Recipe: Spring Roast Salmon

Ingredients:

• 400g potatoes
• Olive oil
• Handful asparagus
• 2 handfuls, cherry tomatoes
• Balsamic vinegar
• 2 salmon fillets
• Basil leaves

Instructions:

1. Roast the potatoes in the oil for 20 minutes at 220℃.

2. Add the asparagus and roast for a further 15 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salmon and more oil and return to the oven for a further fifteen minutes.

4. Sprinkle the basil over and serve.

• 
• 

Garden Time!

 Having Dad here this week has meant that we can make the most of the glorious weather and sort out the garden.

Today Dad cleared the above flower bed from crazy overgrown grass and all the dead growth from last year.

I cleared this smaller flower bed and cleared the terrace from weeds.

Nico painted the house to seal it from damp and mould.

All in all a productive day. Hopefully it'll be a productive week!

Refreshing Summer Drink

Despite the long to do list this morning, I'm feeling nice and refreshed having lit some relaxing scented candles and my wonderful husband providing refreshments.

We've had a soda machine for a while and Nico recently ordered some new syrup flavours. Today I'm enjoying a summery, refreshing mojito. Yum!

Easter Garden

 On Sunday, Isabella and I decorated the garden ready for Easter.

 We did the traditional German eggs and bunnies and her gifts are ready and packed away.

 It also feels refreshing to see the Spring flowers blooming.

Veg Patch

At the weekend we prepared our veg patch for the new season. Over winter it's gotten quite grown over. Nico turned the soil and then we planted this season's crop - onions, garlic, carrots, spinach...

It looks bare at the moment but there'll be plenty going on soon.

Meanwhile the tomato nursery (aka the office) is going well too.

Garden Update

Spring is very nearly here so we're getting inspired in the garden again. I started off round the front of the house with some pretty flowers by the front door. I also cut back the ivy as it was getting out of hand. I think it's looking much better.

Recipe: Spinach Salad

On Saturday we harvested the spinach from our garden to make way for the tomatoes this week. We got lots and will definitely be planting it again. 

We made this delicious salad with our first pick. Lots of spinach, feta cheese, walnuts, pear, oil, mustard, lemon juice and seasoning.

Perfect for this season.

Garden Corner - Balcony Update

Green shoots are appearing in the balcony boxes! I love the magic of new signs of life. So far these have been relatively low maintenance - I just water them after a hot day.

I think these are pansies (there are also forget-me-nots in there). So looking forward to seeing the colour.

Garden Corner: The Flower Patch

This is one of my favourite parts of the garden. It's starting to wilt a little now, but a couple of weeks ago it was blooming with daffodils and tulips. 

Unfortunately we can't take credit for this as the bulbs were planted by the previous owners and it's the one bit I want to keep the same.

Sitting on the grass with Isabella and this lovely background has been wonderful this spring.

In the background you can also see our new hanging baskets on the terrace. I love this season!

Make it Monday - Kitchen Blind

Last week I finally got around to taking down our Winter kitchen blind and making this nice short one for the brighter seasons. This one was just as simple. 

I made it a little wider so that it gathers more, which I like. 

I also used the same material as the door stoppers so it ties in nicely.

Garden Corner

Things are really getting busy in the garden now that Spring is starting. We've got family coming to help us out tomorrow and with school holidays we have a little more time out there.

I've been starting my mini-projects here indoors. This week I planted my basil and repotted the dill. I think the dill was a little too delicate and may not make it. 

You can also see how the avocado is thriving and the lemon plant is still going strong.

Next up - the new balcony!

Easter Fun

In Germany, little Easter eggs like these pop up on trees around about this time every year. This year we finally have a garden with trees to hang ours on! I love how it brightens up the garden.

Spring is blooming around here; I'm excited for Isabella's first Easter, I'm excited for Easter events in our new neighbourhood, I'm excited for this new season.

Pruning

Having repotted our indoor plants, we're now starting to focus on the garden more as and when the weather lets us.

The first two jobs have been preparing the soil and pruning. The garden was clearly well cared for by the previous owners but there's a lot to do after some months of neglect and the winter months. Also, there are some things we just want to have differently.

I've never pruned anything in my life so after some tips from Nico and checking out some diagrams, I got to work on the lavender and hortensias. It's slow progress but it's coming along.

Isabella joined us outside in her new waterproofs and she loves having a change of scenery now and then.

The nice thing about the previous owners' hard work is that the first blooms are coming through with snowdrops and crocuses and thanks to Nico's gran we have even more colour from the pansies! 

I love this season and I'm so excited about getting some more done.

Repotting

Since we moved, the plants have been somewhat neglected and several have died.

With the lighter days and new routine I finally got around to some garden work and started by repottingand fertilizing the avocado and lemon plants (grown from seed last year) into larger, terracotta pots.

The terracotta can 'breathe' better than plastic so between that and the extra space they should thrive. The avocado plant is already much leafier.

It's not warm enough for them to go outside yet but they are getting lots of light by the window.

Back on the Bike

This week I've been enjoying cycling more. Since Nico needs the car to take Isabella to baby gym and baby swim, I decided to get the train to work twice a week.

It's the perfect time of year to be out of doors again and it feels great to be doing some kind of sport again. 

The train only takes about fifteen minutes longer than driving and I can read or knit on the way - benefits all round!!

Spring Mani-pedi

As well as enjoying being out and about in my new summery maternity wear, I thought I would brighten things up with what will probably be my last mani-pedi for a while. Reaching those toes was not easy and the baby gave me a good kicking for trying but that's it for a while. Love that colour! 

A Visitor

Check out this cheeky little guy who has started popping by to steal the bird food from the balcony. He lives in the trees at the back of our flat and regularly greets me on the front doorstep on a morning. I love Spring.

Inspiration

source

Spring Photo Walk!

 At the weekend it seemed that Spring arrived early.  We took advantage of the amazing weather and temperatures to have a wander with our cameras.

 I managed to get some snaps of Nico to make sure he is well represented in this month's project life spread.

 The sunshine seemed to bring lots of people out of doors and we saw lots of people out on the bikes or by the lake.

 It was even warm enough for summer clothes and no coat!!  Love this bump photo.  Big contrast to last weekend's weather!

 Alone the blue skies make me feel more inspired and positive!

 Nature is finally waking up after the winter.  I can't believe that it is almost exactly a year since my hen weekend when we were knee deep in snow!

 Taking some snaps of my own.

 The ducks are out napping in force - this is Spring for me.

 I love that we live so near the green and the water.  Hope to make more of that this summer.

On my new bike!

On Tuesday, we picked my new bike up from the shop.  It was an absolute dream to cycle home.  It's slightly bigger, which I thought would be scarier than it was, but the big difference is being able to sit up straight on it.  It's great for my posture and my back.  

I'm looking forward to using it more this year!