Wonderful Wednesday #41

Good morning, good afternoon or good evening - depending of course at which time of the day you stop by this LITTLE spot.  How has your week been so far?  Mine has been one of the BEST yet:  blissfully spent sleeping in until 8am, eating breakfast lazily before first enjoying a mug of Lady Grey beneath the duvet and cycling come rain or shine (but mostly rain!).  It's been very SIMPLE but also just what I so desperately needed i can tell you.  Over the past few days i have felt awash with inspiration and a lot more like my usual self after feeling just a touch under the weather and just plain exhausted!  I expect i shall find it hard to narrow down this weeks bloody brilliant bits but here goes….

*  SLEEP.  Or more to the point, stirring to an alarm that is not mine at 8am!  The best treat that ever was.  Especially when you can hear torrential rain hitting the attic window above your head and the furthest you plan on travelling is to the kitchen to make tea.  And then to enjoy it with the latest copy of Simple Things magazine back in bed for a good hour.  Bliss!

*  Turning off the TV.  I've never been too big on television to be honest.  Before the Mr and i lived together i'd often go all week without even switching the thing on!  I often much preferred listening to the radio or reading, or doing some cutting or sticking over watching TV.  Now of course we have Sky, and at least a SQUILLION channels.  And then there's Netflix too.  In the past i've found myself flipping the TV on out of habit more than anything.  then realising i'm not even in the same room as it for half of the time.  These past few days i've RELISHED that ^extra time in bed^ and getting washed and dressed and sorted to the sound of BBC 6 Music.  And you know what?  I haven't missed aimlessly watching TV at all.  Infact it's been something i think i'll get into the habit of not doing every morning.  

*  The SMELL of colder weather.  You know what i mean don't you?  It gets to this time of year and outside just smells like bonfire night, the cold and of Christmas all in one go.  Once the sun sets the air feels heavy with the scent of damp coal, log fire smoke and of sodden ground.  And it's a little bit delicious.  

*  Wildlife SPOTTING.  On yesterdays morning bike ride, i had the pleasure of stopping for a good ten minutes to watch three tiny baby rabbits hopping about on the embankment right next to me.  Then a little later on i saw two little brown squirrels hop and skipping up and down a tree.  I hedged as close as i could and it didn't even faze them, brave little munchkins! Watching their sweet little tails SWISH and SWOOSH about as they ran up and down the tree was the sweetest thing.  I love that i get to see these kinds of things - pretty much on my doorstep!  

*  Taylors of Harrogate Lemongrass and ginger TEA.  Ok so i sneaked this from the Mr and when he reads this i shall have been caught!  He picked this tea up last week when he was feeling under the weather and has proclaimed over and over how much he LOVES it.  I'm forever on the look out for interesting teas to sip when it gets colder.  I really struggle if i don't drink enough and when it's colder its much harder to drink ice-y cold water!  This tea is YUM.  It sort of tastes like sherbet lemons with a spicy ginger-y kick and its even better with a drizzle of runny honey when you crave something a little sweeter.  

*  SUPER HERO PORRIDGE!  No really.  I am a bit of an expert when it comes to porridge.  Whilst i don't want to sound like i am too full of myself i know how to make an amazing bowl of porridge trust me.  Lately i have really ramped up my usual recipes and have perfected the most magical, delicious bowl of healthy, fulfilling and super-rich porridge you could ever taste.  Do you want to know my MAGICAL recipe?  Almond milk heated up, a cup of rolled oats and one large mashed banana added.  Cook through, stirring constantly so it becomes smooth and creamy.  Pour into a bowl and add two teaspoons of chia seeds and one teaspoon of coconut oil.  Stir and combine throughly.  Drizzle with runny honey and sprinkle with flax, sunflower, linseed and pumpkin seeds and enjoy!  Trust me it is MAGIC.  Adding the banana and cooking it in with the oats and almond milk makes for the creamiest taste.  Packing in lots of chia seeds means its jam-packed with good proteins to keep you full up.  And the seeds and honey on top add a toffee sweetness and a little bit more texture.  I'd love to know if you try it.  Maybe i should start a porridge series on here…

*  New CANDLES.  I know i know i'm a stereo-typical blogger!  In my defence, when its warmer we can crack our huge windows open and relish the feeling of a fresher feeling home.  But when its colder i rely on incense and scented candles to make sure that the air doesn't feel so stale.  I am loving burning Sainsbury's Vanilla and Oatmeal incense oil in our hallway so that it waft's throughout our little bedroom and i picked up a peppermint bark scented candle from Tk Maxx on Tuesday which smells like HEAVEN.   I'll have to admit i first fell in love with the vintage typography on the front and half expected the scent to be all artificial and overly sweet.  Instead its a richly scented minty smell - almost like peppermint oil with little notes of spicy vanilla peppered through.  It's one of my favourites and i'm already considering a return trip to see if there are more…RACE you!

*  CLEMENTINES and ORANGES and quite frankly anything citrus.  I always get the munchies a couple of hours after we have eaten dinner.  I usually quite enjoy chunks of apple and grapes, sometimes a mashed banana with ground almonds and honey; but lately it's all been about sweet little clementines!  I adore the smell of orange zest - it's even been making its way into my chocolate-y porridge recipes (along with a teaspoon or two of raw cacao - it's like Terry's Chocolate Orange-come-porridge!).  There's something so festive about the scent of oranges isn't there?!

*  M&S STEM GINGER CURD.  Yep you read that right - we are ALL about the seasonal brekkies at Tangle Towers!  This stuff is like Christmas breakfast GOLD.  I had it slathered on a toasted fruit teacake yesterday and i'm thinking it would be quite the thing spread on toasted brioche with chopped figs scattered on top too.  Mmmmmm!

*  Falling ASLEEP in the softest brushed cotton printed jam-jam bottoms, a crumpled silk cami with a hot water bottle between your knees.  I feel as if this needs no further explanation.  

*  Late afternoon magazine READING with a blanket wrapped around your shoulders, a mug of hot tea and your feet balanced on the hot radiator.  Utter.  Bliss.  And while we're appreciating all things radiator can we also take a moment to applaud quite how wonderful it feels to put clean pyjamas on the radiator while you shower/bath of an evening; and slipping them on straight after? Oh my DAYS.  
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So as you can see we have been CELEBRATING all that comes as part of the much colder weather - with a little bit of relief i can tell you.  The tail-end of October was far too mild for my liking.  I now feel suitably and seasonally balanced again.  How about YOU?  What has been making your week wonderful?!  Have you been welcoming the colder weather?  Have you ever tried Lemongrass and Ginger tea?  Fancy trying my porridge recipe?  Remember you can leave me a sweet comment below or tweet me with your #wonderfulwednesday greatness.  I'm @sallytangle.