Spring-Summer Update (2022)

We're more than halfway through the year, so it's time for my spring-summer update! I'm doing quarterly updates and you can see the winter-spring one here: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2022/04/winter-spring-update-2022.html

At the beginning of April, I went to the new Wendy's restaurant in Brighton. I didn't know there were any in the UK (it's an American restaurant) but found out there used to be some here. Most closed down but they're now opening up again to the UK market.

I liked the food and the chocolate Frosty drink! Here's a picture I took on the way to Wendy's:

 

Churchill Square, Brighton.

 

Easter was in April this year (Easter Sunday was the 17th). Last year I made an ice cream cake for a change, but this Easter I made my favourite frosted white chocolate Easter cake (James Martin recipe) instead. I didn't take a picture but you can see what it looked like when I made it in 2017 here (and a link to the recipe): https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2017/04/frosted-white-chocolate-easter-cake.html

I also shared pics in 2018 and 2019. 

My Easter was similar to other years, had a meal at home on the Sunday and got a few chocolate eggs, lol.

At the start of May I celebrated Beltane. You can see my post about it here:  https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2022/05/beltane-2022.html

 

Also in early May, I did a Self-Hatred to Self-Compassion workshop at my local mental health resource centre. It had previously been cancelled in March. I found it helpful and it was good to get back to doing things like that.

I went to Five Guys that month too (I only go about once a year because it's expensive!). I was disappointed that they've stopped doing the coffee milkshakes, but the chocolate one I had instead was nice. And I enjoyed the food as usual.

Here are a couple of photos I took at Brighton Marina when I went to Five Guys: 

 

Brighton Marina.

In June I went shopping in George Street in Hove. Things are getting a bit more "normal" now it's been over two years since the pandemic started (we opened up fully earlier this year), but I think it's still a good idea to be cautious and wear a mask etc. I went to a few shops and then got an iced drink from Caffe Nero. 

Later that month I celebrated Litha/the Summer Solstice. You can see my post about it here: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2022/07/litha-2022.html

The Queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee (70 years on the throne). I didn't go to any events but I watched some of the parade on TV.

In late June I went to my belly dance group's hafla (dance party). I hadn't been to one since February, so it was good to go along.

Apart from that I've just been doing my regular park walks and sometimes going to the supermarket or the library.

I write mid-year updates over on my spiritual/self-help blog Falling Petals. You can read 2022's here if you like: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2022/06/mid-2022-reflections.html

 

Baking wise, I made these no-bake snack bars in May: https://www.briana-thomas.com/no-bake-snack-bars/

Mine were a bit different because I didn't use the baking mix from the recipe and don't have THM Super Sweet Blend (it's a Trim Healthy Mama recipe). I think they could have been better but it was good to try something new! :)

And I baked some chocolate zucchini (or courgette as we call it in the UK) cupcakes in June. I've made them a couple of time before. You can make a big cake or cupcakes. I didn't take a picture but you can see one from when I first made them here (scroll down to the November/December Update): https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2021/01/christmas-ginger-poke-cake.html

There's also a carrot cake version that I made for Mother's Day this year (UK Mother's Day is in March). Here's the recipe for both versions (with dairy free options: https://www.extrapetite.com/2020/04/moist-chocolate-zucchini-cake-recipe-dairy-free.html

The weather has been varied this spring and early summer. It was quite warm at one point and then went colder again. At the moment there is a heatwave in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, and a rare amber warning has been issued for England and Wales. The Met Office has also just issued the first ever red warning for really hot weather in England, for this upcoming week. Last spring and summer we had a "mini" heatwave.

The hottest it's been in my part of Sussex so far is around 27C (80F) and the hottest I can remember it being in more recent years is about 32C (89F). So, it's hot for us but not as much as elsewhere (in London it might get up to 40C/104F). We are not in the area for the highest temperatures, but I hope that everybody who is takes care and stays cool! And we should all be mindful because it's still going to be hot in general throughout the country:)

 

So that's it for the update! It seems strange that we're already more than halfway through the year. Lammas is coming up on 1st August (or 31st July if you celebrate then), so I'm planning to do a post nearer the time. It's one of my favourite sabbats and this is my fave time of year. I feel like summer is so brief really.

Hope everyone is doing ok or as well as possible. :) How was your spring and how is your summer going? (Or how was your autumn and how is your winter going?)

Read: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (one of my fave books that I re-read about once a year), Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo (a Korean book translated into English), Make It Happen by Jordanna Levin and Higher Love by Jordanna Levin (the last two are both non-fiction, the first one is about the Law of Attraction and the second is about manifesting love).

Saw: The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe (based on the real-life story of John Darwin who faked his own death for money, and his wife Anne).

Played: Re-played Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (one of my fave TR games that I play about once a year).

 

Links I found useful in spring and summer:

This post from To Love and To Learn about finding goodness and beauty in the world (I found the site through Merrick's Art): https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2022/05/27/goodness-and-beauty-3/

I always find inspiration from Dominque's (BrownandBendy) YouTube channel, which is about manifesting with the Law of Attraction (and yoga too): https://www.youtube.com/c/BrownandBendy 

And Jasmine Mireya ran a Law of Assumption challenge on YouTube throughout June. Here's the intro video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Qh3Fnj4Ag&t=1s