21.03.10 - Spring Equinox

Spring Equinox, also known as Vernal Equinox - is considered to be the first day of spring here in the northern hemisphere - and today was wonderfully sunny and warm, definitely a springlike day.

The word equinox is derived from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night).  It basically means equal night and refers to the moment the sun crosses directly overhead at the earth's equator making the hours of daylight equal the hours of darkness.

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Things that make me smile............................

1. Seeing the first immature leaves of my seedlings as they push through the earth

2. Baking a cake that I've not tried before and finding it a real success

Old Nick's Ginger and Apple Cake

3. Clearing away old herbaceous chaff and finding new life shining through

A lone crocus bravely nodding and facing the sun

4. Not needing to light the fire first thing in the morning with icy cold hands but leaving it ready for the evening after a lovely day out in the garden

5. Emptying a compost bay of rich chocolate brown compost on to a waiting flower border. Then re-filling it with shreddings and prunings as I tidy the garden from it's wintery clothes

6. Finding a Mekon on the settee reading a book whilst he waits for lunch

Eldest reading in his Dad's motorbike helmet

7. Sitting in a sun-warmed greenhouse with garden-dirtied fingers wrapped around a steaming mug of Masala Chai Latte whilst listening to the boys nattering and playing happily

8. Eating a delicious meal with himself as we listen to the rain drumming down on the roof

Norwegian Pie - with a mashed potato crust

9. Listening to the giggling and good natured fun the boys can have when they are not fighting like two ferrets in a bag 

10. Collecting our hen's eggs and knowing who's laid which one.

 Left to right - Tatty-Bird, Cherry-Pie, Florence and Mrs Kiwi Johnson

These are just some of the things that make me smile.

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52 things not yet cooked up date - 

20. Norwegian Pie - unusual in that it has a mashed potato crust - very tasty and it re-heated nicely the next day, we'll have that again

21. Old Nick's Ginger and Apple Cake - and to give it extra kick it has ground coriander and cumin in it - extremely tasty and already had several requests for the recipe 

22.Chickpea cakes - a very acceptable variation on the falafel - the boys preferred this one, so I'll be doing this one again too.

All in all a gentle uneventful but generally happy week and as this day has progressed, Youngest has alternated between getting very excited and briefly anxious about next week. He is off camping for a week at an outward bound centre in the Lake District with his school.  

It will be his first big 'away' without his family. 

He will be fine - it's the outward bound centre I am worried for!