Hello and welcome to the Hearth and Soul Link Party! How are you doing during this challenging time? You have all been in my thoughts and prayers. Never before in our lifetimes have we seen the importance of community illustrated so clearly.
Whether your blog posts are old or new, as long as they are about things that feed the soul, they are welcome here at The Hearth and Soul Link Party. 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.
What’s Been Happening?
The Importance of Community – A Virtual Cup of Tea
Last week I hosted the first Virtual Cup of Tea, a gathering of readers and members of the Hearth and Soul Link Party community on Zoom. I want to thank Liberty of B4 and Afters (pictured above, below right), Pam of A New Lens and Helen of 3 Winks Design for taking part in this beta call. It was fun to meet and chat a bit with each other.
After the success of this call, I reached out to my newsletter subscribers last week and I’m hosting two more free calls this week. More are planned in the future so please be sure to subscribe to my newsletter to be first in line for the next opportunity for a Virtual Cup of Tea with other members of our community.
On the Blog
I’m working on compiling some of my recipes into posts for easy reference during these challenging times. In the meantime, you may enjoy these.
If, like me, you are living in an area where yeast isn’t available (even online), you will love this recipe!
Originally published in 2013, this Soda Bread Focaccia recipe comes via Rachel Allen. This 5 ingredient recipe is a fusion of Irish soda bread and Italian Focaccia bread and it couldn’t be easier to make. It’s perfect for any time, but especially now with some ingredients in short supply!
My Spaghetti Primavera al Limone is an easy vegetarian recipe you can adapt to whatever spring vegetables you have on hand or in the freezer, again perfect for times when ingredients are harder to source.
If you do have ingredients for baking, and access to rhubarb, I’ve got a treat for you!
My friends dropped off some rhubarb last week from their allotment and I was so pleased to be able to make mmy Rhubarb and Ginger Drizzle Cake. It is a twist on a traditional British favourite Lemon Drizzle Cake and it makes a lovely treat for afternoon tea or dessert. .
Especially in challenging times, I’ve always believed that if you make an effort to look good, you feel good.
If you feel the same way, I’ve got some easy tips on Looking Your Best While Staying at Home to inspire you.
Thank you to everyone for being a part of Hearth and Soul, and for sharing your wonderful content.
Importance of Community Features
The Importance of Community featured posts from top left (clockwise):-
One way we can inspire our community is to share ways we are decorating for the holidays while we are all staying at home. Lori of Dining Delight shares some ways she is decorating for Easter in her post Bunnies and Carrots Easter Decor. It all looks so pretty!
Although many gatherings have had to be cancelled, it’s lovely to know that many things can still happen online. Jennifer of Satsuma Designs shares some inspired ideas for How to Host a Virtual Baby or Wedding Shower.
One of the ways to help our community is to drop off food for a neighbour who needs a little extra help. This hearty and delicious Taco Casserole from Lou Lou Girls would be very welcome!
With food availability being very hit and miss in some places, I think we are all looking for ways to be more self sustaining. Kathi of Oak Hill Homestead has some wonderful gardening advice on her blogs and this post on How to Grow Food in 3 to 4 Weeks could come in very handy right now.
On with the party!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party
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Take care and stay safe, my friends! I appreciate you taking the time to visit and share your posts.
Comments & Reviews
Thanks so much for hosting! I’m linking up today with NO HOUSEWORK DAY, WHO WAS BEHIND THE CURTAIN? – PART 5 (PROMPT 18), and my UNLIMITED MONTHLY LINK PARTY, open every month on the 1st to the 26th.
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Dee!
Thanks for hosting April have a blessed Easter week! 🙂
PS Love your call idea (newsletter) and hope to join you at some point !:-)
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Ramona. I’m so excited that you’d like to join one of the upcoming calls. It would be lovely to meet you! Wishing you a blessed Easter week as well! 🙂
Thank you so much April for featuring my Bunnies and Carrots Easter Decor! So thrilled to see it highlighted here at your lovely party! Thank you very much for hosting!
It’s my pleasure, Lori, and thank you!
I will have to try the soda bread focaccia recipe, and when I see rhubarb in my store your rhubarb ginger cake, April. Both sound so good! I know I signed up for your newsletter awhile ago but for some reason, I haven’t been getting it? I’ll try again. My blog this week is about an interesting couple from the old wild west days–scandals even back then! Stay happy and healthy!
I’m sorry you haven’t been getting the newsletter, Pat. I’ve checked and you are definitely subscribed.
Have you checked your spam folder? Sometimes newsletters from branded email addresses like mine (april@apriljharris.com) go into spam. Please let me know if they are in there or not. Either way, it may help to add my email address to your contacts in your email package.
I will forward you a copy of the most recent newsletter from my personal email address so you have it. Your blog post sounds very interesting – I’m looking forward to reading it. Stay safe and healthy!
Thank you for hosting! Stay safe and be well!
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Suzan! Stay safe and well!
So many of these look so good! I’m looking forward to visiting these links later in the day. The soda berad/focaccia looks really good. I agree about looking well even at home. I feel better and more alert if I dress and fix my hair and put on mascara as usual.
Thank you, Barbara, and I’m glad you agree. I really do find I have more energy if I dress and fix my hair and makeup. Thank you for visiting and sharing!
I am so excited about coming to tea,it is a fantastic idea! Thanks so much for the party and all the wonderful ideas and suggestions for these uncertain times. Stay healthy and have a wonderful week, we will see you for tea!
Miz Helen
I’m so excited to meet you, Miz Helen! I’ve just sent the call details through to you now. Thank you for visiting and sharing, and I hope you have a wonderful week too. Stay safe and well. I look forward to seeing you for tea!
Thank you for hosting, so many links to visit! Have a great week! Melynda @ Scratch Made Food! &
DIY Homemade Household.
Congrats on your virtual tea party April, how fun. Thanks for hosting the fun link party. I am sharing a scarf I crocheted while being in quarantine. I hope you have a nice week and a happy Easter.
Thank you so much, Julie! I hope you have a lovely week too. Happy Easter!🐣🌸
Thank you for hosting! I’m sharing my amusing Easter printable, #16.
Than you for visiting and sharing, Allyson!
Thanks for hosting and letting us gather together for a cup of tea! I brought by some Salmon Fried Rice. Hope you enjoy. 🙂 Stay safe and healthy!
Thank you so much, CJ! Stay safe and well!
Community video parties have been such a godsend. I’ve been “meeting” with my book club this way and it’s both fun and comforting.
It really is a great way to connect, Lisa! I also had my monthly Athena networking meeting online today. It was almost the same as our other meetings, except it was all online. Very cool. Take care and stay well.
April,
I always enjoy seeing how things are across the pond compared to us here in the US. I just wanted to say, that we are all very concerned for your PM. We got the news this afternoon that he was taken to ICU. Praying that he pulls through. No matter the political party, no one wants to see a world leader lose their battle with CV19.
Stay well, we will all get through this!
Melissa | Little Frugal Homestead
Thank you, Melissa. I’m so glad you enjoy it! Also, I share your concern for our PM and am grateful you are praying for him too! I’ve been so impressed with how he has handled so many things, including this current crisis. Also he is still a relatively young man with a new fiancée and a baby on the way. Take care and stay well!
Thank you for hosting! This is what I featured the week of 3-30 to 4-3-20 on my blog. On Tuesday was a Brownie Cheesecake No Bake. Wednesday was my Hershey’s Best Brownie, Thursday was a Hot Brownie Cake. And winding up this Week of Brownies is Tip Friday Keeping Baked Goods Fresh. Enjoy!
What a delicious week on your blog, Marilyn! Thank you for visiting and sharing. Take care and stay well.
Hi April! So great to join the party and see people well and doing things that they love!
Thank you, Helen! Thank you for visiting and sharing, and all your support!
April,
We are so fortunate to still be able to blog and communicate electronically. Thank you for all your helpful ideas and recipes. I was invited to a virtual cocktail party on Zoom last week where we all had a glass of wine and met some of our friend’s friends. It was a delightful and relaxing 40 minutes! Have a safe week..
We really are, Judee! We have been having ‘virtual glasses of wine’ (where the wine is, of course, real!) with our friends. It’s been really fun, and makes me wonder how we didn’t do this before. We’ve seen people we haven’t seen in ages this way. It’s very relaxing and no one has to drive 🙂 Take care and stay well.
thank you so much for featuring my taco casserole! It made my day!
It’s a pleasure, Kim. I’m so glad you are pleased! Stay safe and well.
A virtual cup of tea sounds lovely.
I hope you will join us one day, Lauren 🙂
April, Thank you so much for featuring my post on hosting a virtual gathering to celebrate brides and babies-to-be! I’m a party planner in Seattle, USA and feel so much for those whose plans have been dashed. Thank you for spreading the good news and inspiration during this difficult time. Hope you and your family are staying healthy and at peace! Best, Jennifer
It’s a pleasure, Jen! I do feel so much for those whose parties and weddings have been cancelled. I really liked your ideas. I heard recently a couple who had to cancel their wedding had a ‘binding the rings’ ceremony online. It’s an old fashioned betrothal ceremony and they held it online with their friends and family. Everyone said something about the couple and they had a little celebration. Now they are known in their circle as the ‘nearlyweds’ 🙂 Wishing you and your family well – stay safe and healthy!
Thank you for hosting, and have a great week!
You too, Cherryl!
Thank you so much for hosting! This week I am excited to share some pretty bible verse printable, book page decor craft ideas, and table decor for Easter that is perfect all spring long! Hope you have a wonderful week and stay safe and healthy!
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing, Kristin! Stay safe and healthy!
April, thank you so much for hosting. You have me eagerly awaiting the arrival of rhubarb in the markets! I’m starting my link visits this morning with your Looking Your Best While Staying at Home post.
Thank you so much, Jean! We get forced rhubarb from the north of England quite early every year, but the outdoor rhubarb seems to be very early here this year too. I hope yours arrives in the markets soon. 🙂
Thank you so much for featuring my “fast food” post this week, April. Please stay safe and healthy!
It’s a pleasure, Kathi. Your post is very timely! Take care and stay safe and well!
I love the way that many people are finding ways to make things work for them in these challenging times – like using Zoom. I’m an introvert, so I’m in my element in being forced to stay at home, but I’ve worried about my extroverted friends.
Michelle
http://mybijoulifeonline.com
It really is amazing how we are adapting, Michelle! I’m actually ‘seeing’ a lot more of some of my friends (on Zoom and FaceTime) than I normally do! Take care and stay well.
Have a blessed Easter!
Best regards!
Thank you! Wishing you a blessed Easter too.
Thanks for hosting, April. I hope you have a blessed Easter.
Thank you so much, Donna! I hope your Easter is a blessed one too!
Sorry that I am so late. Community is important during this time. Thanks for hosting and Happy Easter to you and your family. Stay safe and healthy.
No worries at all, Patrick. I’m very glad you were able to visit and share! Happy Easter to you too. Take care and stay safe.