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Hi Reader,

In between the beautiful sunny days and the needed rainy ones I've managed to get plants cut back in the flower beds, pulled up from the fall garden, and planted from seeds and transplants. I've been dipping my feet into using my new greenhouse to start seeds and pot them up. I'm going to move to hardening off plants I started indoors this week, I think - wish me luck! 😬

I've also been planning for a trip coming up, a fun new thing I'm working on that I hope to share with you soon, and getting back to finishing the sweater I started before I broke my wrist.

I hope you are able to do some things to make your days happy and take steps toward your simple homemade life - but if not, don't worry, it's a season and your time will come.💜

Things to do in the April garden

I find it helpful to have a list of things to remind me what to focus on in the garden this month. I use the April garden chores list by circling the items I want to get done (and ignoring the rest, ha! Use it to help you, not make you stressed out).

Recipes that feel like spring

Did you know I have recipes organized according to the season (loosely) on the website? I do and here is the link to see recipes that are perfect for spring! I pulled out a few to highlight below:

• ​30 Minute Shrimp Orzo with Feta and Vegetables​
• ​30 Minute Chicken Frittata with Spinach and Feta​
• ​Spring Asparagus Quiche Recipe with a Quick & Easy Crust​
• ​Easy Moist Lemon Cupcakes with Simple Glaze​
• ​Easy Rhubarb Muffins with Glaze​

More on rhubarb

If you're lucky enough to have rhubarb producing (my plant refuses to grow after almost 4 years!!), definitely check out this list of recipes using rhubarb, to cook with, bake with, and preserve.

From The Blog

​Creamy Pesto Tortellini with Red Peppers​ Creamy pesto tortellini with red peppers is a quick and easy 15 minute dinner made with simple ingredients. A perfect weeknight meal the whole family will love. RECIPE HERE!

​Quick & Easy Roasted Green Beans (Fresh or Frozen)​ Roasted green beans made with fresh or frozen beans is an easy, flavorful side dish in just minutes to pair with meats, pastas, or casseroles. RECIPE HERE!

A Few More Things

I just got this travel backpack in the mail and I can't wait to use in on our next flight! Not only will it work as a personal item, it also has plenty of room for overflow from my carryon suitcase. It's got a TON of good reviews and people showing it fitting under the seat (the large size), so I'm happy to recommend it before I actually fly with it. It's plenty big for a summer weekend away, too.

Even though it's an older book, I hadn't heard about this Jane Austen mystery before and I loved it! The author writes it as entries from a "discovered" journal of Jane's when she was visiting friends and a suspicious death happened (before being a published author). The voice, tone, and actions are all similar to Jane's writing and the story was pretty believable.

I appreciate you so much! Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week.

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