List: Early Spring

Apricity, mimosa flowers and snail mail

The past few days here in Somerset have blushed with spring. A rising dawn chorus, pink skies over fields of newborn lambs, and carpets of primroses - yellow, pink and purple - have appeared across the garden. The warmer days somehow make the dark moonless nights even more majestic.

It’s no secret that winter, with its cold embrace, challenges me the most of our four seasons — perhaps decades of living in the city softened the edge. So when spring begins to stir, my heart softens, often straight into rhubarb crumble and milky chai.

Here’s what I’m holding close during this tender transition:

Mimosa blossoms: With their delicate fragrance and sunny flowers, Mimosa brings a radiant glow to dull days and a joyous sense of child-like wonder.

Noodle soup: My one true love. Especially on days when the sky is pregnant with rain. I don’t have a recipe, but, as with most good dishes, it’s a quality chicken stock that makes the broth extra delicious.

Apricity: Living in the woodlands of Somerset, …