Slow, Ordinary Life in March in the English Countryside
Ordinary Life in Early Spring: Pancakes, Rainy Days & Slow Living
March has arrived in Somerset with sunshine and blankets of colourful flowers. Crocuses, snowdrops and daffodils are pushing up, making the English countryside more beautiful with each passing day. The beginning of March has an important date - Pancake Day! In this vlog, I'm making two step-by-step recipes: the traditional "flat" pancake, also known as a crepe and the fluffy American version – both easy and delicious!
The beginning of March and early Spring isn’t just sunshine – we get plenty of rainy days, which I really don’t mind. In fact, I love the peacefulness of gloomy days. They remind us why we should be grateful for the warmth and safety of our homes. The are also perfect opportunity for cosy cooking and baking.
Watch the video for a cosy glimpse into slow living and find inspiration to embrace the simple joys of early Spring - enjoy, Adriana x
Fluffy Pancake Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 1 ¼ cups (295ml) milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (60ml) neutral oil (plus a few drops for the pan).
Method: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Heat a non-stick pan and lightly grease it with a few drops of oil. Pour about ¼ cup of batter onto the heated pan for each pancake. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip the pancake and cook for another minute.
Crepe Filling Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 100g of soft cheese (e.g., Philadelphia
- 100g of thick natural yogurt
- 50g of condensed milk
Mix until combined and spread a thin layer on the pancakes.
DIY Spring Bulb Planter
This time of the year, when nature is awakening but the days are still cold, is perfect to invite the outside in! A DIY Spring bulb planter is an easy way to bring fresh spring energy into your home. I love how easy bulb planters are to make, yet they look elegant and uplifting.
For a DIY Spring bulb planter, all you need is:
- A container with no holes at the bottom
- A handful of gravel
- Soil
- Spring bulb flowers: hyacinths, crocuses, daffodils, etc.
- Moss (mine is dried, but you can also get fresh)
Place the gravel at the bottom of your container, arrange the bulbs in the pot, and cover everything with soil. It's okay if some bulbs, especially the bigger ones, stick out above the soil level—it actually makes it look more rustic, in my opinion. Cover the soil with bits of moss. Water regularly, but be careful not to fill the container with too much water.
Once your flowers bloom, if they start leaning over, you can support them with twigs.
