weekend wanderings #57

(images from daisybutter.com, allthingsbeautifulblog.co and pearlsandpoodles.com)

• This week I wrote about the trouble with the do what you love rhetoric - and although I was hesitant to post about it, it was very well received, which made me feel much better about those kind of articles.
• These paintings by Fred Fowler are just perfect - I love the richness of the colours, and in particularly, those beautiful green backgrounds (lets not mention his to-die-for studio).
• I always enjoy finding somewhere that I really want to add to my to travel to next list, that I had never really considered before. One of those such places is in the north of England - and Anya shared with us her second part of her Northumberland travel-diary which makes the area look stunning (probably in part to her beautiful photography).
• I know from experience that attempting an ombre dip-dye is not easy (mine was more blocky than gradual), so I'm amazed at how great Alex's pastel dip-dye trousers turned out. 
• A very helpful post with lots of tips on how to improve your knowledge around SEO from Terri, of Hello Terri Lowe, as it's what she does for her day-job, I'm inclined to trust her. 
• Annoyingly, I was unable to see the recent solar eclipse where I live as it was too cloudy, but I have lived vicariously through several blog posts.
• I am a sucker for anything to do with Italy, and Amy and her partner's photographs from a weekend away in Rome are just the thing I need to get me through to the weekend. Speaking of living vicariously...
• For about a month now, I've taken a break from running to try and rest my knee as I was having some issues with it, but I think it's healing and hopefully I'll be able to start some gentle jogs again... Regardless, I am still devouring blogs about running, and this post by Mason Ellis has some great tips about how to run better, run faster, run longer, and be more focused.
• I made Rachel Phipps' gluten free, vegan chocolate ganache bars this week - they're so amazing! I took one to work and although the 'chocolate' topping did melt slightly, they were the perfect mid-afternoon boost of energy that I needed! 
• When I saw this post introducing Bellatrix the bunny from All Things Beautiful, I literally had to suppress a squeal - I'm not sure why but I feel like my life won't be complete until I have a little house rabbit in my life.
• The Hong Kong Botanical Gardens look so cool, and so does Michelle's outfit, but I'm definitely distracted by those palms.
• Anna of Door Sixteen understand my dream house lust: the Belgian home of Rini van Beek, a black exterior with all that glass and glossy white interiors, looking out on that beautiful scenery.
• Sometimes when you're a blogger, you plan a post and you're getting it all ready... and then two other bloggers beat you to the punch. I can't blame them though, because they both have impeccable taste, but both Katie and Sarah shared their favourite lifestyle magazines.
• Since paying my deposit on my holiday, I've been obsessing over places to visit in New York City, and I love Millie's regular updates on her trip - and I've been making notes based on her recommendations! I can't wait for pancakes and trips up the empire state building and walks in the park...
• A colleague and I have a long drive tomorrow, and I'm thinking of making some breakfast muffins for our drive - and these blueberry and almond muffins sound like they'll be just the ticket.