Field Notes: April
Spring musings, Mallorca slow travel tips & book recommendations
I hope you all had wonderful April’s, and if you’re reading this in the northern hemisphere that spring has well and truly made an appearance. I’ve had a sneaky taste of summer in Mallorca this month, and I’m back in chilly northern England I am feeling very impatient for the temperatures to warm up.
Apologies for not writing as much as usual on here this month if you’re a paid subscriber - I’ve been away for a week and everything has suddenly become busy with work and the garden. Don’t worry - I have plenty of planned posts coming up in May, including my favourite sustainable swimwear brands, tips on how to spot greenwashing, book recommendation and sharing some of my photography tips. I’m also going to be using the Chat feature more often so we can talk about everything including books, sustainable fashion, gardening and much more.
I’ve just read over last month’s newsletter and laughed out loud at the contrast in my writing situation. At the beginning of this month I was apparently sat outdoors writing in the sunshine - I am now wrapped in a blanket and knitwear on the sofa, and have even had to put the heating on to warm up. Spring is definitely here, but it’s feeling very cold and we’ve had several frosts this week, which has not been good news for my greenhouse which is currently missing several panes of glass.
Nature is definitely waking up though. It’s been so nice just to be able to enjoy long walks in the evening as the days grow longer, and I’ve really been paying attention to the signs of spring on my walks. My favourite pouffy cherry blossom is currently in bloom (taking photos is on my weekend agenda), my tulips have begun flowering, and everyday it seems like there is more greenery when I look out of my window.
I’m excited for the month ahead, as May is officially the beginning of my favourite time of the year. I’m hoping this month brings wild swims, evening picnics, warm weather and my garden bursting into life.
GARDEN UPDATE
My garden is really coming to life now. The greenhouse and my window sills are filled with flourishing seedlines (and some that didn’t survive the recent frosts - more sowing to do at the weekend!). My tulips are flourishing, and I have a couple of anemones and ranuculus plants that survived the winter and are now in bloom (lessons learned for next year there). The to-do list for the garden sounds endless, but our garden work to create new beds starts soon so that’s the main focus for the month ahead.
Already in beds: astilbe, sidalcea, geums, cat mint, broad beans, onions, garlic and potatoes (in pots).
In the greenhouse: peas, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, fennel and chives.
On my window sill: dahlias (all sprouting now!), more broad beans, cosmos, tomatoes and marigolds.
To sow this month: more cosmos, poppies, runner beans, chard, zinnias, nasturtiums and larkspur.
To buy from the garden centre: plug plants of salad, more tomatoes and courgettes.
MALLORCA TIPS
I spent 8 days in Mallorca and honestly wish I could have stayed longer. I’m currently working on a detailed post that will sit on my blog, as it will be very image heavy. Here are a handful of tips to tie you over until that post is live.
Visit out of season, especially if you want to visit the area around Valdermossa and Deia. It was already busy in late April; we struggled to find anywhere to park our car and some restaurants had all their tables full in the middle of the day. The weather was lovely and sunny, around 21 degrees in the day, making late April/early May the perfect time to visit and still get sunshine but without the crowds.
But be prepared for cold seas at this time of year. I loved swimming in cold water and relish that tingly feeling you get on your skin, but my partner didn’t brave the water at all. If you want warmer seas and no crowds, I’d recommend visiting in September or early October, when it will be similar air temperatures but the sea has had all summer to warm up.
The south-east coast has (in my opinion) the best beaches. There are a cluster of beautiful small coves, some of which are tricky to reach but are worth it. My favourites include Cala Santanyi, Cala Lombards and Calo del Moro. The water here is crystal clear with an incredible turquoise hue.
MONTHLY EDIT
This month I’m coveting Straw London’s frilly terracotta plant pots, ogling Jaggery’s knitwear as always, looking to Poppy Okotcha for gardening tips and veggie recipes, and falling in love with everything on Rennes website. Also, if you want to see my picks from Toast’s Spring loungewear collection, take a peek at the live I filmed for them. (ad)
For this month’s Instagram recommendations, here are a few people whose content I always love to see popping up on my feed: @rachael_cooney, @bryni, @katylawrencefilm, @emilia.cross, @homebody_, @clarainfante and @emilyjanelathan.
BOOK CLUB (*affiliate links)
28 Questions by Indyana Schneider*
This coming-of-age story focuses on the protagonist and her best friend (both Australians studying at Oxford) accepting their sexualities and navigating their fraught relationship which takes them from friends to lovers. I loved how each chapter was framed around a question, based on the NY Times article ‘36 questions that lead to love’.
Birnam Wood by Eleanore Catton*
I thoroughly recommend this to all fans of a literary thriller - although be warned that is quite slow paced and does take a while to get going. It reminded me of Tana French’s books, and she is one of my favourite authors. Beautifully written, very descriptive, wonderfully fleshed-out characters and an interesting plot.
You Have to Make Your Own Fun Around Here by Frances Macken*
This is a great easy read about a young woman from rural Ireland growing up and realising that the childhood friends that she idolised perhaps aren’t what they seemed. I’ve noticed a theme with my reading recently that I’ve been reading a lot of books set in small-town Ireland - let me know if you have any recommendations for me to continue this theme!
Kala by Colin Walsh* (ad / pr copy)
I adored this book - it’s definitely up there as one of my favourites of the year so far. My copy was a proof and it will be released in July, so add it to your wishlist for summer reading. A group of friends reunite as adults and reminisce memories of the most sparkling and intriguing member of their gang, Kala, who vanished when she was 15. It’s a wonderful study of friendships, a coming-of-age novel and a literary thriller, all wrapped up into one. There’s also a small sci-fi element if you pay attention, which I actually wish had been explored further. The ending left me wanting to read more about all the characters and what happens next. It’s also another book set in small-town Ireland to add to that list.
Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin*
This is my book club read for my in-person book club (the first event of which will be held at Nan Moors next week, if any of you are local). It’s absolutely brilliant, and I devoured it in one day on holiday last week. It’s the story of three Vietnamese siblings journey on a small boat to Hong Kong, where they are kept in a refugee camp until being relocated to England, where they live in another camp until they are allocated a home. It’s mainly told from the perspective of the oldest daughter, Anh, occasionally switching perspective to one of her brothers. There are also chapters narrated by someone researching into the history of Vietnamese refugees and beautifully written chapters narrated by Anh’s youngest brother, who perished along with the rest of her family. It’s heartfelt and wonderfully written, having me in tears at times.
Happy Hour by Marlowe Granados*
I enjoyed this account of a young girl getting by during a summer in New York, meeting interesting people and living the high life while trying to make ends meet. I liked how Marlowe Granados writes and was completely absorbed when reading this, but there isn’t really a plot making it fun but forgettable.
BOOKS RELEASED IN APRIL (*affiliate links)
Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang*
Children of the Sun by Beth Lewis*
The Daydreams by Laura Hankin*
The Girls of Summer by Katy Bishop*
The Forgotten Girls by Monica Potts*
Thirst for Salt by Madelaine Lucas*
Have a marvellous May!
Emma xx