Just A Minute In February....

Reading:  "The Preacher" by Camilla Lackberg, an exceptionally written crime and murder story! Last month I read the first book of this Swedish author, " The Ice Princess", and I liked it a lot! It's amazing how this writer can keep me with bated breath until the last pages of her books!!!

Listening: "Safe Travels (Don't die)" by Lisa Hannigan. 

In this song, this talented Irish singer makes some recommendations to travellers: eat your greens, don't sit close to screens, don't walk on ice, cross at the lights and don't start fires or fights...her voice is enchanting and this song always fills me with tenderness!

Watching: "How to get away with murder". I've started to watch this series with my sister and now we are totally obsessed with it! We spent last Saturday night on the couch, sipping hot chocolate and watching one episode after another!!!

Buying: My first heeled brogues!!!

Loving: to paint my bed and my bedside table of a beautiful bright white.

 It's always really funny to renovate the bedroom, especially because I consider it like my secret shelter, a little space that speaks about myself, my passions and the important things in my life.

Wanting: to enjoy every single moment of my weekends: going to the spa, relaxing in the whirlpool and in the sauna, eating yummy things for breakfast (like pancakes with chocolate and strawberries), taking regenerating strolls in the woods with a friend or with Cloe and my family!

Feeling: overwhelmed by the things I have to do, but determined to reach my goals!

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

Just A Minute In January....

Reading: "The Snow Child" by Eowyn Ivey, a beautifully written fairytale for adults, set in the harsh backdrop of 1920 Alaska.

Sometimes a little of what you fancy does you good and so I fancied a fairytale and it did me the world of good!

Listening: "The Great Beyond" by REM. I've listened this song thousands of times this month wandering around with my car and I've loved it!

Watching: "The Theory Of Everything", the utterly gorgeous movie, directed by James March, adapted from the memoir "Travelling to Infinity: My life with Stephen" by Jane Wilde Hawking. This book deals with the relationship of this strong woman with her ex-husband , the physicist Stephen Hawking, his diagnosis of motor neuron disease and his success in physics.

Buying: crime novels, especially those of swedish authors, like " The Ice Princess" and " The Preacher" by Camilla Lackberg and " Men Who Hate Women" by Stieg Larsson.

Loving: my new "Chocolate Super Berry Burst" tea, with rooibos, hibiscus, roasted cocoa pieces, licorices, vanilla, raspberry, blackcurrant and pomegranate. 

The label said this tea was perfect for someone who was looking to excite his tastebuds, who wasn't afraid to try new things, who was passionate about tea and only dreamt of the finest ingredients; a person who liked to be healthy or had the desire to be healthier and was looking for a long and loving relationship...so this was perfect for meeeee!!!

Wanting: to find the inspiration and the right concentration to write my final paper for the university.

Feeling: proud about my new english project at the nursery school and for the enthusiasm of the children during my lessons!!!

Love

xoxo

Martina

Comforting "Kipferl"

Happy Sunday afternoon lovelies!!!

I had planned a little trip in the mountain not far from home for this afternoon, but my friend wasn't feeling very well today and the weather was cold, foggy and grey, so unfortunately I spent the all Sunday at home!

I must say I was a little sad about that because I have always great expectations for the weekends so, in order to defeat the bad mood, I decided to make some special biscuits called " Kipferl" for the first time.

They are fragrant and savory little delicacies of the Austrian tradition, which are usually prepared during Christmas time. I've found their recipe in a novel and, according to the author, they must be shared with people who need to be comforted and encouraged. 

Even if the holidays are over I thought a sweet pleasure was exactly what I needed to feel better and enjoy my day off, filling my kitchen with the delicious smell of vanilla! 

RECIPE

200 gr of margarine

100 gr of sugar

1 vanilla bean

100 gr of ground almonds

250 gr of flour 00

powdered sugar 

Mix the butter and sugar until creamy, then cut in half the vanilla bean, scrape the inside and add it to the mixture.

Add the sifted flour and the ground almonds and mix thoroughly.

Work the dough until you get a roll and cut it  into sticks about 2 cm long. 

Give everyone a curved shape and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for about 10 minutes at 190 degrees until golden brown.

Sprinkle the powdered sugar on the biscuits when they are still warm and leave them to cool.

They were so yummy that even little Cloe wanted to join us for a tea break!

Under The Christmas Tree I've found...

1. A soft wool sweater with owls on the neck. I had seen it on Pinterest and I had loved it so much, so my mother has found a way to get it done for me by a seamstress.

2. Many cosy soxs and a pair of super confortable red wolly slippers, which are perfect to warm my cold feet in these freezing days.

3. A tiny beautiful clutch, with a quote that means a lot to me: " To be beautiful you have to laugh". 

4. Some fragrant chalks to put in my drawers in order to let them have a lovely scent.

5. A 2015 calendar with gorgeous pictures of tulips which, as you know, are by far my favourite flowers.

6. A lovely pink clutch in grey dots created by my dear friend Emily (the "Little Black Sheep"). 

An handmade gift has always a special value for me!

7. Some " Yves Rocher" body products ( a liquid hand soap, an hand cream, an exfoliating shower gel and a nourishing lip balm) that smell of red berries and I can't wait to try!

8. Some books which are on the top of my 2015 reading list: " Dusty answers" by Rosamond Lehman and "Us" by David Nicholls and a special bookmark with a quote about friendship that really moved me: " A friend is someone who knows all about you and still likes you".

I think the great thing of gifts made with love is their ability to raise these kind of emotions and make you feel loved and essential to the lives of the people who are closest to you.

Love

Martina

New Year's Resolutions !!!

Happy New Year lovely ladies !!!

Today I've spent some hours walking in the woods with my family and some friends, so I've had the time to thinking about my resolutions for this brand new year...

1. Graduate and pass the state certification exam for social workers.

2. Move more, doing an hour walk at least two times a week and going regularly to my zumba lessons.

3. Try to find a way to do a working experience abroad, in England or in the north of Europe.

4. Improve my english.

5. Learn to be less touchy and impulsive and to become more patient.

6. Find more time for my blog and my passions.

7. Learn to enjoy the little daily pleasures, rejoicing of what I have instead of regretting what I miss.

8. Save more money.

9. Dedicate more time to my closest friends, letting them know how much I love them and how precious they are for me.

10. Spend more quality time with my sister.

11. Grow my hair and keep them in my natural color.

12. Learn to be more self-confident and to think positive.

Love

Martina

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow...

After two years of patient waiting, yesterday afternoon the the snow has finally come to whitewash the rooftops, the gardens, the streets and the fields of my village.

It was amazing to stay indoors, with my nose glued to the window, watching the sparkling snowflakes as they fell gently...it made me feel so happy and excited!

I love snow so much, the silence shrouding the countryside while everything is covered in white, the sense of purity that fills the air, the biting cold that turns red the cheeks of the passersby and the footprints of the animals that live in the woods.

Having been ill in the last few days, yesterday I simply enjoyed  the snowfall from the warmth of my house, taking only a few pictures from the window, wrapped in my woolly blanket.

This afternoon, however, since it was sunny and the temperature had risen considerably, I took the opportunity to take a walk with Cloe and my little sister Linda.

The air was chilly, the countryside was shining in all its beauty and it was really funny to see Cloe running happily in the snow with her nice little red coat!

So...what I want to say is that Santa Claus really exists and this year he has brought me even the snow!!!

There could be no better way to end these four days of relax with my family and friends, full of gifts, delicacies and happiness!!!

Love

Martina