The Simple Thingsの May 2023 の目次

Sit outside with a book until the sun goes down Gather flowers in your garden to make a Beltane posy Use a long weekend to repaint a piece of furniture Go for a walk and a picnic all by yourself Fire up a firepit and toast marshmallows with friends Try some of our ideas, make up a few of your own, or just read and enjoy! What's the best thing about May? The spring flowers, the long, light days or the warmth that promises summer is coming? But why pick one when, actually, they are all part of the natural cycle that underpins life – the bursting forth of new leaves and shoots, which take sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy and enable other life to…

BATTENBERG CAKE Serves 6 125g butter, softened 125g caster sugar 2 eggs ½ tsp almond extract 100g self-raising flour 50g ground almonds 2 tbsp milk Red food colouring (this uses Dr Oetker's gel food colouring, nearly the whole tube) Pinch of salt 100g apricot jam 350g marzipan Icing sugar, for dusting 1 Heat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Using a triple layer of foil, make a barrier down the centre of a 20cm square tin, then line each compartment with two pieces of baking paper. 2 To make the sponge, cream the butter then whisk in the sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time. 3 Whisk the eggs and add the almond extract. Gradually beat this into the butter mixture. 4 Sift the flour, salt and ground almonds into…

A DAY OUT: The Big Help Out There's nothing like the glow of a good deed well done (or a well-earned cuppa and a biscuit afterwards). Pack up your lunch, roll up your sleeves and join an army of helpers on 8 May, spending a day volunteering as part of The Big Help Out, to mark the Coronation. Charities and organisations (including the RSPCA, National Trust, Countryside Alliance and Age UK, to name but a few) have registered their projects at thebighelpout.org.uk, where you can sign up to a project to suit you. Whether you're good with people, animals or the great outdoors, there'll be something to fit your skillset, and you'll get the chance to work alongside others with similar interests and aims. It might be the first step…

FAVOURITE SHOP PENCIL Lifestyle store with a focus on ceramics and tableware. p-pencil.com FAVOURITE CAFÉ PROGRESS LIFE STYLE COFFEE Progress sets the pace for the city's thriving coffee scene. stylecoffee.official.ec FAVOURITE BARS KOBA A local institution, as is its entertaining owner, Tsuyoshi ‘BOM' Mitsuyuki. Ideal for hearty laughs and great food. 1-4 Nakamachi, Naka-ku TROPICAL BAR REVOLUCIÓN An international gathering point – great balcony, amazing cocktails and good vibes. 8F Rolling Nagarekawa Bldg, 3-6 Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku FAVOURITE RESTAURANT LOPEZ Chef Fernando Lopez may be Guatemalan, but his Hiroshima okonomiyaki is the real deal. 1-7-13 Kusunoki-cho, Nishi-ku BEST CINEMA HATCHOZA A boutique movie theatre that shows a mix of mainstream and independent films, and harks back to the golden age of Japanese cinema. 8F Fukuya Hatchobori, 6-26 Ebisu-cho, Naka-ku FAVOURITE MARKET…

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 the simple, seasonal recipes I make after a day in the garden. I hope they inspire and give you some new ways to celebrate nature's bounty. The dog's name is Hadleigh, by the way. Spring has truly sprung The fields are green and verdant, the house martins have returned, the frosts are gone (mostly) and all is lush in the patch. Now we feast on the first peas, lettuces and…

Magdalena Glowacka was researching oral histories and how to record history without using words, when Russia invaded Ukraine. After seeing the embroidery work of a friend's Ukrainian mother, she realised sewing could be a way for Ukrainian refugees who'd recently arrived in the UK to have a place of connection. She founded Ariadne's Thread, a tapestry and embroidery group in Kingston, and a plan to make a large tapestry recreation of ‘Blue Cornflowers', a work by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko, solidified. Word spread and now there are groups across the south of England, and in Poland, Germany, Sweden, Norway and even Ukraine itself, stitching together a story, a culture, and new connections. As Magdalena explains: “The message of sewing threads into flowers is very much one of unity and…

THIS MONTH WE READ BITTERSWEET: HOW TO TURN SORROW INTO CREATIVITY, BEAUTY AND LOVE BY SUSAN CAIN (VIKING) In a nutshell Do you like tearjerker movies, tragic drama, rainy days, melancholic music? This love or appreciation of sad and beautiful things is what author Susan Cain has experienced her whole life. She calls it ‘bittersweet' and describes it as ‘a tendency to states of longing, poignancy and sorrow, an acute awareness of passing time and a curiously piercing joy at the beauty of the world… and the recognition that light and dark, birth and death – bitter and sweet – are forever paired.' Why now? The study of melancholy is nothing new – in ancient medicine, the human body was believed to contain four humours, or liquid substances, each relating…

Wild garlic Next time you go foraging for wild garlic in the woods*, save a few stems from the pot to display their pretty petals and lush leaves. Also known as ramsoms, wild garlic is the punchier cousin of chives and, as tasty as they are, wild garlic looks much prettier in a vase. However, if you've a cat at home be aware – they may not be big fans, as wild garlic is said to repel felines. *Or grow your own. See The Flowerpot Forager on p96.…

GARDENS I've always considered a foray into the wild in search of food to be good for the mind, body and soul. So why, then, grow wild food at home? Well, there have been times recently when venturing out has been a luxury. I started my collection over three years ago at the beginning of the pandemic, with a little pot of wood sorrel. If I couldn't forage for it in the wild, I'd forage for it in the garden. Horseradish and water mint were planted soon after, as were the first dandelion and perennial wall rocket seeds. It wasn't long until I could harvest my first wild ingredients. Every new seedling or shoot brought with it the sense that this was a positive way to garden at any time,…

“I love this space for entertaining - there's nothing like pizza fresh from the oven. It was originally an old piggery, but it was falling down, so we decided to put the roof back on and turn it into an outdoor bar area with a fire pit for chilly nights, a seating area and a pizza oven. Everyone involved in the project came over for the first firing of the pizza oven once it was finished. It's sheltered, so it can be used in any weather and we have a fridge for cold drinks and pizza toppings. It's added so much extra usable space to our garden and is great for parties – the views over the countryside at sunset are beautiful from here, too.” Rachel Lasson, Bristol @thepinkcottageadventure “It's really…

IT'S OH SO QUIET by Björk. Shhhh, shhh… It's Oh So Quiet was initially recorded as a bit of a joke: a cover of a Betty Hutton song that used to be played on Björk's tour bus. But even Hollywood star Betty's big band special wasn't an original – it was first recorded in German in the late 1940s (‘Und jetzt ist es still'/‘And now it's quiet'), and then French (‘Tout est tranquille'/‘All is Quiet'). But it's safe to say Björk's 1995 version caused the musical equivalent of ‘another big riot'. Zing boom! The video aided its success, directed by Spike Jonze, a technicolour, fantastical nod to old Hollywood. This video, she later said, was the “best bit.” If this song is your intro to Björk, it sounds very little like…

Mood: calming, relaxing. Aroma: sweet, fresh and herbaceous apple-like aroma. Origins: The name chamomile comes from Greek meaning ‘near the ground' and ‘apple' referring to the plantˇs low-growing features, and the apple-like scent of its flowers. The most popular types are Roman chamomile and German chamomile. Uses*: Due to its high content of chamazulene, use German chamomile in facial lotions for sensitive, itchy, irritated skin. Infuse Roman chamomile in bath salts for a relaxing bath. Blends well with: bergamot, clary sage, geranium, lavender, rose. Adapted from The Little Book of Essential Oils: by Marta Tarallo (Hardie Grant). Photography: © Lizzie Mayson *Both Roman and German chamomile essential oils are prone to oxidation; store in a cool place away from sunlight or in the fridge after opening.…

MARIACHI, MEXICO Think symbols of Mexico and, no doubt, a trumpet-tooting Mariachi band isn't too far down the list. These bands are rooted in rural folk music but evolved into today's version with the urbanisation and proud proclamations of Mexican identity following the 1910 revolution. Along the way, they grew in size and added instruments. The earliest bands used just string instruments, with only a couple of players; from the 1920s and 30s, there could be upwards of four, or more, and trumpets became key (thanks to the influence of US jazz). The songs – lyrically drawing on themes such as love and death, as well as Mexican history – take in many different musical types, from traditional corrido ballads to waltzes and polkas. In fact, a huge repertoire is…

Hand hoe So, so nifty (pulls out weeds, breaks up soil and gets general debris out the way) that in ancient Mesopotamia its invention was credited to a god. Hand fork The pinnacle of tools. The pointy bits – so useful for going through soil – are technically ‘tines', from the German ‘zinne', meaning… ‘pinnacle'. Pruning knife Primary pruners until the 19th-century debut of secateurs. A pocket-sized knife has plus points: on-the-go pruning and a pal at picnics, too. Wooden dib To dabble in dibbing, you need a dibber (also dubbed a dibble or a dibbler). Easier to use than say, it makes holes in soil, ready for planting. Raspberry hook An English (Sheffield, to be precise)-made hook, just ripe for pruning the fruit canes and bushes in your English…

Beep, beep, listen out for a metal detecting sweep A bit of kit: the first hurdle is getting a detector – try second-hand. There are also online tutorials to make your own (see hackaday.com). Find headphones, something to dig with, gloves and a pinpointer to home in on finds. Permit me: perhaps the hardest, but essential bit is getting landowner permission to detect. You could start in your garden. Crown Estate Beaches (if not Sites of Special Scientific Interest) permit detectors. Or find a group with pre-arranged outings. This must be the place: Norfolk, Leicestershire, Suffolk, Lincolnshire and Hampshire fare better statistically for ‘treasures' (a specific term in metal detecting): all fairly rural – and flat! Master technique: walking slowly, sweep in a semicircle in front, keeping the coil level,…

CUT OUT AND KEEP Wild nettle and dandelion frittata The best things in life are often free and this frittata makes the most of plants you can pick pretty much anywhere: in your garden, on a countryside walk or urban foraging. » Wild nettle and dandelion frittata Serves 6 1kg wild nettle leaves (no stems), washed in Milton disinfectant 500g dandelion leaves, washed in Milton disinfectant 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, finely sliced 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 100g goat's cheese (unmatured and soft – if not, remove the skin) 75ml whole milk 6 eggs 5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 75g parmesan, grated 1 Preheat the grill to very hot. With surgical gloves, pick 1kg of leaves from the nettle stems (the…

He would need to walk Davy. You don't think about that really, when you decide to get a dog, the work that comes with it, especially when the decision is impulsive. Food, water, walking, poo-bags, throwing balls. Actually, Matthew Forsythe had thought he'd love that bit, throwing the ball in the local park, but he'd scuppered that one. He'd need to drive somewhere else – DRIVE for Christ's sake – to an out-of-the-way location. Davy was a good dog. Matthew liked that he sat beside him on the leather couch with an old jumper of Matthew's under him – well, leather covers can be cold. In truth, Matthew had concentrated less and less on what was on the screen these days than on the touch of Davy's fur as his…

Morning! Where are you having your first cuppa? My husband brings me my first cup in bed. We live just outside London on an 18th-century estate – we're in the old seamstress' studio, beneath the clock tower. I like to be at my desk, or shed, by the time the clock strikes 9am. What's on your desk for today? I'm a garden designer by day with a side hustle in vintage potted plants. My day is determined by the seasons, projects and orders to get out. Elevenses! What can we get you? Coffee please. Nothing fancy, Aldi No 4 in the plunger. My sons are baristas and a bit horrified. A potted history of how you came to this career, please? I trained at Kew but ended up in the…

To Dance or not to Dance? A Conflict of Interests… Now I'm a Morris dancer and I wear the jingly bells, And dance around the countryside in villages and dells. I also like to dowse with a pendulum and twig, But find I'm falling down a lot when I try to dowse and jig. I wave with gay abandon my sticks up in the air, But sometimes get my rods mixed up and tangled in my hair. It's difficult to dance when you're dowsing for some water; I shouldn't do them both at once, I really didn't oughter! Should I dowse, or should I dance, or do them both together? It's hard to dowse for drainpipes when you're prancing through the heather. The cows they hide behind a tree, the…

STYLE The clothes that make us feel invincible are often the most unexpected. It's not always a glitzy dress, or a smart suit with lapels so sharp they need their own risk assessment. Sometimes, it's just your favourite jeans, a particularly soft sock, or, in my case, a pair of well-worn clogs. I think it's the clomping. In clogs, all notion of walking with balletic grace goes out the window, but it's impossible to care when there's feel-good confidence in every step. Purposeful strides, posture to rival Miss Jean Brodie's, and a sense of security that can only come from having two hunks of wood strapped to your soles. These surprisingly comfortable shoes have long offered protection to hard-working feet. And this is not just the stomping ground of the…

Morning Pages As soon as you get up, write – by hand – three sides of paper. It can be about anything that's on your mind at that time, just go with the flow. Just twenty minutes Don't wait for the ‘right moment', grab time where you can. Set a clock for 20 minutes and see where that takes you – “You can get a lot done in 20 minutes!” Artist dates Once a week, make a date to go by yourself somewhere for fun. Blasting through blocks If you're feeling blocked, Julia suggests writing down twenty things that are worrying you or making you angry about the project. By the end, she says, chances are you'll have the energy to move forward. Walk! As Julia says, “Inspiration comes to…

Patients in East Lancashire hospitals have been dining on venison from the nearby Forest of Bowland as part of a pilot scheme. Woods are protected from deer overpopulation, it's cheap for hospitals, and patients enjoy nutritious food. 193 nations agreed to a treaty to protect the high seas – waters not within national jurisdictions – after 20 years of talks. It means two-thirds of the world's oceans, and the wildlife living in them, will be protected. RIGHT DIRECTION The River Ouse in Sussex is set to be granted the legal right to good health, a first for England. Based on the Universal Declaration of River Rights, the Ouse will gain the right to flow, to be pollution-free and to have native biodiversity.…

Take a walk through the British countryside and hedgerows will be your constant companion. At times silent and ethereal, obscured by rising mist, at others rowdy with noisy sparrows or the tirade of a startled blackbird, these closely-grown rows of woody shrubs and trees transform with the changing seasons. In spring, hawthorn blossom (known as ‘Mayflower') billows over country lanes, teeming with butterflies. Ripening blackberries bend on boughs and frothy white umbels of cow parsley sway through summer, while autumn brings a feast of haws and hips, elderberries, damsons and cobnuts. Easily overlooked, these superheroes of the countryside are an integral part of our ecology, providing refuge and sustenance to wildlife, and invaluable corridors along which vulnerable creatures can move and mingle. They even have climate-protecting powers, drawing carbon from…

WISHLIST With their beautiful blooms and vibrant colours, Pelargoniums were originally cultivated as houseplants to brighten up interiors. Easy to find in your local garden centre, add wherever you need a colour boost. pelargoniumforeurope.com Bookshop browse NATURAL CONNECTIONS Recipes To Reconnect by Anna Boglione ➛ Anna Boglione, of Petersham Nurseries, is on a mission to re-establish our relationship between nature and the food that we eat. Sustained by seasonal eating, celebrating the restorative benefits of being outside and serving up thoughtprovoking conversions with people like the mushroom magician Merlin Sheldrake, rewilding advocate Isabella Tree, and Satish Kumar, whose book Soil Soul Society is about our relationship to the earth, alongside recipes that celebrate the seasons. For May, think Sag Paneer with Spring Nettles, Spinach, Chickpea and Fennel Salad and a…

A PLACE TO STAY Think of Mersea as a very English version of Long Island – accessible from our biggest city (some arrive by taxi from Colchester, direct from Liverpool Street), with sand and sea air, a wild end and a touristy end. Okay, the houses aren't as posh and an estuary on the North Sea doesn't quite cut it as the Atlantic Ocean, but it definitely has the charm and proximity to a metropolis. The Essex coastline (some 350 miles) is all inlets, long estuaries and big skies, but Mersea is best known for its seafood; locallygrown oysters and fresh fish, crab and shellfish. If the sun is shining, what more do you need for a weekend of simple pleasures? And now there's a newly restored pub-withrestaurant to stay…

An easy way to create a happy buzz This very simple make will help keep bees wellwatered in warmer months. You'll need a shallow tray or container without any holes. Find a way to mount it in your garden – for example, securing it to an upside-down flower pot. Gather a collection of branches/twigs (nothing treated), or the likes of pebbles, marbles or old wine corks. Arrange around the container and add water (rainwater is best). The level needs to be close to, but not covering, your selection of branches etc to give bees somewhere to land, without slipping into the water and drowning. If you're used to regularly cleaning out your birdbath, don't worry, it matters less for bees – do keep an eye on water levels in hotter…

THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE Nature spot FOX CUBS In both the countryside and built-up areas, fox cubs start to emerge from their dens in late spring. Spotting them is something you can enjoy almost wherever you live. Cubs begin to join their parents on foraging expeditions for food in late April and early May. Until then, they stay in the den and their parents bring their food to them. You may spot them in your garden, a local park or out on the streets, play-fighting with their siblings. They'll often get quite close if you're just sitting quietly nearby. Other giveaways that fox cubs are about include scraps of food, small droppings and flies buzzing about (all less cute than the cubs themselves). You might also spot areas of…

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

WELLBEING Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. The action that keeps us alive is automatic, and one that is so incredibly simple. It's also essential not just to the fact that we live, but also to the way that we live – affecting our brain function, our circulation, our ability to manage stress, our sleep and so much more. Increasingly, many believe that the practice of breathing well can help to improve our physical health and our mental wellbeing, as well as helping us to recover from illness or trauma. There are other benefits, too, as it can regulate our emotions, anxiety and stress. Inhale and exhale. Both serve a vital purpose. BREATHING FOR BETTER HEALTH Most of us will have learned in school that we breathe oxygen…

GOOD THINGS TO DRINK VODKA FIZZ Based on a cocktail called the Fizzy Rascal by mixologist Oskar Kinberg, this fruity vodka drink with a herby edge is made to be sipped slowly. Serves 2 Ice 60ml vodka 20ml lemon juice (pare 2 strips of the lemon zest before juicing to give you your twists for garnishing) 20ml apple juice 20ml simple syrup (1 part sugar to 1 part water) 6 large sage leaves Prosecco, to top up 1 Make the simple syrup by bringing the sugar and water to the boil until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool before using. 2 Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then pour in the vodka, lemon juice, apple juice and simple syrup, as well as adding 4 of the sage leaves. 3 Shake…

WEEKEND PROJECT PROUDLY HOMEMADE BENTO BAG BENTO BAG AND FLATWARE ROLL Never be without a snack on the go. Clever folds and simple stitching create a mini bag and a handy utensil sleeve. You will need: For the bento bag: Main fabric: 15.5 × 76cm Lining fabric: 15.5 × 76cm For the cutlery roll: Main fabric: 11.5 × 44.5cm Lining fabric: 11.5 × 44.5cm Cotton webbing or ribbon: 11.5cm For both: Sewing thread in complementary colour Rotary cutter, cutting mat, and ruler Pins Sewing needle Scissors Iron BENTO BAG 1 Cut the main fabric and lining to the measurements given, using a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat for neatness. Place the fabric and lining pieces together with the right sides facing and pin into place. 2 Working with a 5mm seam allowance and using backstitch, sew the two pieces together…

BELONGINGS My grandad Roy was a very well-dressed man, from a generation never to be seen in anything other than a smart shirt and trousers – even if he was gardening. And he'd often be wearing a nice jumper to complete the look. Right up until he died, whenever I would see him in one, I'd say, “What colour are you wearing today, Grandad?” and he'd look down at his jumper and give it a name. Not just ‘red' or ‘yellow', but something descriptive like ‘mustard' or ‘panther black'. My favourite was ‘pea green', as it summed him up so well, always found in the garden tending to his plants and enjoying the spring and summer months the most, when everything was green and in full bloom. I owe my…

DOWN TO A TEA TOWEL Make tea time more topical, with Ulster Weavers' Coronation design (and possibly replacing that old Charles and Di wedding design still somewhere in the tea towel drawer). £9.50, home-landing.co.uk 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. (answers on page 124) “The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies” Gertrude Jekyll Since 1965, this acorn has been guiding walkers along England and Wales's National Trails. The first route –…

CIRCULAR & CO. CUP Get back into the coffee habit with this reusable number. Best for: Made from recycled cups, it can also be recycled after its 10-year life span. £14.95, circularandco.com KAVU SNACK BAG Never be without snacks. This ice-pack-ready bag carries about 7 litres of them. Best for: Design that looks cooler than the average cool bag. £40, roosbeach.co.uk LUND LONDON MUG Bright colour combos in stainless steel Best for: Tipple versatility. Drinks stay chilled for 12hrs, or hot for six, depending on your fancy. £28, anthropologie.com QUICK-FIRE QUIZ 1 Before Charles III, who was the oldest British monarch when they came to the throne? 2 Beltane is observed on 1 May. What are the other three key Gaelic seasonal festivals? 3 What, described by Bill Clinton as “the Woodstock…

Half-Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) Strengthens the lower body, improves balance and helps mental clarity. 1 Start in Warrior 2 pose (see The Simple Things, Feb 2023) with right foot at the front of mat, front knee in line with toes. 2 Place left hand on hip and, with right arm, reach out and then down, placing fingertips in front of right toes. 3 Step back foot slightly forward, and shift weight to right leg. 4 As you press right foot down, begin to extend the standing leg, as the left leg floats up in line with the hips. 5 Place right hand on the floor or on a block, under the shoulder. 6 Keeping right leg strong, engage left leg by pressing through the ball of the foot. 7 Open…