snowdrops and now I'm noticing them everywhere. We've got some little narcissae daffodils in a jug in the house now and their scent greets me as soon as I walk through the door in the evening. It's lovely. Everything seems to be unfurling after winter and I do hope that they're not all scared away in the no-doubt impending cold snap, or Second Winter if you will.
♥ Kitty excitement... This is a highlight from this month but is also *more* a pre-emptive highlight for next month. My mother in law has adopted a 9 year old cat to look after and I'm already SO excited to meet him! He hasn't had the easiest start in life, poor thing, and he's apparently nervous, very vocal and already super affectionate, with huge paws. I can't wait to shake his little paw for the first time and my vicarious pet ownership can live on in him for the time being.
♥ Misty mornings...Just as high on my list of favourite things this month as the first signs of spring are the eerily misty mornings we've been having, before the mists burn off as the sun shines brightly for the rest of the day. I've been loving my walk in the morning, fringe tucked securely under my hat to prevent unsightly frizz, trudging through the park watching the ducks and geese disappear into the mist in the distance and the church tower suddenly loom up in the distance. It's quite magical.
♥ Podcasts... I've always loved a podcast but I've really been enjoying tuning into my favourites for my walks to and from work over the last few weeks. I'm so glad that the High Low is back because I feel just that little bit more well-read and erudite just by listening along, and I always come away from an episode with a lengthy reading list, which to me is always the sign of an excellent conversation - and to me, that's what that podcast feels like, a conversation with some supremely well-read and charming friends. Love it. As I mentioned last month, Dolly Alderton's Love Stories is back too (although for the final series, sob!) and I'm celebrating by re-listening to some of my favourites from the first series as well as enjoying all the new episodes. I'm listening to Vanessa Kirby's at the moment and their chat about the pleasure/horror that was MSN Messenger rang just as true as it did during my first listen.
♥ A trip to Honest Burger... I've had a couple of delicious meals out this month, I've been very lucky! Early in the month, I met up with an old friend for a long-overdue catch-up over sushi. And later on in the month, my husband and I went into London to visit the Good Grief, Charlie Brown exhibition at Somerset House followed by a trip to Honest Burger. The exhibition was good, wonderful in places, but let down, I felt, by odd 'modern art' interpretations from artists inspired by Peanuts...some of which felt a little too tenuous for my taste. During our visit, most of the people there were crowded around the actual Peanuts comics, initial drawings and videos of Schulz drawing his much-loved characters that it made it difficult to look at them for any length of time. It could have been spaced out a little better if they'd lost some of the filler. I felt.
But after a few hours wandering around the exhibition and enjoying some artwork that I can't have seen for years and years, we were suitably hungry and burgers were just what we needed. Honest Burger is a real favourite of mine because the restaurants are just so good for us coeliacs. As we were both ravenous, we decided to opt for the monthly special - the poutine burger, which consisted of the burger, smoked bacon, Westcombe smoked cheddar and cheese curds, shoestring fries, cider and onion gravy, onions and pickles, all served alongside rosemary chips. My word, it was fantabulous. I didn't need to eat at all for the rest of the day. Definitely a place to bookmark if you're on the look-out for a good burger in London.
♥ Kickstarter Project... Some of my favourite Instagram accounts are illustrators and I love browsing their feeds either for inspiration for crafty ideas or for creative gifts/cards to give other people. One of my favourite illustrators is Nina Cosford - some of her drawings make me laugh aloud, others hit very close to home and I adore her location drawings and travel journals. A little while ago, she announced that she would be going on a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is one of the things I'd love to do and has probably been on my must-do list for longest, and that she was doing a Kickstarter Project to fund a book of the trip. I've donated to it and excitedly watched the tracker count down until it was well over the target and I'm already super excited to receive my book of the journey sometime this summer. Perhaps it'll finally push me towards actually booking a trip?
♥ Neighbourly cakery... Mid-way through February, a message popped up on my phone from my neighbour saying that she had a glut of courgettes and was planning to turn them into a gluten free cake if I'd like to pop over later that afternoon. You don't need to tell me twice. A few hours later, I was cosied up on her sofa with a huge slice of lemon courgette cake, a large mug of tea and her small dog. The perfect Sunday afternoon.
♥ Do let me know what's made your week/month a little rosier by leaving me a comment below or dropping me a tweet (I'm @happygoluckycat) or better yet, why not join the fabulous bunch of #WonderfulWednesday bloggers? Pop over to their blogs for a dose of mid-week happiness - Sally, Michelle, Helen, Kate, Jo, Laura, Sarah, Peta, El, Mimmi, Lynsey, Katie and Em (I think that's everyone - shout at me if you're not on the list!) - and then join me in counting down the days until the weekend. It's in sight! ♥
