The years go by but some things stay the same - I am still a big kid when it comes to 'back to school' time and I cannot resist buying some new pens!

This is really my favourite time of year. Feeling the energy from the sun and a long summer holiday, the mornings just that bit cooler and crisper, the markets an abundance of colour of harvest time and the basil and tomatoes amazingly tasty!

The last part of our summer holiday we spent with my sister-in-law and enjoyed the pool and the garden of vegetables that we love every year...

Abundance of basil which we turned into pots of pesto (used in the recipe below)

However, lets face it getting back into the rhythm of school and work can also be tough.

The first day that I was sitting down for hours on end just felt so unnatural - and yet very soon we get used to it and it becomes normal :-(
We have had to set the alarm clock every morning this week (something we never usually do as the kids are just as reliable to wake us up at 7.15am every morning)... that beep beep as the first thing I hear every day is not my favourite!
The kids, although so happy to be back at school, are more tired and more irritable and mornings and evenings lose their gentle flow...
We all got soaked in the amazing storms on Wednesday....

I like to take a moment during the first week of September to write some words or wishes for the coming academic year... something that will make me feel that the year will progress in a way that will make me feel good and feel that I am moving on.

I make it fun and colourful and light - not full of 'shoulds' but full of what I want to do or how I want to feel...

This year (among many other things) it is back to my wonderful yoga class (home practice really does not work for me!), not over-scheduling, keeping running and testing out more and more yummy recipes to share with you!

So to celebrate this season of colours, check out this wonderful Italian style soup with cavalo nero

What are your wishes for the new term?