Snapshots of Hampshire

You know you've assimilated into the English culture when you become obsessed with the weather. It's the first thing you check when you get up. The weather forecast app gets more finger taps than anything else on my phone. You race out the door the minute there's a ray of sunshine bursting through between the grey clouds. Or find a spot in the house that gets the most sunshine.

The sun reared its weary head in the evening (finally) so I grabbed my friend Christy and Lil L and made them go for a walk right up to the hilltop.  Even after 5 years, I still get asked frequently why the heck did I prefer to live in the U.K when most people are hoping to escape to Australia or New Zealand. I don't have a garden nor do I ever have a desire to have one. I still have the remarkable talent of killing any plants on my window sill that aren't eaten up within a month. But what I have is charming and pretty countryside right in my backyard.

As we walked down the country lane, we caught a whiff of the fragrant jasmine flower (did you know that jasmine is a natural remedy for stress and anxiety?). There were aquatic insects skimming the surface of the river, squirrels scurrying about and birds chirping in the background. I can't help but feel grateful for my life here in the U.K.