Whether it’s travel, an afternoon of baking, indulging your favourite hobby or reading a great book, this week I’m celebrating sweet pursuits of all kinds. Welcome to the Hearth and Soul Link Party!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party welcomes 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.
NB. Please only share blog posts. Unfortunately links to Facebook posts etc will be deleted.
What’s Been Happening
I hope this finds you well and enjoying the first few days of one of my favourite months.
My husband and I have been indulging ourselves in one of our favourite sweet pursuits – a short break in a beautiful, historic hotel. I can’t wait to share more about our visit to Cliveden House Hotel with you in an upcoming blog post. It has been so busy lately, I’m struggling to keep up with my writing for the blog!
My lovely husband Guy treated me to a stay in the Lady Astor Suite. The Duchess of Sussex spent the night before her wedding at Cliveden, and although the hotel staff are incredibly discreet, it is believed that this is the room she stayed in! I can’t wait to share more photographs with you! The mantle behind us dates from the reign of Elizabeth I, and it’s just one of the many lovely features of the suite.
Last Week On The Blog
I am really getting in the mood for some fall baking!
This Spiced Banana Nut Loaf with Ginger Glaze has all the flavours of fall. It is a firm favourite at our house and with readers too!
Enjoy a gluten free treat with these delicious Blackberry and Apple Scones. This easy to make, fruity recipe is perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea or a snack anytime!
Thank you to you all for visiting and sharing your blog posts.
Sweet Pursuits Featured Posts
This week’s sweet pursuits featured posts include:-
Spend a virtual moment in France with Judith of Botanic Bleu in Eiffel Tower Telescopes – Elegant French Style
Celebrate the sweet pursuits of gardening and flowers with Sandra of Dinner at Eight in The Colourful Summer Garden
Make a delicious fall breakfast with Nora of Treat & Trick’s Cinnamon Rolls
Welcome back Cindy, formerly of Hun, What’s For Dinner after a blogging break! Cindy has a new blog – Mom, the Lunch Lady – and a fun no bake recipe for Halloween – No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pops
On with the link up!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party
- Please do not link to anything except blog posts. Please share the permalink to your blog post, and not to the home page of your blog.
- Linking your blog posts here means you consent to me sharing as many of them as I can on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook and featuring them on my blog with photographs from the post. It’s easier for me to share if you have share buttons on your blog, and if you put links to your social media on your home page.
- It really helps when you share the party on social media using the buttons at the top and bottom
Wishing you a wonderful week, full of sweet pursuits!
Comments & Reviews
Wow! The fireplace behind you and your husband is amazing! I’m glad you’re able to getaway for a bit.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
I spent ages just looking at it, Michelle. The detail was incredible. I hope you have a lovely week!
That spiced banana loaf looks so wonderful and delicious! Thanks for hosting! I brought by some Shrimp with Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce. Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Thank you, CJ! Hope you have a good week!
Being busy is good! Thank you for a new banana bread recipe! I love having a variety to choose from when using my ripe bananas. Also, thank you for featuring my cheesecake pops!
I’m so glad you like the sound of the banana bread, Cindy! And it’s a pleasure 🙂
The Cliveden House Hotel looks like such a beautiful place to stay! I can almost smell the sweet treats here.
It really is, Barbara. Hope you have a lovely week!
What a beautiful hotel lobby! It sounds like you had wonderful time. Your banana cake looks divine and one I’d like to bake
We really did have a lovely time, Pat. The photo was actually taken in our suite. The lobby is even more splendiferous 🙂 Thank you for the compliment on my banana cake. I hope you try it!
Thanks for hosting this wonderful party and for featuring my Cinnamon Rolls…..
It’s a pleasure, Nora! Thank you for your support of the party.
How exciteing to stay at The Cleveden House Hotel, very special treat! Hope you have a great week and thanks so much for the party!
Miz Helen
It really was, Miz Helen. I hope you have a great week too!
Your bread looks incredibly delicious, April. Especially that glaze. I may have to make a gluten-free version–halving the recipe for a single loaf. 😉
This week I’ve linked up our new favorite recipe at our house–Perfect Gluten-Free Fried Boneless Chicken Breasts. They’re so easy and incredibly good. I’ve also linked up a yummy older recipe from a previous March Muffin Madness event that definitely needs more attention. Muffins that taste like donuts should make everyone happy.
Have a lovely week!
Shirley
Thank you so much, Shirley! I hope that the gluten free version works out well. Please let me know if you try it.
I look forward to your recipes – muffins that taste like donuts would definitely make me happy!
Hope you have a lovely week too!
What a sweet treat from your hubby and such a stunning place to be! Looking forward to more pics!
Thanks for the recipe for the gluten free scones. I have several friends who need such recipes and I passed them along.
Hope you are doing well and that you can enjoy a bit more freedom from virus restrictions than was once the case there.
Pam
It really was a lovely treat, Pam. 🙂 I hope your friends enjoy the recipe – thank you for sharing it!
Our local cases are still low, but nationally they have jumped so they are limiting gatherings to six or fewer people from Monday. Weddings are still allowed with up to 30 though, and restaurants etc are still open.
Take care and I hope you have a lovely week.
April, thanks so much for featuring my summer garden! I’ve had great fun sharing my garden virtually with so many wonderful folks!
Sorry I’m late to the party – I’ve apparently been running a day late for the past month. With every day so similar to the one before, they seem to run together. LOL
It’s a pleasure, Sandra 🙂 And no worries, I notice the same things with how the days run together!
Thank you for hosting! This is what I featured the week of 8-31 to 9-4 on my blog. On Tuesday was Zucchini Bread. Wednesday was Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread. Thursday was Traditional Stollen Bread. And winding up this week of Breads was The Secret to Really Good Banana Bread. Enjoy!
It’s definitely a delicious week at your house, Marilyn! Thank you for visiting and sharing.
That looks like an incredible hotel! And the scones…yummy! Thanks for hosting, as always! Have a great week!
It really is, Marielle! Thank you so much, I hope you have a great week too!
What a beautiful get away April. Thanks for sharing your photos! Love the photo of you and your husband!
Thank you so much, Judee!
The banana loaf looks so yummy and can’t wait to read about the stay in the hotel. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
Thank you, Patrick! I hope your week is wonderful too. Please do take care, I know there are a lot of fires over your way.
Hi April! I love your travel posts! And, I am definitely going to give the BlackBerry Apple Scones a try! Thanks for all of your kindness over the past month. We are getting back to business around here slowly but surely. I always look forward to this party!
Thank you so much, Helen! I hope you enjoy the scones too. You and yours have definitely been in my thoughts.
That looks like such a lovely hotel! It’s always wonderful to getaway.
It really was, Joanne! 🙂 It’s amazing how much I took getting away for granted before – I never will again!
I can’t wait to see the rest of your pictures of that gorgeous hotel! If that is your room, I can’t imagine what the lobby must look like. Love the pic of you and your hubby. It’s so nice to see two nice people enjoying life and each other, really!
Thank you so much, Catherine! What a wonderful compliment!
Thank You So Much For Sharing Your Travels And Inspiring Words. I Am Conquering This Kitchen And Doing what I LOVE 💘
Thank you so much, David!
How nice to have your husband treat you to a stay at a beautiful hotel April! Thanks for hosting and have a nice week. 🙂
It really was wonderful, Julie! I feel very lucky. I hope your week is wonderful too.
Thank you so much for such a friendly return to the blogging world and your support, April. I hope you have a wonderful week and thanks again for hosting and featuring my cheesecake pops !
It’s a pleasure, Cindy! I hope you have a wonderful week as well.
April,
From the glimpse of the beautiful fireplace in the background of your photo, I am looking forward to seeing more about your stay at the Cliveden House Hotel. Thank you for featuring my photos of the Eiffel Tower telescopes in the rain. One day I hope to make another trip to Paris!
Judith
Thank you, Judith, and it’s my pleasure! I hope we are both able to make another trip to Paris again one day! 🙂
That hotel looks amazing!
It really is, Lauren! Hope your week is going well.
Thank you for hosting, and have a great week!
Hope you have a great week too, Cherryl!
thank you so much for hosting! This week I am excited to share how to make an easy homemade tic tac toe board and my end of the summer tablescape! Hope you are having a great week!
Hope your week is going well too, Kristin! Thank you for visiting and sharing.
Thank you for hosting! Hope you have had a great week!
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Jennifer! I hope your week is going well too.