It’s so important to allow ourselves to wake up to wonder. In the midst of lockdown and restrictions, it’s easy to become jaded. However there is beauty to be found in many of the ordinary moments of our lives and so important not to take that for granted. As Albert Einstein said, “There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
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. I’m sorry, but links to Facebook posts etc will be deleted.
What’s Been Happening
How are you all doing? What are things like where you are? I hope you are safe and well, and finding some joy in every day.
We are still very much in lockdown here in the UK, and I admit there are days I struggle with it. Not being able to see our son and his partner makes me deeply sad. If we lived closer, I’d be able to go for a walk with my son or his partner outside. We are allowed to walk once a day socially distanced with one other person from outside our household. Unfortunately, they live 120 miles away and we are not allowed to travel outside our local area. However I endeavour to remember to wake up to wonder, focus on the positive and look forward to a hopeful reduction in the restrictions in the spring. Either that or we need to move!! 😂
I’m so grateful to my husband for making our Valentine’s Day so lovely It gave me a real lift!
It will be easy to wake up to wonder on Tuesday as it is Pancake Day here in the UK, and I hear it is International Pancake Day as well. I’m especially excited as I have a new flavoured pancake recipe to share with you!
Who would have known that a healthy ingredient was the key to being able to make pancakes in just about every flavour imaginable? Whatever flavour you choose, this easy, versatile recipe is sure to transform your pancake experience.
Wake Up To Wonder Featured Posts
Thank you all for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Community and for sharing your wonderful content!
Wake up to wonder featured posts (from top left, clockwise):-
Growing your own herbs to add health and flavour to your food is a great way to wake up to wonder. Carol of Labor of Love shares how she grows her own herbs even in the cold weather in Herbs in My Bay Window.
Cindy of Mom, The Lunch Lady gets ready to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with an authentic vintage recipe for Irish Apple Cake. Celebrating minor holidays is a great way to wake up to wonder – and St Patrick’s Day is one of my favourites!
The Rhythm of a Simple Home by A Spirit of Simplicity is a beautiful post that can really help you notice the wonder in the everyday.
And finally, wake up to wonder in a more practical way – with a delicious breakfast! These Gluten Free Pumpkin Vanilla Waffles from Leslie at My Gluten Free Cucina look like a real treat.
On with the party!
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 both my blog Facebook page and The Hearth and Soul Facebook Page 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.
- Please consider sharing the party with your friends and followers. There are share buttons at the top and bottom of this post to help make it easy.
What will you share this week? I always feel inspired and encouraged by your posts!
Comments & Reviews
Happy Valentine’s Day April and thank you so much for the feature!
You are welcome, Leslie! Happy Valentine’s Day to you too!
Happy Valentine Day and thanks so much for the awesome party!
Miz Helen
Happy Valentine’s Day, Miz Helen!
Thanks so much for hosting! I’m linking up with MY AMAZON SHOPPING FOR 2-8-2021. I’m also hosting some link parties, won’t you drop by?
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Dee! I will try to pop by 🙂
I have been challenging myself to notice more of the wonder–tiny footprints in the snow, the angle of light at dawn, birdsong that’s unfamiliar.
It changes everything.
It really does, Michele! What a lovely thing to do. Wishing you a week full of wonder!
Happy Valentine’s Day, April! Your flavored pancakes look delish!
Thanks for hosting such a lovely party each week. ❤️
Niky @ The House on Silverado
Happy Valentine’s Day, Niky, and thank you! ❤️
You’re so right about finding things to celebrate in the everyday world around us. But it’s fun to have holidays to leaven the spirit. Happy Valentine’s Day!
I agree, Sandra! I love the little holidays we celebrate month to month. Happy Valentine’s Day!
I love that Einstein quote! I find it is easier to deal with trials and to see the miracles when we have gratitude. Being grateful for the small miracles over this past year has carried me and my family through some rough times. I am praying for more miracles now as the vaccine gets out to more people and hopefully restrictions can be lifted. Thanks for sharing and hosting, April!
You have had a very challenging year, Helen, and I am in awe of how you and your family have come through. I am definitely praying for more miracles too.
Happy Valentine’s Day, April!
Yes, it has been a long process of quarantine, but I think we’ve all learned many new things during this pandemic which will be beneficial. We certainly won’t take travel for granted in the future or spending time with family and friends. Let’s hope the vaccines will give us all immunity!
Happy Valentine’s Day, Pat! I agree, we have definitely learned a lot – and there is so much I will never, ever take for granted again.
Thank you so much for featuring my post this week. I’m going to check out the gluten free pumpkin vanilla waffles you featured as well as some of the other linkies.
It’s a pleasure! Have a lovely week!
Glad you had a good Valentine’s Day! We did, too. COVID cases are starting to come down here, the first time since last May. I hope that’s a sign of better things to come.
Thank you, Barbara. I’m so glad you had a lovely Valentine’s Day too. I am so pleased to hear that the COVID cases in your area are starting to come down!
Have a lovely week ahead, and thanks so for hosting!
Thank you, Melynda. I hope you have a lovely week too.
This is what I featured the week of 2-8 to 2-12-2021. On Tuesday was Chicken Jerk Salad. Wednesday was Mushroom Lasagna With Béchamel Sauce. Thursday was Vanilla Custard and Chocolate Friday was Ultimate Nachos.
Everything sounds lovely, Marilyn!
Thanks for the reminder to find the beautiful in the mundane everyday, even if it is a struggle sometimes. I brought by some Dátiles Con Tocino (Bacon Wrapped Dates). Hope you enjoy!
I love dates and I love bacon – so I’m definitely looking forward to these!! Take care and I hope you find lots of joy in the week to come 🙂
Our restrictions here in Ontario are loosening a bit, starting tomorrow. Non essential businesses will be able to reopen with limited numbers at one time, and we will be able to visit safely with 5 people from outside our households. Of course my health issues keep me from letting my guard down, but I’m glad life is starting to come back to normal (and I’m hoping it’s for longer than a few months!).
Thank you so much for featuring my Irish Apple Cake and thank you for hosting. I hope you have a wonderful week April!
Oh how wonderful – although I’m sorry you still have to be extra careful, Cindy. The idea of visiting with 5 people from outside my household seems incredible – although honestly it’s just two I really want to visit with in the first instance 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful week too. Take care.
What time is breakfast at your house? Everyday I wake up, I celebrate. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
That is such a good way to be, Patrick! Just waking up every morning really is a miracle. I hope you have a wonderful week too!
Happy Valentine’s Day, thank you so much for hosting! This week I am excited to share my prairie style living room, a late winter tablescape and my cherry chocolate pretzel ice cream cake recipe! Hope you have an awesome week!
I look forward to your posts, Kristin! I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day and that your week is awesome too.
I was a few days early! I made pancakes at the end of last week. I always cook up a double batch so we have some leftover that I can pop in the freezer for quick easy breakfasts for the boys.
I love how warm and inviting your space always looks!
Thank you so much, Lauren!
April, now you’ve got me craving pancakes! Want to dive right into that photo! Thank you for hosting. Brought a classic comfort food dessert today.
Thank you so much, Jean! I always look forward to your recipes!! Have a lovely rest of the week 🙂
Hi April and thanks for hosting this fun blog party. Hear you about lockdown and sometimes feel sad too. One day this will all be a thing in the past and we’ll have many happy campers then won’t we? My post this week is #104, Awesome Ideas to Help Us Use Our 5 Senses to Be Mindful. Enjoy.
Thank you, Nancy! And yes, I feel we are definitely moving in the right direction! I’m also very grateful for the lessons I am learning along the way 🙂