Inhaltsverzeichnis für April 2023 in The Simple Things

Pop into a bakery for Hot Cross Buns Have a go at upcycling a piece of furniture Find a new farmer's market to try Learn to say ‘thank you' in as many languages as you can manage Print out a map of your neighbourhood and aim to walk every street in it Try some of our ideas, make up a few of your own, or just read and enjoy! Think of the stories your wooden spoons could tell; the cake mixtures, bread dough, buns and scones, not to mention soups and stews – it's a utensil that's made for food to share. Slow food, where there's time to ponder as you stir. Baking is not an everyday activity for most of us, so there's a sense of occasion to getting…

Four be the things I am wiser to know: Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe. Four be the things I'd been better without: Love, curiosity, freckles, and doubt. Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne. Three be the things I shall have till I die: Laughter and hope and a sock in the eye. About the writer: Once described as ‘a Sappho who could combine a heartbreak with a wisecrack,' Dorothy Parker's life was a combination of dazzle and darkness, as was her writing. Famous for her stinging repartee and quotable one-liners, she embraced the excesses of the Jazz Age, but it took a huge emotional toll; her biting wit was a cover for deep vulnerabilities and hard-won wisdom. Things to ponder: How…

C'est Prévue Emmy Lusila is only 22 years old, but is already called mother by at least 13 children. As founder of Maison des Anges, she houses and cares for children who would otherwise be living on the streets of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. When she was 13, she would join in with people from her church who visited the ill, the imprisoned and those in need. She knew even then that there was more that could be done to help people, and at 15 she set up La Voix de l'Espoir (the voice of hope), as a way of amplifying the voices of children. “We try to explain to people that it's not only the future of those children that's at stake,” she says, “but…

GARDENS The first thing I ever grew was in a pot by the back door. In the otherwise drab and sterile yard of my university digs, the verdant mint stems were a welcome splash of life and colour. That single plant was quickly followed by many more, but even as I've traded up on living quarters and gardens over the years, I still keep pots by the back door. I like to see the plants through the glass, and they brighten up what is otherwise generally a utilitarian area. They appeal to my inner laziness, too, because they're within easy reach. A FEAST FOR THE SENSES As back doors often lead out from the kitchen, they're an ideal spot to grow herbs, fruit or vegetables – especially as, if it's…

BELONGINGS My garden is a constant source of rejuvenation. A well from which I can draw all year round to replenish myself. But like many, I find there is a blackness that descends sometime after the bustle and excitement of Christmas, which drags its way through the year's bleak, grey beginnings and lingers into those still-cold early days of March. As spring makes its slow start, I take out my seed box and spend evenings with hundreds of packets spread across the floor, checking, counting, planning what to grow for the year ahead. And finally, as the ground warms and the frosts subside, I begin to sow. This is when the year really begins for me. There are organic and heritage varieties, saved seeds from last year from my garden…

“I love big Georgian windows, they allow so much light in and have big sills to display things on. This is the view from my dressing room, looking out over the garden and woods beyond. It's east facing, so the golden morning light comes pouring in. My love of curious objects has led to my collection of shells, a taxidermy elephant beetle, a pretty wooden fan bag (which plays with the light), and a little collection of my old children's books. The print is one of a nude lady with a lovely dimpled bottom – very on point for a dressing room, in my opinion! The window shutters have been boarded back but they create great depth to the room.” Rachel Thomas, Tunbridge Wells, Kent @rcop123 “I made the glass…

SHIPBUILDING It's 40 years since this protest classic made the UK charts, a year after the events that inspired it – the Falklands War. The version that charted was by Robert Wyatt, but the lyrics were penned by Elvis Costello (Costello did his own for his 1983 album, Punch the Clock). Costello wrote the lyrics after being played the melody by Clive Langer at a party – later saying, “It's a pretty good lyric, yeah.” That's perhaps too modest, as they're deeply moving. As David Bowie put it, it can change “strong men to blubbering girlies.” Costello links the facts that it's the economically depressed, former shipbuilding areas of the UK that'll benefit in employment terms from the war, balanced by it probably being the young of those towns who'll…

Mood: uplifting, energising, comforting Aroma: warm and spicy with zesty lemon notes Origins: Native to India, the essential oil is steam distilled from the rhizome. A long history of medicinal and culinary uses, playing a key role within Ayurvedic medicine. Uses*: To calm an upset stomach, add a few drops to a handkerchief and inhale. Add to massage oils to relieve muscle tension. Blends ell with: Citrus essential oils, plus other fresh and spicy essential oils such as clove, frankincense, geranium, juniper, patchouli, vetiver. Also lavender, rose and sandalwood. *Ginger essential oil is slightly phototoxic. Avoid using it 12 hours before, or during, sun exposure.…

JULTAGI TIGHTROPE WALKING, KOREA Often performed as part of the spring festivals (as well as the autumn ones), jultagi is the Korean art of tightrope walking. Whereas we think of tightrope walking as a acrobatic feat, jultagi combines it with music, comedy and storytelling – as Park Ji-na, a rare female practitioner, said to The Korea Times: it “is not just about technique. It is an art.” It definitely requires great technical skills, with more than 40 techniques to be mastered, from laying on the rope to leaping up from a kneeling position, and performances last for several hours! Its history is thought to be over 1,000 years old, and requires years of dedication. Park Ji-na was inspired after being awestruck at a performance when she was 11 – she…

GOOD THINGS TO EAT Welcome to my veg patch Take a stroll with me in my garden and see it change through the seasons. I'll share what I'm planting, harvesting and cooking, including my successes… and my failures. We'll gather the goodies in a muddy bucket and head to the kitchen to make a joyful meal (we'll even use the slug-nibbled ones). These are simple, seasonal recipes I make after a day in the garden. I hope they give you some new ways to celebrate nature's bounty. The dog's name is Hadleigh, by the way. The hungry gap April, an odd time for the veg grower. Not a lot to eat, but lots to do. This is the depth of the Hungry Gap: those weeks when winter's crops are over…

THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE Beneath your feet BLUEBELL CARPETS We're lucky here in the UK to have half the world's bluebell population to enjoy – a pretty amazing thought, given what a small collection of islands we are. The average date to see the first bluebell here is 14 April but they can bloom any time between late March and early May, depending on the weather and where in the country you are. You can find them under hedgerows but for spectacular hazy, blue carpets of them, heading to an ancient woodland is your best bet. Visit the Woodland Trust's website for lists of bluebell woods around the UK. You can also help protect bluebells by recording your sightings on their ‘Nature's Calendar' each year. Find it in the…

GATHERING Nothing says Easter weekend quite like a relaxed lunch with friends. Greet spring sunshine with the flavours of Italy and switch up classic roast beef with a selection of dishes made with a little Mediterranean flair. Don't worry, all the favourite trimmings are all still there, just with a bit of a twist. Beef and salsa verde take centre stage in place of lamb and mint sauce, while crunchy gnocchi is a delicious substitute for roasties, not to mention side dishes of cheesy cabbage and seasonal salads. Serve up an easy twist on a classic cocktail, plus a traditional Italian cake and you've all the ingredients for an Easter feast to remember – and with three more Bank Holiday weekends coming up next month, there are still be plenty…

What goes down, comes up Life can be a rollercoaster, and when you're down, bumping along the bottom, and things feel miserable, the only way is up. The sun comes up in the east every morning. I find it very reassuring! Focus on you You can only control your own character, emotions, thoughts and happiness. You can offer to dance with other people and walk with other people, and share a meal with other people, but you can't live their lives for them. Move on My only regrets are when I've hurt other people. Never hurt that's been done to me. The things that have happened to me are now merely the battle scars of a warrior crone.…

There's always time for cake. But some events call for a very particular sort of cake. Cake should always come out for a new job or a new baby, of course. But cake ought not to be saved just for special occasions. Cake is the stuff of life – the trick is to recognise when it's needed and, more specifically, what sort of cake fits the bill. These moments are ‘Cakecasions'. Sunday afternoon spent sorting the shed? That needs a nice, stoic fruitcake – plenty of fruit and nuts for decluttering energy and a good excuse for punctuating the work with several cups of tea. Crafternoon with a friend? A simple Victoria sponge always hits the right note. But the cakecasion might simply be ‘Tuesday afternoon'. Who said the occasion…

A CHECKERED PAST Tartan's history and present celebrated To mark the fifth anniversary of the opening of the V&A in Dundee, this month sees the first exhibition in 30 years to focus solely on tartan. Featuring items from carpets in Balmoral Castle to the leather jackets of punk icons, this is a celebration of a pattern that's both traditional and subversive. In it you'll find a totemic fragment of Bonnie Prince Charlie's dresscoat and Sir Jackie Stewart's racing helmet, alongside items shared by the public – tartan Doc Martens and a pair of Bay City Rollers-inspired trousers made by a lifelong fan, for example. It's a celebration of how tartan has transcended Scottish folk culture and lives on, embedded in culture, design and ordinary life. GUIDING LIGHT The rediscovery of…

LOOKING BACK Sometimes you have to be difficult if you want to change the world. You can't do it by being… mimsy.” So said Carmen Callil, founder of pioneering publishing house, Virago, which marks half a century of championing women writers this year. It was based on a simple but sensational idea – male authors had been taking up too much shelf space for centuries, and it was time to make room for books by women while second-wave feminism was in full swing (inside their books they noted, ‘Virago is a feminist publishing company'). Diving into the pages of a book should be a voyage of discovery. But when the same old voices from the same old walks of life start to dominate our shelves, it's boundary-breaking publishers, like Virago,…

Apple blossom One day, in the not-too-distant future, blossoms will turn into crisp apples ready to be crunched or squished into cider, but now is the time to simply enjoy the delicate flowers, by bringing a fallen or broken branch inside (leaving plenty to become fruit). And while blossom at this time of year is a sight to behold, it used to be believed that if an apple tree flowered out of season, misfortune was foretold.…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE You will need: Tops of 10–15 indigo plants Metal bowl 1–2 tsp salt Rubber gloves Silk scarf 1 The easiest and most direct plant-to-fibre method for dyeing with indigo is to pick the tops of 10–15 indigo plants and give them a rinse. If you want to be a purist, you can wake at sunrise and pick while still fresh from the morning dew, as this is when they have the highest indigo content. 2 Remove the stalks from your plants so you're left with just the leaves. 3 Place your leaves in a non-reactive bowl and sprinkle on the salt. Put your rubber gloves on to protect your hands from the dye and start to mash the leaves with your hands to break down the plant matter. 4 The plants will start to look…

A PLACE TO STAY How far from a London flat can you get in terms of both location and feel over one (long) weekend without getting on a plane? As we woke on our first morning aboard a boat in the Scottish Highlands, it felt an awful lot further than the 500 miles or so we'd travelled to get there. We were aboard a cruiser on the Caledonian Canal, operated by Le Boat, specialists in European boating holidays. Well out of our comfort zone, we loved our mini adventure, spending time in the Highlands and being given the opportunity to captain something more substantial than a narrowboat. Where we stayed The joy of sleeping on our boat was going to bed in a different place each night: and opening the…

Espionage has changed since James Bond first appeared in print 70 years ago this month… The woman with the golden… computer The first step is the same as just about any job… apply – at mi5.gov.uk (you'll need to be British, a UK resident and over 18). You'll likely be more deskbound than Bond, doing fun things like data analysis. For your eyes only It even says when you apply that ‘discretion is vital'. So, that's no risky sexual affairs, and don't take your cues from Fleming's real-life inspirations, such as Cartiercufflinks-and-Rolls-Royceloving Mi6 agent, Biffy Dunderdale. A view to a thrill Don't look at your phone, says former CIA agent Jason Hanson, note what's about you. Try a surveillance quiz at Mi5's site. Bond… Jane Bond Rather than costume changes, P.…

IT'S IN THE BAG Aside from the garment to be darned, you'll need the yarn to do it with. Pick a matching colour, or go for contrast to show off your mending. A similar weight/material to your garment will help: embroidery or sashiko threads also make for nice designs. Then you'll want a darning needle (bigger than a regular sewing needle, and less sharp). A darning mushroom or egg can help with curves – like sock heels – and an embroidery hoop can steady your surface. There are lots of tutorials online, but for an overview of different techniques, consider getting Hikaru Noguchi's Darning (Hawthorn Press). You will be darned!…

Dark Copper Maran Sacré bleu! British marans (no feathers on legs) are thought to be a different breed to the French originals. But they still lay a sacré brun egg. Brahma High in the pecking order, as its godly name suggests, and reaches heights of about 75cm. Thank heavens for its colder egg laying skills. Buff Orpington Kent bred and originally black to cope with 19th-century city soot. Buff variety is maybe more refined – beloved of the Queen Mum. New Hampshire See red all over: moving from its US namesake to the UK in the 1930s, and popular from the mid-century in Germany and the Netherlands. Easter Egger Rather than being a pure breed, it's an American hybrid spottable by its eggs: a cracking array of blues, pinks and…

Torta pasqualina A traditional Easter pie from Liguria, Italy, that can be traced back to the 1500s and still enjoyed today. CUT OUT AND KEEP Torta pasqualina Serves 6-8 500g whole milk ricotta 550g chard, spinach, or a mix 160g parmesan, finely grated, or a mix of parmesan and aged pecorino 5 medium eggs Nutmeg (optional) Olive oil or melted butter, to brush 1 pack filo pastry (around 270g) Fine salt 1 If your ricotta is watery, drain it for 30 mins in a sieve set over a bowl. 2 Discard any tough stems from the greens. Rinse and divide across 2 large pans and allow to wilt, stirring occasionally over a medium heat (or blanch in a pot of boiling water for a minute or two, just until wilted), then refresh under cold water. Transfer to a…

My great-grandma Gyda got a wedding present from her husband. They lived on a farm in North Dakota and instead of an allowance, my great-grandfather gave her money for feed and chicks so she could raise chickens. Like other farm women in the early 1900s, she sold chickens and eggs to town folk. In such households, women's income was often called “egg money” because it so commonly came from raising chickens. The money funded piano and music lessons for my grandma and great-uncle. It wasn't until we left New York for Portland, Oregon, that my own dream of chickens could become reality. Chickens felt like a way to mark that our house had become a home. I wanted to name them Dolly, Loretta, and Patsy, after the country music legends.…

PINOT NERO COLTERENZIO, £19.95 This elegant, subtle Pinot from northern Italy offers the fragrance of redcurrants and black cherry, with ripe berries restrained by a lovely acidity. A suitable partner for light starters, salads and meaty fish. For the best taste, serve cool. BAROLO DI SERRALUNGA D'ALBA FONTANAFREDDA, £46 This has a clear cut and intense nose with overtones of vanilla and spices. Dry, but soft, full bodied, velvety, and well balanced. Ideal with big red meat dishes like the fillet of beef here (not to mention medium mature cheeses) and mature cheeses. REGOLO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE, SARTORI, £18.85 Intense and persistent, this Valpolicella is in the denser, deeper Ripasso style, flavoured with black cherry, dried apricot and dried figs. This is great for an earthy cuisine, such as game, roasted…

IDEAS 8.40am. The kids have gone to school and it's time for me to take Cassie for her morning walk. Cassie is a nine-month-old Bedlington whippet, a lurcher. When Richard II banned commoners from owning greyhounds in 1389, lurchers were bred for hunting and poaching. Their docility and intelligence became almost mythical. Cassie certainly has the docility: most often she has to be dragged from the sofa to go for a walk (her hunting skills remain untested). But when she's not lounging, Cassie is a lively presence, always on the lookout for attention and food. People often say that dogs live in the present and so help keep you in the moment, too. There is much truth in this. But, as my work focuses on human–canine histories, I know that…

GALLERY STRAY CAT ASLEEP ON THE ROOF— SPRING RAIN*TAN TAIGI * Confused as to why this haiku doesn't follow the usual five/seven/five syllable format? In Japan it's the sounds that are counted, rather than the syllables, ref lected in this translation. CRICKETS CHIRP WHILE THE CAT SLEEPS BESIDE THE WOOD STOVE UESHIMA ONITSURA CAT'S BELL HERE AND THERE IN THE PEONIES KOBAYASHI ISSA These haikus have been translated by Aya Kusch, and are taken from Cats in Spring Rain: A Celebration of Feline Charm in Japanese Art and Haiku (Chronicle Books)…

HOME TOUR With a stressful career in the city, Kelly Anderson longed to live a simpler, less anxious life away from the hustle and bustle. However, making a big move and a career change at the same time is never easy, but the solution for Kelly came in the form of an offer from her brother Luke, that not only allowed her to move closer to her family, but to use her new home to change her work life, too. When Luke announced that he was moving to Nova Scotia with his wife and three children, Kelly was offered the opportunity to move into the house he'd built on a piece of their late grandfather's land in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. The house, which is next door to their parents'…

Bookshop browse TURN BACK TIME Hands Of Time: A Watchmaker's History of Time by Rebecca Struthers Rebecca Struthers' sunny studio in an old goldsmith's factory in Birmingham's historic Jewellery Quarter has wooden drawers full of tiny clockwork pieces and vintage machinery that make the hard-to-find parts for vintage watches – often no bigger than a thumbprint. In this fascinating book she celebrates the delicate craft of watchmaking and restoration (a finicky job involving intense concentration and minuscule coils and springs), while also unspooling the history of time and our relationship to it. It's a lovely combination of the micro and the macro – the minute precision of working on watches, and the huge sweep of humanity's quest to measure time accurately. (Hodder and Stoughton) Shopkeeper of the month Scandi style…

Available on Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Zinio, PressReader Save money with a year's subscription (12 issues). The choice is simple.…

DOWN TO A TEA TOWEL Capturing the joys of an al fresco feast complete with flowers and crockery, this Ulster Weavers design sings of the good things that are to come this year, maybe even this month. £7, home-landing.co.uk MATCHBOXES PUZZLE Using one circle and one square each time, put the letters together to form seven seven-letter words. The letters in each shape are in the right order, and either the square or circle can come first. When you have finished finding the words, there will be one set of letters left over. This will be the mystery keyword. “To saunter is a science. To saunter is to live” St George's cross became popular during the Medieval Crusades. George was seen as a ‘crusading saint' and his symbol began to…

SELWYN HOUSE CAKE KNIFE Handmade from English elm. Best for: doubles as a server – meaning you can halve your cake and eat it! £27, glassette.com RAMONA CAKE STAND Dual colour glass stands that look a treat. Best for: three sizes mean there's something for bakes big and small. From £26, anthropologie.com ASTRID FLOWER TINS Share or keep your cake in this charmingly retro stacking tin set. Best for: multiple storage uses beyond (shh!) cake. £24.95, rexlondon.com *Find three good reasons for a ‘cakeasion' on p44…

Scan to hear me sing SEDGE WARBLER If ever a bird song were symptomatic of the hurry of spring, it'd be the turbo-charged sedge warbler. Its song, sung only by the male, is a whirl of scratchy and sweet phrases jumbled together into a rapid monologue a minute or so long, including a fair amount of mimicry. A sedge warbler often starts a song out of sight, hidden in a bush, for example. It gradually inches higher until it reaches the top of the bush and shows itself. After several minutes it launches into the air, still singing. Aloft, it beats its wings wildly. The singer doesn't fly high, nor for long. It just seems to flip up and dive down, a helter-skelter of furious energy. Sedge warblers pair up…

SIMPLE YOGA Revolved Downward-Facing Dog Strengthens the whole body – arms, shoulders, abdomen and legs, with a challenging twist for the spine. 1 Start in an all fours position, with your hips above your knees and shoulders above your wrists. 2 Bring your hands slightly forwards of your shoulders, with your middle finger pointing forward, spread your fingers. 3 Tuck your toes under, and on an exhalation, engage your lower belly drawing the navel back towards the spine. Press through your hands and lift your hips back and up to bring yourself into an upside-down V pose. 4 On an inhalation, lift your left hand off the floor and reach towards your right leg's shin or upper thigh, while allowing the torso to twist open to the right. 5 Stay…

The clue's in the name: Most sunflowers in the UK are Giant Yellow, usually reaching around 3.5 metres. But other varieties can reach greater heights, such as Giraffe (capable of over 5m), American Giant (up to 4m) or Pike's Peak (over 4.5m). Make them feel at home: Plant now, one seed per pot. Kept indoors (away from direct light) until the last frost has passed and, according to Sarah Raven, they're about 30cm high. Find the sunny side: When it's time to move out, pick a spot with lots of sun, ideally also well sheltered so their stems don't get shaken about. They need to be well spaced out – around half a metre between plants – to give roots enough space. Tend your soil: Make sure it's weed-free and…

Eva couldn't sleep. Her husband Tom was away and over the last few weeks she'd been haunted by the voices of her deceased parents, badgering her to leave him. What made them the experts? Could they really see more than she could? “Of course we can,” said her mother. “We're up here in paradise, remember?” Then her father quipped, “Don't get her confused, Edith. It's not like in the books. But it's alright.” “Quiet!” Eva cried. A spring storm was picking up and the windows rattled as if keeping out lonely ghosts. She rang her friend Millicent. “Mill?” “It's after midnight. What's wrong?” “It's those voices again. I feel like I'm going mad.” “Want me to come by?” “I think I need to talk to somebody alive,” Eva admitted. “Give…