Weekend 23.05.20

Another week has come and gone, i'm sure I sound like a broken record when I exclaim I can't believe how fast May is going, but, seriously?!

We've been blessed with such beautiful summer like weather in the UK. It's almost as if this is our consolation prize for what is going on in the world.

Highlights from this week:

• A copy of 'The Dutch House' FINALLY arrived! This has been on my wishlist for months and I can't wait to get started. Just look at that cover.

• I popped by the local market on Friday, I really am enjoying going every single week. The food is incredible and it's great to be supporting local businesses. I picked up a raspberry & white chocolate brownie as well as a salted caramel one - delicious! My favourite cafe has also reopened for takeout coffee so it was great to stop by there and they said how happy they are to see old, friendly faces!

• Sam bought me a bunch of peonies and I was so excited when they finally bloomed! There's a reason they're everyone's favourite.

And here are some links i've enjoyed this week:

We made these delicious noodles on Wednesday, they'll definitely be on our weekly rotation.

I'm not sure how many home tours I read throughout the day but this one really stood out this week. The contrast of a neutral colour scheme alongside wooden fixtures is my absolute favourite.

I've been eyeing up these prints by the wonderful Lauren Taylor. I especially love this Holly Golightly one!

I don't need another summer dress (or do I?) but I couldn't resist bookmarking this Reserved number. Isn't it beautiful?

I made these raw vegan brownies at the beginning of the week and they went down a treat. The coconut ganache really cuts through the bitterness of the cocoa in the brownie, they pair together beautifully.



I hope you've had a lovely weekend, are staying safe and here's to another week! 

A Summer Like Sunday

    [Dress: ASOS last summer]

How different this Sunday looked from last! Typically I like to throw on a cosy jumper and jeans but since the sun was out I thought why not pull out a favourite summer dress? It's true that feeling a bit more put together does wonders for your mood.

I've always swayed more towards dresses than t-shirts and trousers etc. I've been getting into a dress any chance I get, especially since watching Little Women hoping to channel my inner Amy March.

Have a wonderful week!

Ashleigh

Hello again!

I've been itching to get back into the ol' blogging world as an avid reader, constantly going back and forth but never quite publishing any drafts. I thought of completely starting from scratch but thought why not keep those 5-7 year old posts, that was my life at one point!

As the world has come to a halt it seemed like there was no better time to start. I've always loved reflecting on previous days, times and memories. I've been daily journaling for four years now and constantly reflect back on my Instagram as though it were a photo album. I love capturing moments that would likely be forgotten and instantly bring back a smile.

I wanted to reflect on my time in isolation because this is the most surreal time and when will it ever happen again in our lifetime? (Hopefully a no!)

At the beginning of March, I had a pit in the bottom of my stomach on a daily basis. I was convinced the end of the world was coming, that the corona virus was coming for me and I wouldn't survive it. I'd be forcing up coughs, checking my temperature every 5 minutes and that went on for a couple of weeks.

But now we're somehow in the middle of May and I seem to have flipped 180 and I couldn't be more surprised at how calm and positive I feel. My daily routine has completely changed as i'm sure it has for everyone and it's hard to imagine coming out of this. I suppose it helps that i'm quite introverted. Give me a book and a cup of tea and i'll be quite content for hours.

Having a routine has really helped me.

• Working out - I find on the days where I wake up and don't start the day with an hour of yoga or a strengthening or HIIT workout, I feel unmotivated, lost and probably take a couple of naps throughout the day.

• I've always enjoyed baking on a Sunday, but now this has manifested into 2-3 times in the week.

•  As well as reading, let's just say my yearly goal was to read 50 books and i'm currently 4 books away from smashing that target...

• Also colouring books. Such a simple way for time to pass quickly and is also incredibly therapeutic. 

• Walking has always been a daily activity for me, but in the last month i've discovered multiple new walking routes near me, each one seems more beautiful than the last. Whilst everything has stopped it's been exciting to still come across somewhere new - especially in this spring season where the fields are covered in yellows and cow parsley are adorning hedgegrows.

I could go on and on, but for now i'm trying to find the beauty in the quiet that we're experiencing. It's easy to stop and point out the negatives. Of course I miss my friends and my family, but I am currently safe, as are they and i'm spending each day doing the small things I love.