When the weather starts to warm up a bit and we start seeing a little more sunshine, my thoughts always turn to spring salad recipes. Whether you serve them as an appetizer, side dish or the main event, salads can add variety and great taste to your menus. Most take very little effort and some can even be made ahead, a boon for busy weeknights or easy weekend lunches. If you have leftovers (I almost always make extra on purpose), most are delicious the next day and also make a great packed lunch. When I was a kid, my mom used to make salad suppers, serving everyone two or three different sala ..read more

My Mom often made pound cakes, and one of my favourites was this Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake. Even though we bought our poppy seeds from the grocery store, as a child I was fascinated by the idea that they came from flowers just like the bright red poppies that grew in our garden. Mom and I often enjoyed a cup of tea after school. We would each choose a cup and saucer from her collection of antique china, pour some tea and sit together and have a chat. I treasure the memories of this time together. Occasionally, Mom would make this Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake for us to enjoy alongside our cup ..read more

There are plenty of things to see and do in Jersey, a beautiful island in the English Channel. It is a wonderful way to spend a few days or a long weekend, the perfect compliment to a longer holiday in the UK, or as a weekend break if you are UK based. I am told that Jersey has plenty to offer in all seasons, and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Jersey in the spring. November to March is the “off-season” and there are less visitors. This does mean that some attractions and restaurants are closed, however we still found plenty of things to see and do in Jersey in March, as well as ..read more

Hampton Court Palace is surely one of the most beautiful royal palaces, both inside and out. Now lovingly looked after by Historic Royal Palaces, Hampton Court is a treasure-trove of beautiful objects, history and intrigue. It is one of my very favourite palaces and castles in England. Inside the Palace, history comes alive with rooms seemingly held still in time – the throne room awaits the arrival of the King, and a table is set for an intimate dinner. The knowledgable staff at Hampton Court are often in costume and this makes visits especially interesting. The History of the Palace Hampton ..read more

Hello and welcome to the April 2024 Edition of The Hearth and Soul Link Party. I am excited to say that we are rapidly approaching the 14th anniversary of the Hearth and Soul Link Party in June! I am so grateful for you and for the community we have created together. I also can’t believe that it is my 22nd blogging anniversary in October… How are things in your corner of the world? I hope you had a lovely Easter weekend. Spring has definitely sprung here in the south of England, although April showers definitely arrived early this year, and show no signs of letting up. The few pockets of suns ..read more

Hello and welcome to the March 2024 Edition of The Hearth and Soul Link Party! March is one of my favourite months, not least of all because my husband’s birthday and our wedding anniversary are this month. We were married on my husband’s birthday 33 years ago in a beautiful 12th century church in Kent. I also love seeing the weather become nicer his time of year – although we have had rather a lot of rain if I’m honest – and I really love that it is still light at 5pm most evenings. How are things in your corner of the world? Is March one of your favourite months as well? The Hearth and Sou ..read more

Easter Afternoon Tea is a great way to bring together family and friends to celebrate the first long weekend of Spring. It’s a relatively easy way to entertain a crowd, and you can make it as formal or relaxed as you like. Whether you serve treats traditionally on tiered trays with finger sandwiches on the bottom, scones in the middle and cakes and pastries on the top, or offer a buffet style Easter afternoon tea, there are few people who will not enjoy this delicious celebration. Elements of Easter Afternoon Tea Traditionally afternoon tea features sandwiches, sweet or savoury scones and a f ..read more

My Banana Rum Raisin Cake is laced with rum soaked raisins. Perfect for any occasion (even breakfast if you are so inclined), this moist and delicious cake keeps really well too. This recipe was the result of an experiment in the kitchen back in 2013, provoked by a surfeit of bananas. We are quite fussy about bananas in our house. We don’t like them under-ripe, but we really, really don’t like them over-ripe. This leaves a window of about two and a half hours for optimal banana enjoyment. As we are a small family, this leaves us with quite a few past their best bananas. It’s a good thing I h ..read more

Welcome to the February 2024 Edition of The Hearth and Soul Link Party! I hope February’s arrival has found you well and happy. Here in the UK, there’s a hint of spring in the air. I love the slightly longer days, the brave green shoots pushing up through the earth with their promise of flowers to come, and hearing more birds singing. The Hearth and Soul Link Party welcomes family-friendly blog posts about anything that feeds the soul. Things that feed the soul may include (but are not limited to) recipes, decorating, crafts, family, home, DIY, organization, travel, book reviews, the arts, a ..read more

With the longer days and warmer temperatures on the way plenty of us will be deciding to get some spring cleaning done to freshen up our homes. With that in mind, here are some helpful spring cleaning tips that will bring you great results around the home and make cleaning that little bit easier. Spring Cleaning Tips – General Use Natural Products For Cleaning One of my top spring cleaning tips is to use natural products where possible. Using homemade vinegar formulas to create your own cleaning product can help save money and benefit the environment. To create your own all purpose cleaner, m ..read more