Just A Minute In January...

Goodevening my lovelies!!!

Is there anyone still around here? I’m so sorry for the never ending absence from this precious little place of mine and I’m so glad that I’m finally back!!!

The reason why I 've decided to break this period of silence with this “ just a minute” post is that this short time seems to be the only one I can take during this period of craziness.

The new job is absolutely satisfying and captivating, but sometimes I feel like I’ve got on a running train that is not going to stop!!! 

So this evening, after more than a month, I’m curled up in my bed, under a fluffy blanket, with a boiling cup of hot chocolate and a hot water bottle on my feet, enjoying the simple pleasure of being alone with my lovely memories.

The big resolution I made for this brand new year was to try to find the genuine happiness in myself but also the strength I needed to break free of a relationship that, instead of giving me serenity, was stealing my joy of life and was filling myself with insecurities and sadness. 

So, January hasn’t started in an easy way, but, unexpectedly, it has also brought some beautiful emotions!!!

Unfortunately I didn’t do anything particularly exciting in the past couple of weeks, but I want to show you some of the pictures I took on Sunday morning when I went exploring the frosty woods near home with Cloe, mum and dad! 

It has been amazing to walk in the chilly air, among the crunching leaves, listening to the chirping of the birds and the lapping of the creek.

For a couple of hours I felt literally carried  through the pages of the wonderful book I'm reading, “The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady” by Edith Holden, a diary which starts in the month of January 1906, and  includes the favourite poems, the personal thoughts and the observations on the wildlife surrounding the village of the writer in the Warwickshire

Sometimes the contact with nature and its enchanting beauty it’s all that we need to feel alive again, regenerated in body and soul.

Love

Martina

An Ode To Spring

This week has been a wonderful one, full of sunny days, bright skies, bike rides, regenerating strolls and nights out with the closest friends!

Although Autumn is by far my favourite season, I use to get tired of Winter pretty quickly (exactly just after the Christmas holidays) and now I'm looking forward to the arrival of Spring!!!

Unfortunately today the sun has given way to rain and the countryside is immersed in the fog , so I've thought it was the right  time to share these nice pictures with you to try to lift up my mood! 

I've bought this flowered dress a couple of weeks ago and, when I saw it in the shop window, I immediately realised it had to be mine!!! 

I love its roses and also the white collar and I really can't wait to put aside the lifeless colours of Winter and give way to the navy blue, the pastel colours and the lighter fabrics!

I want to leave you with this lovely quote, another ode to Spring ( after my dress, of course!), even if it's only the 22nd of February and we need to wait for one more month for its beautiful colours and the sense of rebirth that it brings!

Love

Martina

A perfect Saturday morning!!!

Last week my parents were on holiday in Tuscany, so I stayed at home with my sister, Cloe and Minù!!!:)

The days have flown between work, study, houseworks and evenings with friends and the weekend has arrived in a flash!
On Friday night I went with my sister to our favourite Chinese restaurant and we spent some beautiful hours together, chatting, eating yummy things and laughing!!!

 

 

But my favourite moment of the entire week has been the Saturday morning!!!
We slept like angels until nine o' clock and, still in our pajamas, we prepared pancakes with chocolate and honey, orange juice and coffee to start the day with the smile in our faces!!!

 

 

 

After breakfast we went out for a walk in the countryside with Cloe..it was warm and sunny and the air smelled of flowers!!!

 

 

I really needed a morning like this to regenerate my body and my mind!!!

 

 

How was your weekend?

 

Love

xoxo

Martina



Easter Day...

These little holidays have passed in a flash and I want to share with you some shots about my Easter Sunday!!!
We spent the all day in family and we ate some delicious things!!!

My mother prepared one of her specialities: risotto with strawberries.

 

 

It's easy and fast to prepare but the result is simply delicious and and its flavor is delicate and refined at the same time!!!

 

 

And here is my beautiful mom with Chloe, the little naughty puppy of the house!

 

 

As a dessert I prepared some muffins with limoncello, almonds and dark chocolate, to eat together with the chocolate eggs..yummy!!!

 

How was your Easter Day?

Love

xoxo

Martina

 



Making an Apple Cake...

When it's raining outside and it's chilly, I love cooking in my cosy kitchen, especially cake and biscuits!

This morning I woke up with an incredible desire of Apple pie,
so I bought some apples, a jar of apricot jam and some vanilla beans to make this recipe.

 APPLE YOGHURT CAKE

 

• 3 apples
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 eggs
• 175 g sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or a vannilla bean
• pinch of salt
• 75 g plain yoghurt
• 250 g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons Apricot jam

1. Grease a round spring form baking pan and pre-heat the oven 175° C.
2. Peel and slice the apples. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest and a pinch of salt for about 8 minutes on medium speed until creamy and fluffy. Mix in yoghurt. Mix flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture until just combined. Add apples and pour the mixture into pan. Bake for approx. 45 minutes or until cooked.
4. Heat the jam and spread it over the hot cake.

I like this cake because is low fat and, glazed with the apricot jam, is yummy!!!

Even Cloe would have been glad to receive a piece of it!!!

Love

Martina

A day without rain...

Today has been the first sunny day after weeks of rain!!!

It was so beautiful to wake up this morning and see the sun rays through the blinds..I immediately felt happy and full of energy!!!

After breakfast I went for a long walk with my sister and my dad.. the meadows were sparkling, you could hear the lapping of the water of the creek and the chirping of the birds.

 I breathed deeply the fresh air and I felt excited to see the first signs of spring, some small white flowers on the banks of the river!!!

They have been so strong to survive the torrential rains of the past weeks!!!

 

When I came back home I found Cloe sleeping on the couch and I curled up next to her, with a steaming cup of tea, and my book of Caitlin Moran.

How was your Sunday morning?

Love

xoxo

Martina