
Welcome to the August 2023 Edition of The Hearth and Soul Link Party! I’m so glad you are here!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party welcomes family-friendly blog posts about anything that feeds the soul. Things that feed the soul may include (but are not limited to) recipes, decorating, crafts, family, home, DIY, organization, travel, book reviews, the arts, and self improvement.
How are you doing? Despite my best efforts to slow down time, July seemed to fly by. This month, I am making a concerted effort to make the most of the remaining summer days. However I’m not sure everyone else is on board with this idea. On a recent visit to London, I was shocked to see that Harrods have opened their Christmas department! Have you noticed retailers decorated for upcoming seasons/holidays even further ahead than normal too?
The Latest
Our renovations are coming along really well. The kitchen countertops (work tops here in the UK) are due to arrive on Monday. Once they are installed we can get some of the appliances up and running – including the dishwasher which I have really missed! There is a lot of work still left to do, but good progress is being made. In the last month we have also had a new garage door (in blue of course!) and our staircase has been renovated.
Unfortunately we had to strip wallpaper and cut away the carpet for the new bannisters and glass panels to be installed, so things won’t be looking their best until the hall decoration is complete in a few months time. That said, I am really pleased with the results. The entrance way and hall look bigger and brighter. Once the kitchen completely finished (likely in September) and our new front door is installed in August, we can move on with redesigning the hall, including new wallpaper, flooring, carpet, and blinds.
We had fun at the Henley Regatta and enjoyed the Henley Festival, a black tie festival of music and the arts. Bentley Priory was a fascinating location for a get together with one of our car clubs. And our 1955 Chevy Bel Air (aka “Tiffany”) won a top prize at a car show at beautiful Stonor Park near Henley on a very rainy day. If you are on Instagram and fancy a look a little peek at our July (including a glimpse of the aforementioned new garage door), please check out my latest reel.
On The Blog – August 2023 Edition
There’s lots of new content up on the website and more on the way! Highlights include:
Moist vanilla cake beribboned with swirls of chocolate cake feature in this delicious marble cake recipe. Make this easy recipe as a layer cake or a Bundt cake; my step by step directions help to make the marbling easy either way.
Join me on a virtual visit to Chawton House, a beautiful and imposing Elizabethan Manor House with a connection with one of the Regency period’s most famous authors, Jane Austen. She walked up these very stairs on many occasions to visit her brother and his family. The library in this house is just incredible too.
I’m also sharing My Favourite Paris Restaurants, the inside scoop on the places I love to eat in the City of Light.
And if your children are off to university or college anytime soon, you may enjoy reading my hints and tips on Finding Yourself Again After The Kids Leave Home as well as advice on Feathering an Empty Nest.
More Opportunities To Share Beyond The Link Up
The Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook offers another opportunity to connect with others in the blogging community and to share your content. We also offer opportunities to expand your reach and following with social media follow threads etc.
In addition to choosing featured posts from the content shared here, I also choose features from the community. You can share posts which you have shared here in the group as well, to give them even greater visibility and an extra chance of being featured.
Community Announcement:- My long time dear blogging friend, Hearth and Soul participant and community member Miz Helen Adams who many of you know well, celebrated her 84th Birthday in July! Please do pop by her blog and share your good wishes with her!
August 2023 Edition – Featured Posts
Thank you all for sharing your inspiring content here and in the Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook. Here are just a few of the posts that caught my eye.
From the Hearth and Soul Community:-
Nora of Treat ‘n Trick shared a healthier Low Fat Banana Cake recipe. It looks so light and fluffy it may surprise you to learn it is egg free!
These Blueberry Crumb Bars from Elizabeth of Pinecones and Acorns look absolutely scrumptious. I do love a shortbread cookie crust!
From the Link Up:-
Laurie of Ridge Haven Homestead has had a very challenging time recently. Her adult son, Austin, was critically injured in a serious accident but thankfully is now making a good recovery. I was moved by Laurie’s account of her 10 Days at Ronald McDonald House. It was interesting to see the house and how it is run as well as what an incredible service is provided. Laurie also provides helpful information should you know of anyone who might need the services a Ronald McDonald House can provide.
As an avid reader with fond memories of the books and libraries of my childhood, I loved Helen of 3 Winks Design’s article on Books and Poetry Introduced To Me As A Child By My Mother. Has Helen included any of your favourites?
Take a virtual visit (or plan for a real one) to Charleston with Crystal of Sharing Life’s Moments.
And finally, toast the summer (whatever the weather!) with this refreshing Cucumber Elderflower Margarita from Nicolle of Our Tiny Nest.
On with the link up!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party – August 2023 Edition
The Hearth and Soul Link Party is held monthly, opening on the first Sunday of every month and remaining open until the 25th of the month, or until 300 entries are reached. Please share a maximum of 8 links per month here at the party. (You can share more in the Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook.)
Please share the permalink to your blog post with the August 2023 edition, not a link to the home page of your blog. Please do not link to anything except blog posts.
By submitting a post to the August 2023 edition of the link party here, you assert that you own the content and photographs. You also give me permission to share them here on the blog as well as on Pinterest, Twitter, and both my own Facebook page , The Hearth and Soul Link Party page and The Hearth and Soul Community Facebook Group.
The August 2023 edition is open until 25th August so please come back as often as you like! I will visit share as many posts as I can across my social media platforms. Please share the party with your friends and followers using the buttons at the top of the post. Thank you for your support.
Comments & Reviews
Such a fun like party, April, thank you so much!
Wendy
Thank you so much for being a part of it, Wendy! Have a lovely week ahead!
Hi April and Happy Aug. Thanks for hosting. I’m trying my best to stay cool in the 100 degree and above heat we’ve been having in Arizona. My shares this month are 19 through 23. Enjoy.
Thank you so much, Nancy! Oh my goodness, that does sound hot! We have been having cooler than usual weather in the 60’s and very low 70’s recently but I’d rather that than 100 degrees plus. I hope it cools down for you soon. Thank you for visiting, sharing, and being a part of Hearth and Soul.
Happy August dear April – thanks so much for hosting – hope you have an AMAZING week! 🙂
Thank you so much, Ramona! Happy August to you too! I hope your week is wonderful too 🙂
Thanks for hosting April – great features and photos – have a blessed month!
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing, Ramona! I wish you a blessed month as well!
April, thanks so much for hosting. My entry numbers are 45, 46, and 51. I’m hosting parties this week too and I’d like to invite you and your guests here to drop by and join in.
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing, Dee, and for the invitation! I will pop on over shortly!
Lots of good stuff here! hat marble cake looks amazing. Thanks for hosting this spot to share lovely things.
Thank you so much, Barbara, and thank you for visiting and sharing too!
Thanks for hosting and I hope that the renovations keep going good. I am at #54 but I will be back. Hope August is great for you.
Thank you, Patrick. We had a really good day today – the counter tops have been installed in the kitchen! It’s all systems go from here 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful month too!
Your renovations look lovely, April. I’m sure it is a long process but will be beautiful and modern when finished. I will pass on your Paris restaurant list to my daughter who will be vacationing there next year. Have a very happy month of August!
Thank you so much, Pat! The renovations really are coming along nicely. I hope your daughter finds my list useful – and that she enjoys the restaurants as much as we did!
Thank you for hosting April. It looks like you had a busy but fun July, love the new look stairway!
Blessings, Jennifer
Thank you so much, Jennifer! Thank you for visiting and sharing too. Blessings to you!
Love seeing all your adventures, April! And looking forward to more pics of your lovely home renovations. 🙂
Niky
Thank you so much, Niky! I look forward to visiting your posts!
Happy August April!!! It’s been HOT here in Western Pennsylvania USA. 70’s, 80’s and low 90’s I’m All about the hot weather. Most people are in the shade while I’m sitting in the sun. Lol
Thank you so very much for hosting this amazing group. Thank you for making this friendly space for us to gather.
Linking up at #14&15.
Happy August, Paula! I’m so pleased you are enjoying your weather 🙂 Thank you so much for visiting, sharing and being a part of the Hearth and Soul Community!
April, I would have to agree with you that July seemed to just fly by. But then the older I get, it seems that time goes much faster. Thanks for hosting and for sharing your beautiful and delicious content.
Thank you for the wonderful compliment, Donna.
I agree, time does seem go faster as we get older. That said, my thirty year old son was commenting that he felt the year was flying by, so maybe the feeling is crossing the generations a bit more…
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Donna, and for your support of Hearth and Soul. I hope there are many blessings in your August!
April, thanks so much for hosting. My entry numbers are 45, 46, 51, and 116.
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing, Dee! Have a lovely rest of the week!
April, thank you so much for mentioning our recovery progress and the McDonald House post. I hope everyone who needs it can find out about it.
Thank you for this blog hop. Finally made it over here!
Have a blessed week!
Laurie
My pleasure, Laurie! I’m so glad you shared your very important post.
Wishing you a week full of blessings as well!
Thank you so much for providing this forum to share our blog posts with others! We love sharing with others in the blogging community and learning from each other, too!
Thank you so much for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party community, Laura!
Thanks again, back with entry number 163.
Hello again, Dee! Thank you so much for coming back again 🙂 I hope your month is going well!
Thank you so much for hosting this monthly party, I am a bit late this month but still made it.
I linked up this week with =171+172 and we would love to invite you to join us at SeniorSalonPitStop. You will find the linkup information under BLOGGING.
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing, Esmé. No worries about being late, the party is open until the 25th of the month 🙂
Thanks for hosting this wonderful party.
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing, Patrick!
Thanks for the hosting. Your post about how to find yourself is one I’ll be checking out.
Have a great week!
Laurie
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Laurie! I hope you enjoy the post on finding yourself 🙂 I hope you are having great week too!