Indice dei contenuti per August 2022 in The Simple Things

Morning! Are you rising and shining? I normally get woken by my daughters, who are three and one. Once I've dropped them to nursery, I might have a lemon and ginger tea with honey, although most days, I get an oat latte from my local café. Tell us a bit about your work I'm an embroidery designer, specialising in hand embroidery. I work from home and it can be hard to maintain tidiness with small children, so I have my own room that's light, calming and organised. What led to this career? After graduating with a Fashion Textiles degree, I taught myself hand embroidery. I started Embellished Talk in 2016 and then quit my office job in order to teach workshops and become an embroidery designer. Fantastic! What does the…

PAUSE I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold You can taste the deliciousness of the summer fruit and the shimmer of early morning heat in William Carlos Williams' poem, which was written in 1934. Composed like an apologetic note to his wife for a small act of thievery, the poet, who was also a practising doctor in Rutherford, New Jersey, celebrates the simple pleasures of life in 33 mischievous words. Things to Ponder: How does the punctuation (or lack of it) conjure up how the fruit is eaten? What does this scene suggest about the poet's homelife? By William Carlos Williams, from The Collected Poems: Volume I, 1909-1939…

It's summer and gardens are blooming. Many of the pretty plants we admire are purely decorative but – whisper it – some are edible, too. Re-imagine your garden's flora and foliage as ingredients (with a sprinkle of folklore). These flowers and herbs earn their place in the flowerbed and on the kitchen table alike. Hello, petal HONEYSUCKLE Anyone who's tasted the tiny drop of nectar found at the heart of this extraordinary flower will know why it's named honeysuckle. Other names for honeysuckle include ‘goat's leaf, ‘fairy trumpets’ and ‘woodbine’. A favourite of Scottish wise women (aka witches), honeysuckle was thought to ward off evil spirits when grown around the entrance to a home, bringing good luck, healing and harmony to its inhabitants. LEMON VERBENA Lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) is…

CRAFT A freshly lit candle flickers on a workbench, beside it sits a vase of newly cut flowers and a personal photograph. Not the usual tools of the trade for a skilled basket weaver, but then Sophia Campbell's work has a very specific job to do. When complete, the casket she is making will become a final resting place that holds and honours the life of an amazing human being. Today her small business is one of 10 in the UK that craft willow coffins. Once every town had their own coffin maker, but it's not a job description you see on many modern CVs. “When I'm introduced to people at events, they think I've said I make coffee,” Sophia smiles. Perhaps unsurprisingly, owning a business weaving caskets wasn't part…

EMILY WHEELER is well aware of the difficulties families on the lowest incomes face from her job as a social worker. Sitting down for a cup of tea is a simple pleasure for many of us, but for those living in social housing, it can't be taken for granted. Only 2% of social tenancies are furnished, meaning many of the most vulnerable people on welfare support have to buy things like chairs to sit on, flooring, curtains, a fridge and an oven, or do without. Emily had seen people who'd had the courage to flee domestic abuse, who, when faced with empty flats and no money to look after their children, returned to their abuser. “When I thought about how many designers and brands had perfectly good furnishings sitting in…

‘In the sunshine and the postie dropped off the newest @simplethingsmag.’ @andhopedesigns ‘I took the new issue of my magazine and my afternoon job to the cafe.’ @ceciliasalster ‘Perfect Sunday morning.’ @emaharristr7 ‘Ready to enjoy the simple things in life over a cuppa and some biscuits.’ @culture_bean ‘Staying put with a cuppa and a flick through @simplethingsmag.’ @madebymim ‘Lazy Sunday afternoons – how has yours been?!’ @basketbasket ‘Yay it arrived just in time to take on holiday with me!’ @mystical_drifter ‘After a busy weekend, I've been enjoying a slow start to the holidays.’ @_oceancityliving ‘This beautiful magazine feels like a real luxury.’ @visiontoreality.life ‘Reading my @simplethingsmag, which I hid away when it arrived’ @just_your_average_little_jo ‘Catching up on my The Simple Things reading in the sunshine.’ @emmy_k85 ‘A few of my…

Amy-Jane Beer lost her best friend in a kayaking accident. For some seven years after Kate's death she shunned the rush of the rivers that they'd both adventured on. Slowly the water called her back, and this erudite, beautifully observed book is an account of the becks, burns, fast-flowing rivers and calm pools that the biologist-turned-naturalist visited. Determined ‘to pay more attention'to her surroundings, she describes the science of water, its meandering ways, the flora and fauna and the excitement of heading into dark caves in search of underground streams. Beautiful. (Bloomsbury Wildlife)…

Having emigrated and then returned, downsizing to the bare essentials in the process, I don't have many treasured possessions. But the one thing that has stayed with me – and travelled to Canada and back – is a carved wooden box from Singapore. It's not even as big as a shoe box, and is broken and battered, but I love it because it belonged to my grandfather. I never met him; he died when my father was a small child but by all accounts, he was a kind and gentle man. He looks it in the photos I have. In one, he's sitting in a rattan chair in the tropical garden of the house he lived in; in another, he's with his wife and three children. He's handsome and has…

Caribbean reef octopus Not the most gregarious: only comes out at night and mates once in its life. Even recalls where its attackers lurk, going out of its way to avoid them. Chambered nautilus Nautilus (one of only six known species) but undeniably nice. Their chambered shells could be the most beautiful buoyancy aid in existence. Common cuttlefish Like many, summer in Europe's shallower waters. Also, like us, have very big brains. Less similar on the three hearts, two tentacles and eight arms thing Vampire squid This ocean depths dweller is neither a vampire, nor a squid. Eternal life? Almost. Its ancestry is estimated to go back about 165 million years. Flamboyant cuttlefish Actually a very restrained cuttlefish, mostly staying camouflaged. Its flamboyant side - reds, andyellows - comes out…

Carly felt the mud drying on the back of her tights as heat blew up from the tube vents against her ankles. Another Monday was goingto start with her apologising for being late, but she didn't care - today was already special. She looked at the ad panels facing her as she stood, swaying to the movement of the carriage. Hair regrowth, vitamins for bloating, and the holiday you'll probably never take. No wonder commuting filled people with such dread. For Carly, a reminder of all the things her sister Jess liked to nag her about. Jess was obsessed by gut health, recommending everything from celery juice to sitting in a room made entirely of salt for problems that Carly didn't even have. And she swore these endless remedies also…

GROWING There's a moment between daylight and dusk when my urban summer garden gives me the chills. In this quiet, almost secretive time when the sun drops behind the fence line, it seems as if I'm entering a parallel universe. Nighttime insects and animals arrive, and even plants behave differently, all of which can be so easily overlooked. Less reliant on sight, my other senses become heightened. Flowers release intoxicating fragrances, the soil smells moist and sweet, and the sounds of water features and rustling foliage can take on magical qualities without the clamour of children, traffic or neighbours. My garden under moonlight seems to detach itself from the ground, transporting me to another world. White flowers shine like moons, my pond becomes a planet, the waterfall a luminous constellation,…

GOOD THINGS TO DRINK PALOMA Tequila. It makes us happy, as the song goes. Especially when served in this civilised Mexican cocktail. Serves 4 Salt 200ml tequila bianco 40ml agave syrup 40ml lime juice 240ml pink grapefruit juice Ice Soda water Pink or red grapefruit slices and rosemary sprigs or borage flowers, to garnish 1 Dip the rim of each glass in a bowl of water, shake off the excess, then sprinkle a spoonful of salt onto a plate or saucer and dip the glasses in to coat the rims. 2 Fill a cocktail shaker or large lidded jar with ice, then add all the remaining ingredients except for the soda water and garnish. Depending on the size of your shaker, you may need to do this in a few batches. Shake until the outside of the…

THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE Nature project Make an outdoor bed for nature-watching An outdoor ‘bed’ for the garden lets you cloudwatch (on your back) or watch insects march past (on your tummy). Take five pillowcases (matching is lovely but as long as they're the same size, it doesn't matter) and get the sewing machine out. Lay two pillowcases on top of each other with ‘open’ ends at the same side and machine-stitch along one of the long edges to attach them to each other, approx ⅜ of an inch into the fabric. Do the same with another pair. Using the same technique, stitch the two pairs together, so you have a line of four, all with openings on the same side. Finally, stitch the last pillowcase, in the same…

Know a thing or two… We love to observe nature through a soft-focus lens, celebrating the benign and beautiful – gilded autumn leaves, the petrol flash of a kingfisher's plumage, the gentle hum of bees. But the true magic of nature is found in the margins of the landscape, the ditches and edges seized upon by opportunistic seeds and small creatures. Here, life sparks in the shifting sediment of a puddle, in the furrows of freshly rootled soil, even in the organic droppings of a grazing animal. This dynamism of nature is the driving force behind the rewilding philosophy. Beavers, extinct in the UK since the 16th century, are a good example of this process at work, and they've become something of a ‘poster animal’ for rewilding. Stories of their…

WISHLIST Bookshop browse Nancy Campbell had a traumatic lockdown, and splitting up from her long-term partner left her homeless. Resourceful, and adventurous of spirit, she bought a ramshackle old caravan, drove it to an overgrown strip of woodland on the outskirts of Oxford and set about repairing her life. Attuned to nature, she watches white butterflies on the buddleia, plants chard and beetroot, white currant and Japanese gooseberry, makes one pot dinners, serves meals on saucers and contends with the frustrations and consolations of living in a cramped space. Hopeful, honest and lyrically written, a memoir which celebrates resilience in precarious times. (Elliott and Thompson)…

Into the Wild >With over 200 workshops, music, food and drink, plus an award-winning kids area, this is a festival where the whole family can go wild. The fun takes place at Chiddinglye Farm, East Grinstead, 26–29 August, with tickets from £65. intothewildgathering.com The Great Antiques & Vintage Fair, Wetherby Racecourse >With hundreds of indoor and outdoor pitches, this fair, held at Wetherby Racecourse, has something for everyone. Taking place on 6 and 7 August, entry starts at £5. jaguarfairs.com/wetherby Camp Good Life >Enjoy the mellowest time of year as Camp Good Life returns with its boutique festival for 1000 lucky people. Think music, bonfires, harvest and giant feasts. It takes place 16–18 Sept in Hawarden, North Wales, with day tickets from £49. thegoodlifesociety.co.uk…

A PLACE TO STAY When the landscape is so integral to a place, you want to immerse yourself in it - sitting, cooking, bathing and sleeping under the big skies are all part of the experience. But you also want to sleep well, have a hot shower, somewhere to chill on a rainy day (this is Wales, after all) and eat warm toast in the morning. Glamping is now a loose term for anything more sophisticated than a pitch-your-own tent, but when it truly delivers it creates the definition of luxury for nature lovers, with consideration to the environment and landscape. At Little Retreat in the village of Lawrenny in Pembrokeshire, they've got it just right. Where we stayed The Little Retreat is setwithin the grounds of what was once…

Serves 10-12 For the streusel* topping: 90g plain flour ¼ tsp fine sea salt 60g soft light brown sugar 55g unsalted butter, melted For the cake: 150g plain flour 1¾ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp fine sea salt 75g ground almonds, toasted 120g sour cream, at room temp 45ml sunflower oil 60ml whole milk, at room temp ½ tsp vanilla extract 90g unsalted butter, at room temp 150g soft light brown sugar 2 large eggs, at room temp 150g raspberries Icing sugar, for dusting 1 Begin by making the streusel topping. Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually add the melted butter while stirring with a fork, until the mixture starts clumping together. Store in the fridge until needed. 2 Preheat the oven to 175C/Fan 155C/Gas 3. Meanwhile, grease and line a 23cm round…

MY CITY *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, but for now just sit back, relax and enjoy some armchair travel. How long have you lived in the city? I've lived in Bordeaux since 2010, although I also spent a few years here back in the 1990s. What brought you here originally? I'm from Bristol - Bordeaux's twin city. I came here on an exchange programme with Southampton Uni, which resulted in me teaching English at Bordeaux University. Tell us what makes your city…

WELLBEING Adip in the sea; tea in bed; yoga; cinema matinees; the smell of my son's hair; sound baths; a square of fresh, sticky baklava. To quote The Sound of Music, these are a few of my favourite things and a sustaining source of pleasure in my dream working week. I say dream. In reality, these small, sensory-driven experiences – the ones that make me feel grounded, happy, creative or simply the most natural version of ‘me’ – are often sat in a bit of a holding pen. I promise myself that I'll join a wild swimming group before jumping in the waves, while tickets for an afternoon at the cinema pivot on the tired old promise that, first, I'll see off that looming deadline. It's comforting to know I'm…

STYLE Packing for a holiday, I realised that all of my favourite summer dresses are, in fact, shirt dresses. Squished into my wheelie case was a classic flared silhouette covered in a pineapple print, a couple of maxilength numbers - one particular goodie with an abundance of pleats - and another with a fabulously swishy skirt. In theory, all very different dresses but there's no denying that they're all cut from the same cloth of inspiration. The shirt dress is my summer staple. I like the wide lapels, the nipped-in waist, the sense of occasion that comes from a flared skirt. Or, in the case of the straight-skirted number, the easy answer to first-thing-in-the-morning clothing decisions. All this and the sleeves stop you from getting red shoulders in the sun.…

Summer garden bouquet At this time of year, there is an array of flowers to pick from right on your doorstep. A sprig of lavender, a few daisies and cosmos from your flower beds, a small branch of budleia from that bush you pass on your dog walk, plus a sprinkling of sweet peas and calendula flowers all come together to create a wild display that doesn't need to be neat to bring joy to the kitchen table.…

Spiky, mischievous and smart Rebecca May Johnson's book tells the ‘complicated story of cooking for ten or more years in ten or more kitchens.’ Criss-crossing London, when compelled to move by fractious landlords, rather than by the dictates of adventures, she ponders why we cook, how we cook and who we cook for. The kitchen can be a nourishing space, but it's also the site of stifling domestic roles and of confined ambition, and Rebecca May celebrates the robust refusal of gender roles, while singing the praises of recipes that splatter, sharp knives that cut cleanly and apron strings that tie tightly. (Pushkin Press)…

“We designed this natural swimming pool ourselves based on the topography of the site, building around the garden. I'm so happy with the way we've emphasised the beauty in the natural environment and I particularly love the walkways around the pool and the diving board. We also built a woodfired sauna as my husband Jon is very into the whole cold swim/sauna thing. It's such an invigorating thing to do. When our grown-up kids come back, there's nothing better than a dip – we all swam last Christmas Day. We feel totally relaxed here, as if we've stepped off our usual world and into something very special.”Caroline and Jon Edwards, Cheltenham@jonsnaturalswimmingpooljourney “I wanted water in this area to reflect the sky. Sometimes the sunsets make the water look as if…

THE FINE PRINT Whether lt‘s for the kids or a make–do foot cooler for yourself, the arrival of the paddling pools is a sight of summer. This limited edition print by Lucy Mahon marks the moment all year round. £70 from printclublondon.com MATCHBOXES PUZZLE Using one circle and one square each time, put the letters together to form seven six-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. © Lovatts Puzzles (answers on page 124) “I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list…” Susan Sontag The PRACTICAL, the PLAYFUL and the SILLY Ready for this…

Seaweed rostis Seaweed adds a savoury note to these rostis, which are delicious with an egg - poached or fried - perhaps for a holiday ‘second breakfast’? » Seaweed rostis Makes 2 (or 4 as a side) 1kg floury potatoes, peeled and roughly grated 1 banana shallot, roughly grated 1 tsp fine flaked sea salt ½ small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped 1 heaped tsp dried seaweed flakes 1 medium egg, beaten 1 heaped tsp plain flour ½ tsp baking powder Vegetable oil, for frying Edible allium flowers (optional) For the herb salsa: ½ small bunch of parsley ½ small bunch of basil 2 tbsp capers in brine, chopped 1 tsp caper brine from the jar 1 garlic clove, grated 60ml extra virgin olive oil Finely grated zest and juice of ½ an unwaxed lemon 1 Preheat the oven to 120C/Fan lOOC/Gas…