Table of contents for November 2018 in The Simple Things

Bohemian Rhapsody, the Freddie Mercury biopic, is in cinemas now. Heart-pumping music alongside a heart-warming story – the ideal combination for a chilly afternoon. STAG PARTY Now underway, the annual red deer rut, in which males compete for a mate, is one of Britain’s most dramatic wildlife spectacles. Exmoor National Park, Galloway Forest Park and Fountains Abbey all have sizeable herds, as does Jura, where deer outnumber humans by 30 to 1. “The most effective way to do it, is to do it” Amelia Earhart, pioneering female aviator BARRELS OF FUN Fireworks, a 30ft blaze and flaming barrels of tar hauled through the streets by the townspeople make this bonfire celebration in Devon’s Ottery St Mary a night to remember; tarbarrels.co.uk. GIFTS ALL ROUND Start your Christmas shopping at Beautiful…

“A chance to display a flash of something interesting between shoe and hem” No one wants cold feet. Few things are as miserable as exposed and chilly toes when the temperature drops. Thank goodness then, for socks. They are what you reach for when you want an instant hit of wrap-around warmth and comfort. Keep your extremities toasty and the rest of the body will follow. Tights have their place in the winter wardrobe but they just don’t have the snug appeal of socks. These days socks are mostly worn beneath trousers, but this was not always the case. During the Middle Ages, men wore socks that covered most of their leg and were held up by fancy garters. Malvolio’s cross-gartered yellow stockings in Twelfth Night are an extreme and…

Pears are easy to grow and long living, and they particularly like a rich soil and a sunny aspect. Those growing on their own roots can grow into large trees, so you will need to source a pear that has been grafted on to a dwarfing root stock such as Quince A (which will restrict your tree to around 3–4m in height) or Quince C (2.4–3m). Pears on Quince C can be trained into espaliers or cordons for growing against a wall. Yield will always be better if you have two trees from the same pollination group (this means that they flower at the same time and so can pollinate each other). Three to try: Conference An old and dependable variety and the best for the north or a shadier…

Morning! Kettle’s on. What do you fancy? A strong Yorkshire Tea to help wake me up and make sure my two sons are out of the house on time for school. Next it’s time to take my dog Frank for his walk. Then it’s more Yorkshire Tea, with cereal, for breakfast. Tell us a little bit about your work. I needle-felt sculptures, mostly dog portraits and fox sculptures. Needle felting is the process of felting or entangling wool roving using barbed needles. The fibres of the wool are agitated until they lock together in a tight bond. For dog portraits, I work with photos and discuss poses with the owners. Each takes two to three days. And we notice you have some furry company? Frank is my constant companion and…

Resistance in the forest During the Second World War, a group led by the Bielski brothers created a Jewish community in the forest of Belarus, with a bakery, laundry, clinic, synagogue, school and courthouse. After 3 years, more than 1,200 people had survived the war in this way. RITUAL GREETINGS The Maori people of New Zealand have a custom of sharing their breath. Every time they meet or leave each other, they touch noses and take in each other’s breathing, affirming that their lives are connected. Alcoholics Anonymous In December 1935, nine months after the end of Prohibition in the US, Alcoholics Anonymous was formed. In 2016, AA was estimated to have 2m members across 150 countries. “Personal recovery depends upon AA unity,” reads its first principle.…

*There’s no better way to get to the heart of a city than through the people who live there. Every month, we ask someone, clearly in love with their city, to take us on a personal tour and tell us what makes it so special. You may feel inspired to visit one day or to rediscover the charms of a city closer to you, but for now just sit back, relax and enjoy some vicarious travel. How long have you lived in Chiang Mai? More than five years. We live within walking distance of the city centre, known locally as the Old City. It’s an almost perfect square, one mile by one mile, surrounded by a moat, with five towering brick gates and remnants of ancient walls along its perimeter.…

Long dark nights trigger a hankering for bright colours, rich pattern and friendly warmth. A wistful glimpse at Mexico’s adobe houses – with their brightly hued walls and rooms filled with plants, patterned tiles and folk artefacts – feels like a burst of sunshine on a rainy day. Take La Casa Azul in Mexico City, where artist Frida Kahlo lived for most of her life, and which is now a museum. Described by the curator as embodying the essence of Mexico, it has colour aplenty from the cobalt-blue exterior walls to the tomato red window frames, decorative tiles and ceramics. A peep into the courtyard reveals abundant foliage and yellow plaster. Mexican folk artefacts and mementoes are displayed all around: minimal it is not. To bring a little of Frida’s…

A BASIC RECIPE YOU CAN ADAPT FOR YOUR CHOICE OF PIGMENT Makes around 8 x 60ml bottles YOU WILL NEED Water A colourful base ingredient (such as berries, rocks, charcoal, nuts, roots or leaves) Potato masher Measuring cups and spoons Pestle and mortar A pot or pan that you don’t mind devoting to ink-making Spoon or stir stick White vinegar (cleaning grade, if you can find it) Salt Thick white paper, for testing Gum arabic (find it at most art supply stores) Wintergreen oil (available from baldwins.co.uk) or whole cloves Glass containers with tight-fitting lids Self-adhesive labels Large bowl Fine-mesh strainer or colander Funnel An old coffee grinder (optional) Coffee filters Glass dropper bottle Litmus papers Rubber gloves and some rags for a clean-up 1 Sterilise your materials: put clean…

We all know the benefits of spending wisely and living debt-free, but it can be hard to remember them in the run-up to Christmas. As we’re barraged by adverts and the present hopes of younger family members, the pressure to buy more builds, and good intentions are forgotten. And that’s just at Christmas. In this age of click-to-buy purchases, it can be as hard to keep spending in check every other day, too. This month sees the annual shopping scrum that is Black Friday (23 November), with its scramble for cheap goods and irresistible bargains. The dangers of buying-without-thinking lurk on every computer screen – the siren call of a quick, mood-boosting internet purchase is hard to resist when you are bored at work or feeling generally listless and need…

“I trained for over a year to be a good enough projectionist for a paying audience” For 10-year-old Umit Mesut, growing up in Northern Cyprus, films were the most exciting thing in the world. Later on, he even started watching them. “At first I wasn’t very interested in the image on the screen,” he says. “I was fascinated in the mechanical side: light shining out, reels turning round, the clatter in the gate.” Thus, a childhood bearing distinct echoes of one of his favourite films, Cinema Paradiso unfolding. When Umit’s cinema-owning grandfather wasn’t whizzing him around beneath Mediterranean skies on the back of his motorbike, he was schooling him in the ways of the projection booth. At the same time, says Umit, “My father brought me an 8mm projector. I…

“On a good day, I call my style ‘unafraid’,” says artist and designer Sarah Hvass of her tiny home in the middle of Copenhagen. Where most of her fellow Danes choose white walls, pale wood and natural fibres, Sarah has gone for zig-zag wallpaper, multiple floor coverings and brave colour choices. All of which provide a surprisingly sympathetic setting for her collection of Danish furniture, vintage ceramics and her own artwork. “I was after an ‘international’ style,” she says, “but one which showcases classic Danish design from the 60s.” A LOVE OF PATTERN Pattern is close to her heart. Squares, diamonds, chevrons and stripes all make an appearance – often more than once, and in different materials. “I love to repeat the same pattern,” she says. “I think patterns are…

There are times when it’s just great to be tangled up on the sofa watching TV with one, or several, loved ones. Or to prop yourself up by the kettle with a cup of tea as other household members mill around and share anecdotes from their day. But at other times this can feel like too much social activity altogether. These are times when you’re itching to finish reading a book uninterrupted, get back to a craft project or perhaps you work from home and have business to attend to. “Overlooked areas have potential for a spot of land-grabbing” Any of these activities needs a designated area that is exclusively yours. The kitchen table with all its comings and goings and constant interruptions will not do. An entire room, à…

1 MAKE Cork is having a revival, and so it should: it is one of very few materials that is both renewable and recyclable. (Bark taken from the Cork Oak doesn’t harm the tree, which can live for more than 200 years.) It’s also handy for pinning things on and thus makes a neat noticeboard. Cut a panel (this is Domestic Cork Tile by Biscay, £21.50 per metre at tiledealer.co.uk) into an interesting shape or line an entire wall with it. 2 BUY A wire grid is a semi-industrial way to display, or keep close, objects such as scissors, notebooks, postcards and all kinds of ephemera. Use bulldog clips, metal hooks and ribbon to dangle, clip and hang a variety of objects. This Grey Wire Mesh Mood/Memo Board, £56.95, by…

Annie began her book in the summer of 1979. In the beginning, it was just for her grandchildren, a perfect antidote to their woes. Bethany fell over endlessly and scuffed her knees, and while Peter’s self-preservation levels were higher, he was sensitive, once crying buckets over the accidental death of a snail. Each time, Annie would reach for her scrapbook, and within a few pages, there would be chuckles in place of tears. The ‘feel-good book’, as she named it, never let her down. Of course, Peter and Bethany had grown up – both had children of their own now. How could it be that she was old enough to be a great-grandmother? Annie could remember turning 21 as if it was yesterday. Len would have laughed at the absurdity…

This modern take on toffee apples is a sticky, sugary heaven for children – and a salt-laced caramel treat for grown-ups Makes 10 10 apples (Granny Smiths work well) Toffee apple sticks* 300g light brown sugar 3 tbsp maple syrup 6 tbsp golden syrup 220g unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 heaped tsp flaked salt Cook’s note Unlike traditional toffee apples, getting a caramel sauce to stick to the apples is a little more tricky. You need a sugar thermometer and to work really quickly when dipping. It may require a little more effort but the result is worth it. The apples will keep in cellophane bags for 2–3 days. 1 Wash apples, dry thoroughly, remove stalks and replace with sticks. Place the fruit in the fridge (washing and…

The Peter & Henri CV 1976 Peter and Henri get together in their first year at college 1979 Peter goes to Australia ‘to do what a man’s got to do’. After a year he convinces Henri to join him 1981 The couple marries in Henri’s home town in Buckinghamshire 1989 They buy the Devon farm and Pipers begins 1995 Pipers named Best Butcher in Henrietta Green’s Food Lovers’ Guide to Britain 2005 The online shop launches 2010 Pipers open their doors for the BBC Kill it, Cook it, Eat it series 2018 Pipers pick up four awards and a Golden Fork (given to the biggest winners) at the Great Taste Awards 2018…

Cranberry & lime vodka Time to prepare: 10 mins, plus daily turning for a week Leave to infuse: at least a month Peel of one unwaxed lime 2 tbsp of sugar 50g dried cranberries 1 cinnamon stick 450ml good quality vodka* 1 Have a large, clean storage jar with a tight-seal lid ready. Add the lime, sugar, cranberries and cinnamon stick to the bottom of the jar. 2 Add the vodka, stir to submerge and mix the ingredients. Seal the lid and store the jar in a cool, dark place. 3 For the first week, swirl or turn the jar gently to help the sugar dissolve. 4 After a month – taste; if happy, strain the ingredients from the vodka, wash the jar and return vodka to it or decant…

Yawn makes relaxing nightwear for women following simple principles: slow down, do a few things well; limit waste and noise; surround yourself with simple things you love… This focus means Yawn has spent lots of time with women discussing what they want from nightwear. Collar buttons, deep pockets, generous, double-stitched hems. A few of your favourite things. The perfect nightwear fabric, however, proved elusive. So Yawn created its own. Standard cotton has 150 threads per square inch, Yawn’s has 284. This creates a smooth fabric with reduced show-through. It’s naturally non-allergenic, breathable, wicks away moisture and its low heat conduction keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. It’s stronger, finer and made to last. Apparently some people take their PJs to the dry cleaner’s. For the rest of…

Animal payback Sir David Attenborough is urging companies to donate to conservation projects when their advertisements feature animals. He is backing a new initiative, The Lion’s Share, which will see partners contribute 0.5% of their spend for each ad that features an animal. “Animals are in 20% of all advertisements. Yet, they do not always receive the support they deserve. Until now,” he said. Legally gay India India’s supreme court has scrapped a colonial-era ban on gay sex. The act became a criminal offence again in India when a law named Section 337 was reinstated in 2013. But the nation’s supreme court has now ruled that gay sex “among consenting adults in private” is not a crime. “We have to vanquish prejudice and ensure equal rights,” said Dipak Misra, India’s…

Favourite shops BAAN TAWAI Less a shop, more a community of wood-carvers: get lost among the incredible sculptures, home décor items and custom-designed furniture, all made from beautiful hand-carved wood. Favourite café CLAY STUDIO COFFEE IN THE GARDEN This ancient-looking garden is actually an art studio filled with terracotta pottery. Enjoy tea and coffee among the cool shade of trees and ferns. Search for ‘Clay Studio Coffee’ on Facebook. Favourite restaurant HUEN MUAN JAI This open-air, garden-style restaurant serves authentic Northern Thai dishes. Be sure to order several; portions are small.huenmuanjai.com Favourite market WAROROT MARKET Like a modern-day supermarket outdoors. You’ll find everything from fresh produce and fresh cut flowers to handcrafted accessories, home décor items and kitchenware. Off Chang Moi Road, near the river. Favourite hotel BAAN BOO LOO…

Your local bookshop will be able to order in any title you’re after. Forgotten a birthday and need something speedily? When it’s not possible to pop-in in person, see if your local – like many – has an online ordering service. If not, there are good places to keep your shelves stocked. Connected to a network of independent sellers, at hive.co.uk a proportion of each sale goes to a local bookshop, or you can nominate your favourite. Wordery.com is a fast-growing British independent online seller, with millions of titles and free delivery. If you’re based in London, it’s worth checking out Near.St – it can tell you if a local shop has your book in stock – you can then choose to pick it up or have it delivered within…

Garden Organic curates a wide range of unusual vegetable varieties in its Heritage Seed Library – many of which have a tale to tell, such as climbing French bean, the Cherokee Trail of Tears. In 1838 the Cherokee nation was displaced by settlers and set off on an infamous march that became known as the Trail of Tears. They were only able to take their most precious possessions with them, one of which was a humble bean. Now you can get your hands on this climbing French bean to grow in your own garden, all while helping to continue Garden Organic’s work conserving heritage veg varieties. JOIN THE CLUB For less than £5 a month, you can become a member of Garden Organic and the Heritage Seed Library, support its…

Don’t buy stuff you can’t afford Try to distinguish between what you need and what you want. Postpone buying the ‘wants’ until you have sufficient cash. That way you will feel the giddy power of self-discipline and avoid risk of debt. Write shopping lists There’s nothing like shopping with an actual list of ingredients for actual dishes, to feel as though you are the master of your spending. All you have to do now is resist the lure of the impulse buy. Batch cook and freeze Cook more portions than necessary, then freeze the leftovers. It’s thrifty, avoids waste, and means you have a stash of nourishing ready-meals in store. Shop in your own wardrobe Ever bought an item of clothing to find you already have a similar one buried…

Amazingly, succulents have adapted to multiply with no help from us at all. They often shed their juicy leaves to conserve energy, and each healthy leaf contains enough hormones to root without having to be buried. The process couldn’t be more straightforward. With just a shallow tray and some cutting compost, you have the potential to grow ten or 20 babies from a single succulent plant. This makes sharing certain succulents really easy; if you discover an exotic plant at a friend’s house or on your travels, you can simply tweak off a few leaves without spoiling the look of the original plant much at all. A matchbox or small pot makes a good case to protect the leaves in transit till you get home. Don’t keep them in the…

CHOOSE THE RIGHT LIGHT Sitting in your own pool of light creates a boundary. This, it says, is my area where I do my things. A floor lamp positioned directly over a chair in a corner of the room creates a reading nook. An Anglepoise directed at a desk sends a subliminal ‘I’m busy’ message. SIT IN A COMFORTABLE CHAIR Essential, whether an enveloping armchair to curl up in with a book, or a proper office chair. Make sure everyone knows it’s your chair and your chair alone, like Martin’s in Frasier. HAVE A SIDE TABLE AT THE READY A table beside you is necessary to put your things on. These might include a radio, a vase filled with your favourite flowers and, obviously, a mug of tea. KEEP A…

CAPTION COMPETITION OVER TO YOU… Make us giggle with a caption for this peeping eagle owl. Each month we pick our favourite and send a lovely book to the winner. Post your best efforts at facebook.com/thesimplethingsmag HOW TO… MAKE FELTED SOAP It lasts longer, exfoliates skin and is much less slippery to handle You will need: Bar of soap Wool roving (available from hobbycraft.co.uk) Bowl of hot water 1 Wrap your wool roving tightly horizontally around your soap. Then wrap it vertically. Ensure all the soap is lightly covered, securely tucking in the end of the wool. 2 Sprinkle a few drops of hot water onto your soap until the surface is saturated. 3 Using your hands, gently rub and squeeze your soap (it will foam). Keep rubbing…

Re-Fashion believes the future of fashion is circular and has introduced a sustainable alternative to shopping on the high street. The company wants to inspire women to recycle the clothes they no longer wear. These clothes are then sold through its website with all the proceeds going to charity. It’s a virtuous circle that makes clothes affordable, keeps them out of landfill, and helps fund good causes. WASTING LESS The average British woman hoards £285 of clothes that they will never wear. These are often quality brands in excellent condition that can be reused. Not only does passing on unwanted clothes reduce waste to landfill, but it also helps ease our carbon footprint. Wear a piece of clothing 50 times, rather than five, and you’ll reduce its carbon emissions fourfold.…

SAUSAGE & BEAN CASSEROLE Just The Ticket Malbec Mendoza 2017, £10 Intense ripe blackberry notes with hints of milk chocolate. This is the ideal wine to enjoy with grilled meats, sausages and other rustic bonfire favourites. HOT DOGS & COLESLAW Herdade de Coelheiros Branco Alentejo 2017, £16 This elegant Portuguese white is fresh and mineral, with a shot of citrus that will complement the corn salsa and apple coleslaw. And its herbaceous character will go brilliantly with the pesto. PUMPKIN SCONES Quevedo Special Reserve Tawny Port, £18 Warm up by the bonfire with a little glass of this lovely port. Sweet, but not cloying, its marmalade-y character will bring out the citrus notes in the sticky orange glaze. Wines recommended by Borough Wines & Beers (boroughwines.co.uk), which works with small…

Even if you don’t grow your own, you’re likely to come across a glut from time to time – from a friend’s allotment, perhaps, in your weekly veg box, or at a stall at the farmers’ market. Finding varied ways to eat and store this seasonal bounty is satisfying to mind, appetite and pantry. Spend a few hours with your glut and make a dish to eat right away, another for the next day, and a little something for the larder as a future treat. Most pears come along a little later than apples, and although there are a few summer varieties, mostly they are a fruit that sees us through late autumn and into winter: a handy thing at a time when fresh fruit is becoming scarce. Their point…

MAGNIFICENT MALT LOAF Makes a 900g (2lb) loaf 75ml strong, cold black tea 75ml mild beer such as Moorhouse’s Black Cat or Rudgate Ruby Mild*, plus 25ml to finish 150g raisins 150g dried prunes, chopped into raisin-sized chunks Unsalted butter, for greasing 175g malt extract, plus 4 tbsp extra for finishing 85g dark muscovado sugar (must be muscovado, accept no substitutes) 2 large eggs, beaten 100g wholemeal flour 150g plain or spelt flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2½ tsp baking powder 1 In a saucepan, gently heat the tea and beer until bubbles just start to break the surface. Add the dried fruit, remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for 15 mins. 2 Preheat oven to 150C/Fan 130C/Gas 2, making sure the shelf is in…

Garden BY DAN PEARSON In his columns for The Observer Dan Pearson explores the rhythms and pleasures of a year in his London garden, and the rolling hills of Somerset. Here he sings the praises of autumn riches, before plants and humans hunker down for winter. “Each year I fall in love again with the scale of the change we are in the midst of just now” There is part of me that wants to put everything on hold at the moment, to leave the remaining bulbs I have yet to get in the ground and risk not bringing in the tender perennials in their pots. I want to leave the gutters to fill with leaves, the runner beans on their tripods to topple, the compost heap unturned and the…

As the air grows crisper and the colours in nature deepen, we long for soft textures, for rich, warm colours. Luckily, Gudrun Sjödén’s latest collection is a love letter to wool, in landscape-inspired tones from bracken yellow to earthy beetroot. TALE OF MANY TEXTURES Marled, heathered, felted or brushed, wool is one of nature’s more versatile fibres, sometimes ultra soft, sometimes slightly rugged. However you prefer to wear it, wool in all its shapes is the star of Gudrun’s winter story. Just right for chilly winter days, wool takes colour in a beautiful way. It’s a low maintenance choice, too: Gudrun’s advice is not to wash woollens too often. Instead, hang them out to air and soak up sunshine and wind instead. NATURE’S PALETTE The outdoors continues to inspire Gudrun’s…

In terms of depression, if there is one thing to hold in mind it’s this: one step matters. To illustrate this idea, consider depression to be rather like an airport baggage carousel that is teeming with every negative thought, unpleasant feeling, and avoidant, counterproductive action you’ve ever experienced. All the bags are piled high and heavy, sagging and leaning into each other. The carousel chugs away, hauling this load around on a continuous loop. When you find yourself deposited amidst all that baggage, no matter which direction you move on that carousel, you will keep encountering the same old contents. You don’t get anywhere new. What can you do? The answer is obvious: step off the carousel. Simple and effective. Now you’re standing on steady ground and no longer entangled…

The tea towel definitely has designs above its status. This small rectangle of fabric, part of our everyday lives, also doubles as a modern design icon: injecting colour and pattern into even the drabbest of kitchens. They’re packed with memories: pull out an old design from a drawer and it immediately evokes images of home – even if it’s squabbling over whose turn it is to do the washing up with your siblings. But the tea towel has spent a relatively short time in our homes: they emerged as manufactured artefact in the Industrial Revolution, having evolved from the linen cloth initially used to keep a tea pot warm. By the late 19th and early to mid-20th century, your glass towel or tea towel would likely be striped or checked…

Teasels Seedheads have a retro 70s vibe; think clusters of honesty seedpods arranged in earthenware jars. There is, however, a modern way to enjoy their autumnal beauty. The spiky green summer blooms of teasels are now bristling brown seedheads, their architectural elegance accentuated by their long stems. Layer with feathery alliums in a contemporary vase, like this hammered copper design, which is as striking as the statuesque stems it holds.…

There are many ways to make an effective rooting chamber (or miniature greenhouse, as we like to think of ours), and none of them are expensive. The size and shape depends on the size of your plantlet. Basic plastic storage boxes are great for larger cuttings, while smaller plastic fruit and salad boxes make brilliant mini-propagation units for growing seedlings. A clear plastic bag propped up with a rigid support like a short length of cane makes a simple cover and fits nicely over a standard plant pot. Drainage holes are necessary, allow you to water from below. Shop-bought propagation units will also do the job.…

Unfortunately we don’t have a spare room, so I am forced to work in the space under the stairs. This is an area that gets much traffic as the rest of my family move between the kitchen and living room. As they do so, they drop a variety of items on my desk and jostle my chair. How can I encourage them to treat my ‘office’ with respect? Answer in brief: ramp up the office styling. What does your ‘office’ look like a the moment? Does it look like a professional workspace or merely another area of the home? To encourage it (and your work) to be treated seriously, you must do the same yourself. Banish any ‘cosy’ elements and install a proper ergonomic chair, a desk tidy, a…

Green Skinhead An Aussie fungi, found among the roots of gum trees. Sounds anti-establishment but has featured on an Australian stamp. Poison Fire Coral A fungi without the fun – it’s caused the deaths of several people in Japan. Thankfully, it’s rather uncommon. Golden Scruffy Looks like a teen boy with a love  of hair gel. As confusing as a teen, too, its genus causing debate among experts. Unicorn Pinkgill This unicorn – presumably named for its elongated point – definitely does exist, across the Americas and in Eastern Asia. Plantpot Dapperling This poisonous but lazy plant grows in houseplants around the world – getting in on the potting compost action. Starfish fungus Pretty but pungent. Known for producing an evil-smelling slime, which attracts flies but, frankly, the…