Rushing through April

A friend who is an early years teacher said she read somewhere that teachers of that age group are asked up to 3000 questions a day. I don't know it that is true but after a hectic - and, I must emphasise, very enjoyable - first two weeks in a Y2 placement I think it could certainly feel that way. My feet have barely touched the ground since the Easter holidays and the days have been so long, but here are a few of the things keeping me grounded and making me smile.

The emerging tulips I planted last autumn. When will I learn with bulbs - plant more! However many you think you want, plant double or triple. Nothing looks more beautiful than a swathe of tulips with their wobbly heads of boiled-sweet colours.

Blossom against a blue sky, although don't let the colour fool you into thinking it's warm - the wind has been cold and sharp and we are still regularly waking to frosts. I had to switch the heating on the other night.

John making brioche french toast for breakfast. There is no better kind of french toast. (Thinking about french toast always reminds me of eggy bread, which I used to eat growing up. It's basically still bread soaked in egg and fried, but savoury, and best eaten with bacon and ketchup. I need to make some eggy bread.)

A new recipe from my newest cookery book, One, by Anna Jones. It's mostly one pot or pan meals and all vegetarian. This is a sort of saag aloo Shepherd's Pie: beans in a curry-based sauce topped with potatoes, caulflower and spinach mashed together. I loved it but sadly no-one else so I happily ate the leftovers for lunch all week.

Much more successful was this warm salad I made for the windiest barbecue we've ever had but the weather was so nice I was determined to try to eat outside. Roasted butternut squash mixed with couscous, chicory, feta and pomegranate seeds. Delicious.

This steadily growing pile of granny square for this top. Granny squares are proving to be the perfect crochet for after work at the moment, it's all my brain can cope with.

A stitch a day, or more often seven at the weekend, whatever works. I am still loving this record of the year so far. 

Highlights include Easter, first visits to shops and the library, takeaway coffees and "cruffins" (croissant muffins) in the park, variable weather, gardening, flowers, using the pizza oven, signs of spring, DIY, yoga and spring cleaning. A mixed month.

The bluebells. Even on the grayest day these purple-blue wildflowers look so pretty when glimpsed through a hedgerow. This year they were not such the carpet of blue  they have been on previous years, but still one of my favourite signs of spring.

Seeing people playing cricket this afternoon. Such a small sigh of normal life returning, it made me happy.