Hello,

How are you? We hope that where you are the days are getting brighter and that life is feeling fresher and more hopeful. Here’s our selection of ideas for making the most of this month –

Keep a nature journal

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything

William Shakespeare

During the last difficult year many of us have found that writing things down is an effective way of clearing and calming the mind. By starting a nature journal you can also benefit from taking a mindful moment to pause, becoming more aware of your surroundings. April is the perfect month to begin.

When you go for a walk or spend time outdoors, jot down anything interesting you see, from new flowers opening, butterflies and other insects appearing for the first time or a beautiful sunrise or sunset. You could also choose some memorable quotations or add pictures, creating a record to look back on each year.

A book for april

The weather may even be warm enough to take a book to read outdoors, so we have a seasonal recommendation for you: The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim.

Written in 1922, it’s the story of four women from England who join together to rent an Italian castle for a month, having answered an advertisement seeking ‘those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine’.

The setting weaves its spell over them, helping them to cast off their unhappiness and dissatisfaction. They begin instead to appreciate the love in their lives and to see the good in others. It’s an uplifiting book and a wonderful way to travel to Italy in your imagination.

A delicious Citrussy Drink

This invigorating fresh citrus juice drink is full of vitamin C and is particularly good to enjoy at breakfast time.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

4 juicy oranges

1 pink grapefruit

1 lemon

1 lime

Grated zest of 1 lime

Sugar to taste

Finely shredded mint leaves to garnish

Method

Cut the oranges, grapefruit, lemon and lime in half and juice using a citrus squeezer. Combine the juices in a jug with the lime zest and dilute with still or sparkling water to taste, adding sugar to sweeten. Garnish with the shredded mint and pour into glasses over ice cubes. You can add slices of lemon or lime, too.

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Thank you for reading and until we see you next time, stay well,

Claire and Sam

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Photo credits:

Journal photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com.

The Enchanted April cover image with thanks to Virago Modern Classics.

Links to explore:

In the UK, the charity Buttefly Conservation has launched a campaign called Nurture for Nature which aims to encourage people to look after their mental health by spending time outdoors in nature. More details here

Cosy Books blog has an excellent review of The Enchanted April if you would like to read more about it.