Table of contents for March 2021 in The Simple Things

Morning! Where do you like to have your first cuppa? On the sofa, with Waffles the spaniel, as I check my phone. My other half usually makes it for me. Nice work. What’s next? I've a garden studio, so my commute isn’t far! Most mornings I’ll walk the dog first, go for a run, or practice yoga. How did you become a potter? I had a career break from marketing after having my children. I’d always loved pottery, taking lots of classes. At an open exhibition, I sold some pieces, which gave me confidence. I love the meditative nature of creating work that'll be cherished. Time for elevenses yet? My work is physically demanding so I’m more than ready! I have tea, which I like on the weak and milky…

WILLOW FEEDER Create a seed holder to feed the birds, using simple weaving techniques. You will need: 1 disc of dry wood (about 10cm diameter and 2cm thick) Soaked or semi-green willow, 6 fine rods 180cm long (available online, try musgrovewillows.co.uk) Drill Tape Bodkin Secateurs Twine 1 Take your disc and draw an 8cm diameter circle. Mark and drill 5 holes equidistant apart. Check your drill bit is slightly bigger than the size of the willow to be used. 2 Thread 5 willow rods through the holes so that you have at least 40cm protruding, then secure with tape underneath. 3 On the other side of the disc choose any of the rods to start. Lay in an extra rod and fold your first rod down to the right, over…

Thinking about holidays is fun. Drawing up plans for exploration and adventure provides much-needed escapism, even if we can’t hop on a plane just yet. The pandemic meant many of us missed out on holidays in 2020, leaving us with a yearning for new travel experiences and an ‘if not now, then when?’ attitude. Obviously, our wishes of any holiday are for incredible experiences and beautiful sights, as well as much-needed rest, but how we travel can dramatically affect the people and places we visit. There’s no doubt tourism can be a force for good, but when managed badly, it can cause long term problems for local people and the environment, from habitat loss to pollution. This is where ethical travel comes in. It works with and for local people…

Leave no trace. A framework of minimum-impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors, including leaving what you find (even a seashell), sticking to trails, respecting wildlife and disposing of waste properly (lnt.org). Take environmentally friendly, organic toiletries with you and use an organic sunscreen, free of harmful chemicals that can damage marine life and coral. Ask before you photograph. Not everyone wants their photo taken and some cultures actively disapprove of photography. Always get permission before you shoot. Remove excess packaging before you travel. In many parts of the world, recycling and even waste disposal is difficult. Consider buying some items when you arrive, too, such as locally-produced insect repellent, to support the local economy. Use water sparingly. It’s a vital resource, and in short supply in some tourism destinations.…

Marmite, onion and roast root vegetable stew with cheesy scones Love it or hate it, the addition of Marmite to this stew – plus plenty of cheese – makes it a comforting meal for chillier days. Marmite, onion and roast root vegetable stew with cheesy scones Serves 6 5 onions, thinly sliced 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped 40g dried porcini mushrooms 1 parsnip, peeled and halved lengthways 2 carrots, peeled 1 tsp tomato purée 1 tsp English mustard powder 1 tbsp plain flour 250ml red or white wine 250ml dark ale 1 tsp Marmite 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp brown sauce 2 bay leaves 1-2 sprigs of rosemary 400g tin carlin peas For the scones: 350g self-raising flour 1 tsp English mustard powder ¼ tsp cayenne 1 tsp…

Somewhere between a casual café, a school canteen and a takeaway, fast-food outlets hold a nostalgic place in our hearts, as anyone who’s ordered a 2am Whopper or clutched a Happy Meal between their ketchup-stained fingers will attest. The 1974 arrival of McDonald’s put an end to the 20-year reign of British native Wimpy (above); the American giant now has some 1,300 branches in the UK. But that’s nothing compared to the meteoric rise of fried chicken. Landed on these shores in 1965, KFC has spawned countless competitors, from the prosaic Tasty Chicken to the upmarket Mother Clucker, with 8,000 chicken shops in London alone. The fight for our on-the-run, salt-addled but increasingly sophisticated taste buds continues, though a latest foray – Maccy D’s Katsu Curry Chicken McNuggets – has…

• I love plywood – it’s a super functional material and, with a good carpenter, you can create almost any piece of furniture. • Ask local and smaller suppliers if they can make something for you. It’s a great way to get a high-end look on a budget. • To get height upstairs we removed the suspended ceilings to expose the rafters. As long as you properly insulate, it’s a clever way of getting extra height. • Make your living room a blank canvas by painting it white and adding pops of colour from artwork and collectibles.…

Maker of the Month Salvaged wood is given new life by a woodworking duo In an increasingly mass-produced culture, Brighton-based design duo Barnaby Ash and Dru Plumb pay tribute to traditional craft in a modern context with their sculptural forms and homewares. Working with salvaged wood from trees that would otherwise be used for firewood, they hand-craft an assortment of vessels including a collection of beautiful dried flower vases. Each vase is as unique as the wood it’s made with; from simple walnut finished with a hard wax oil to the rich hues of spalted elm burr or the palest beech.ashandplumb.co.uk Born to be Wild The Wild Isles chosen by Patrick Barkham No matter where we are, Nature is there alongside us; if we stop and look, there’s a world…

Redbud (Cercis canadensis) The spectacular pink, magenta or crimson flowers appear before the leaves and sit in clusters directly on the bare branches. There are even cultivars with double flowers or others such as ‘Forest Pansy’ that have beautiful autumn coloring. Bonus: the flowers are edible. Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) The unusual green and orange flowers of this stately tree, which appear quite late in the season, are tulip-shaped. It also has beautifully lobed leaves that turn golden yellow in autumn. In some cultivars the leaves are variegated, for example ‘Aureomarginatum’. It does grow large, though, so not suitable for smaller gardens. Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) The white flowers of this undemanding shrub or small tree appear in spring against a background of young, deep copper leaves. The dark blue berries…

I liken my approach to gardening to living a healthy lifestyle, as opposed to struggling with bursts of dieting and exercise. Instead of spending weekends feverishly weeding, tilling, and fertilising, followed by long stretches of neglect and guilt, I enjoy regular puttering that keeps the garden tidy while feeding the soil. This approach is much easier than the one I was raised with, which was a carpet-bombing-with-chemicals, nature-as-adversary attitude. It focuses on giving soil what it needs to nourish the plants I want to grow. Gardening with nature as an ally is simply a matter of offering a variety of foods for germs and worms – the plants will attract the microbes they need to flourish, given enough choices. A cubic foot of healthy soil contains trillions of living things.…

IS DIGITAL WORKING REALLY GREENER THAN PAPER? This answer may seem obvious but it’s worth remembering digital documents are not carbon neutral. By 2040, if current trends continue, storing our digital data will account for around 14% of global emissions – the equivalent CO² impact of the entire US today. So, while cutting out unnecessary use of paper is a good idea, a virtual declutter will also reduce the environmental impact of your work day: • Make the effort to regularly look at what you’re storing digitally, deleting documents you no longer need. • Many internet activities can be made greener: switch to an eco-friendly search engine that carbon-offsets the emissions from searches (such as by planting trees), and don’t leave music or videos playing on your computer. • Change…

Born 18 years ago tomorrow, on a blustery morning in March, Leah is an Aries, the first sign of the zodiac. Not that Leah’s dad believes in astrology. That was more her mum’s sort of thing, back when she was still with them. Only sometimes does he catch himself thinking how well it suits Leah. Aries – full of fire, pace and ambition. Often, she gives him the feeling of being on a station platform while a train’s roaring through without stopping, leaving his hair blown back, his thoughts spinning. Tonight, he’s sipping tea and listening as she thunders over the upper floor of their flat, singing along to a song by that band she’s off to see – he can never remember the names of the people she listens…

A day out (at home) Join in with The National Trust’s Blossom Watch, by taking photos of blossom while on your walk, and sharing with others with the hashtag #BlossomWatch. LOCAL LORE Hampshire’s Tichborne Dole on the 25th dates to the 13th century when the dying Lady asked for the needy to be fed. Her nasty husband said he’d only provide corn from the land she could crawl around – 23 acres! Today, those from the parish are still entitled to claim flour. TREAT FOR YOUR EARS A podcast and a piece of music to celebrate the month • Taste Along with The National Trust The National Trust has some fascinating podcasts, but we love their new series of ‘Taste Alongs’ in which they suggest a few foods for…

IN THE QUEST for equality, some areas still have a way to go – plumbing for example, where it’s estimated only 1% of working plumbers are women. When Hattie Hasan MBE (left) qualified in 1990, she had no option but to be self-employed as no one would employ a woman. Thankfully, things are changing. She created the first national network of self-employed female plumbers and heating engineers: Stopcocks Women Plumbers. Originally a way of creating support for other women in the trade, as time goes on it’s become a space to encourage other women and girls to train in the industry. “Tradeswomen still experience a lot of flack and can be very isolated,” says Hattie. “But due to our consistent work, we’re beginning to connect with one another and to…

CHANGE YOUR INNER VOICE “Do you have a voice in your head that tells you that you can’t do stuff? That you are silly, clumsy, unattractive? Maybe this came from an adult you trusted to guide you so you listened to them and absorbed what they said,” says Goddard-Hill. “This unhelpful voice needs to be replaced with a helpful voice that cheers you on and encourages you – your inner voice needs to be your BFF.” FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO, NOT WHAT YOU CAN’T We all need to make sure that our thoughts are positive and healthy if we want to be calm and confident. Says Goddard-Hill, “They don’t need to lie to us and tell us that we are amazing at everything, but they do need to…

Carbon neutral Achieving zero CO² emissions, either through offsetting or reduction, such as using renewable energy. Ecotourism A niche segment of tourism, visiting natural areas. Greenwashing Dressing up a trip or resort to make it appear more ethical and sustainable, eg calling a property an ‘eco-lodge’, simply because it has a garden. Habitat conservation holidays You work as a volunteer on environmental projects, doing anything from tree planting to habitat restoration or removing invasive species, anywhere from Scotland to the Seychelles. Overtourism Too many visitors in a single destination, causing traffic congestion, rent hikes that push out local tenants, crowds around historic sites and environmental degradation. Responsible travel This relates to the behaviour of individual travellers. It’s about aspiring to make choices according to sustainable tourism practices. Sustainable tourism The…

Equality in Tourism This small NGO is working to promote gender equality in an industry that is still dominated by men in many countries around the world.(equalityintourism.org) Ethical Consumer This comprehensive consumer website includes a section on travel, covering the best and most ethical rucksacks, bikes, sunscreen, travel insurance and even sandals, to help you prepare.(ethicalconsumer.org/transport-travel) Global Sustainable Tourism Council The Global Sustainable Tourism Council manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism and also has a certification system for tour operators. (gstcouncil.org/for-travelers) New initiatives The pandemic put most travel on pause last year, but ethical green shoots still emerged. New British no-fly operator Byway (byway.travel) launched in November 2020, specialising in bespoke journeys by train, boat and bike and championing lesser-known destinations. Natural Britain (http://natural-britain.comnaturalbritain.com) launched in July 2020,…

Forced blossom By Emma Harris Nothing says spring like blossom and, although most don’t bloom until a bit later, you can trick your trees* now by using a process called ‘forcing’. Prune a branch that has a few buds, cutting it off at an angle, then give the end a bash before placing it in water, where you can watch it gradually come to life. As we eagerly await the change in seasons, a few branches in a big jar will keep you going until the trees begin to do their thing. *For blossom trees you can grow in your garden, see p.108…

ECHINACEA ROOT TEA Immune-boosting echinacea root helps against colds and respiratory infections. Crush a teaspoonful and steep in (240ml) of boiling water, then sweeten with honey. Drink a couple of times a day when feeling below par. You can buy echinacea root in health food shops or online. Swap the odd cup of tea or coffee for a homemade herbal infusion made with health-boosting ingredients and you’ll not only have a delicious tasting brew, but you’ll hopefully pick up fewer colds and infections, too. Making your own takes little effort once you’ve gathered your ingredients and tastes so much better than a teabag. You can make a batch of the herbal blends ahead of time and store in an airtight container so that they’re ready to use when you need…

Every season has its stars but in spring it’s definitely the fruit blossom that steals the show in my garden. From the first apricot and peach flowers in early spring through the flowering of cherries, plums, pears and apples, a continuous display of beauty lifts my mood and signals all the good things ahead – sunshine and warmth, an outdoor lifestyle and, of course, fruitful harvests later in the year. From flower to fruit There are others that appreciate the flowers, too, but it’s not the beauty of these conspicuous petals that attract the attention of pollinators. Blossom draws insects to the reproductive parts of the plant. While collecting nectar and pollen to eat, insects transfer pollen from the stamen (the male part of the flower) to the stigma (the…

You can buy container grown trees most of the year but March is the last month to buy bare-rooted fruit trees (ones that have been dug up from the ground when they are dormant). These are a better bet as they will establish more easily. There will also be more choice of variety, and they tend to be cheaper. They’re available by mail order, too. Choose a spot near a south or west facing wall or fence. Dig a hole, no deeper than the roots but three times the rootball diameter. Prepare the soil by loosening it at the bottom of the hole and mixing in some organic matter. Tease out the roots prior to planting and place in the hole. Refill with soil, making sure that any gaps around…

Early spring veg box: Kale, beetroot, leeks, thyme and rhubarb Traditionally known as the ‘hungry gap’, it’s the time of year when home-grown seasonal veg is harder to come by as winter veg comes to the end of its run but many spring varieties are yet to arrive. This may mean your weekly veg box feels like it is lacking excitement, but with a few new recipes ,there’s always a way to liven up a leek! A March veg box is a mix of earthy, late winter roots and deep, iron-rich greens like kale and chard, but it’s often balanced with a window into spring, thanks to the first stalks of pink rhubarb and new season beetroot with its luscious green tops and ruby stems. I find this seasonal dovetailing…

GREEK WALNUT CAKE Serves 12 3 eggs 150ml light olive oil or vegetable oil 150ml whole milk 250g caster sugar 150g fresh brown breadcrumbs 150g semolina 200g coarse ground walnuts 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 12 grates of nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves Walnut halves to decorate For the syrup: 200g caster sugar 3 strips of orange zest, plus extra finely-grated zest to garnish 2 cinnamon sticks ½ tsp vanilla extract 60ml brandy (preferably Greek) 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/ Gas 6. Begin by making the syrup. Combine all the ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan and add 200ml cold water. Set over a medium heat, bring to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat and leave in the pan to cool. 2 To make…

Sudan safeguards Sudanese authorities have announced they will end child marriage and enforce the country’s ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), in a major step forward towards a global goal of eliminating both practices by 2030. The UN estimates 87% of Sudanese women have undergone FGM: now police officers have been instructed to enforce new laws curbing this crime. Taking root While the Keralan town of Meenangadi is vulnerable to climate change, it’s also at the forefront of tackling it. As part of a plan to make the region carbon neutral, a new tree banking scheme allows residents to ‘mortgage’ saplings, a debt that only needs to be paid back if the tree is chopped down. Wood you believe it? It’s estimated that there are 34,000 pieces of space junk…

PINOT GRIS ‘LES PRÉLATS’ DOMAINE GINGLINGER, 2018, £13.95 Great on its own, this soft, fruity wine has enough freshness to counter the smokiness of the kedgeree. This Alsace version is not to be confused with its Italian counterpart, pinot grigio. It'll carry you through the weekend, rather than knock you out of it. BASILICATA ROSATO LE RALLE, ALOVINI, 2019, £8.95 An Italian pink for all seasons. Vibrant strawberry and cherry flavours, with a hint of spice, make for a refreshing chilled treat. The aglianico grape is gutsy enough to go with many dishes, and is a brilliant foil to garlicky foods or snacks. MAYDIE TANNAT, 2016, £14.50 This is a rare treat – a sweet red wine that goes brilliantly with anything chocolatey. It’s very dark and very fruity. It…

Willow weaving has been passed down the generations for centuries. Once an essential skill, used to make everything from fishing baskets to fencing, it gradually fell out of favour, tarnished as a dying craft. However, in recent years, willow weaving has experienced a well-deserved resurgence – mother-daughter duo Jenny Crisp and Issy Wilkes are at the forefront of giving this traditional craft a modern reworking thanks to Jenny’s decades of experience and Issy’s ability to think big. The pair run Willow With Roots from their homes in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, growing their own willow and creating everything from modern lampshades to impressive garden pods using traditional techniques. However, Issy only joined her mum in the business a couple of years ago, after first forging her own path. “Growing up, I…

• Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse Among the most celebrated of literary depictions, in which an island lighthouse is the subject of several thwarted visits and becomes a focal point for the Ramsay family. • Robert Louis Stevenson The author came from a dynasty of lighthouse engineers and began his career building them before switching to writing for a living. Much of this surfaces in his fiction, especially in Treasure Island and Kidnapped. • W.J. Lewis’ Ceaseless Vigil: My Lonely Years in the Lighthouse Service A profound exploration of keeping stations such as Godrevy (Woolf’s inspiration) and on the Falkland Islands.…

LARGE CRUISE SHIPS Friends of the Earth says that during a single week’s voyage, a cruise ship can produce 210,000 gallons (10 swimming pools) of human sewage and 1 million gallons (40 swimming pools) of greywater. They also generate large volumes of bilge water, waste and air pollution and contribute to overtourism. OVERTOURISM Quite simply – too many people! Cities like Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Venice are all victims. Huge crowds, environmental degradation, rent hikes that drive out residents and the erosion of local life ensue. ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS The model discourages holiday-makers from exploring, sequestering their cash and preventing it from flowing into the local community. SHORT BREAKS BY PLANE In 2019, Ryanair was ranked one of the top ten CO² emitters in Europe, according to Transport & Environment, Europe’s leading…

Two hours west of Montréal, there is a house surrounded by trees: beech, cedar, pine, birch, maple and sugar maple. Inside them, life is beginning to quiver, and in one of them it is sweet. Tubing weaves between the sugar maples like a spider’s web, descending to a small wooden hut near the house: the ‘sugar shack’. Right now, these tubes are filling with maple sugar water and resident Patrick Lavoie is one of many Québecois keeping alive the French settler tradition of ‘sugaring off’– faire les sucres – to make his own maple syrup. They call it le temps des sucres – ‘the time of the sugars’. Patrick’s house sits at the confluence of native Mohawk, Haudenosaunee and St. Lawrence Iroquois territories. The indigenous peoples, now displaced, had long…

Tamales (Mexico) Mesoamerica’s answer to ‘waste not, want not’, these corn-dough parcels wrapped and steamed in corn husks are as filling as they are comforting. Don’t forget a drizzle of zesty salsa verde. Dabeli (Gujarat) An ode to carb-oncarb action, this spiced potato snack is stuffed in a burger bun, served with punchy tamarind and chilli chutneys and topped with pomegranate and roasted peanuts. Hoeori Gamja (Korea) These poetically named ‘tornado potatoes’ are a towering spiral of thinly-sliced, deep-fried potatoes on a stick. Some variations come with a hot sausage centre – not for the faint-hearted. Num Ansom (Cambodia) Peel away the banana-leaf exterior for a bite of sticky rice, coconut milk and savoury pork or sweet banana. For a crusty, moreish caramelised finish, roast on a hot charcoal grill…

“WE DANCE IN IT, PLAY IN IT, GET DRUNK IN IT, COOK IN IT, WE REALLY LIVE IN IT” Last year was quite the year for Tyson and Vic Benton. The arrival of twins Rita and Nancy at the beginning of lockdown turned their cosy family of three into a slightly chaotic family of five but the joy was tempered when the pandemic struck and the couple, who run their own creative studio, found work dried up. As for many, their home became their sanctuary as they plotted and planned from their kitchen table. Fearing they may have to sell the home they’d spent the previous two years building, renovating and crafting to fit their young family, Tyson was determined to come up with a plan so they could make…

A few branches of just about any fruit tree will look beautiful in a vase but particular favourites of mine for cutting are apricot and peach. While apricot blossom is elegant and understated, the saturated pink peach flowers are more showy. Due to the trees’ early flowering, the blossom often falls victim to spring frosts and a ripe fruit harvest is never guaranteed – all the more reason to make the most of its short season. And what better way to enjoy the flowers than by bringing some inside? Cut a few branches before the buds have started to open and bring them inside to force them to open earlier (see page 91). To improve vase life: cut the branches when it’s cool outside and immediately strip the outer bark…

“I do 99% of the washing up in our house and, while I can’t say I particularly enjoy it, having something beautiful to look at while standing at the sink definitely helps. We kept the wall above the kitchen unit free and used a display shelf to add some personality with artwork and plants, but it’s the butler-style sink that takes centre stage. It’s my favourite part of the room and really comfortable to use as I’m not the tallest of people! We love the traditional feel of our kitchen but we wanted to make it a fun space, too, so painted it pink. It’s such a joyful colour that it really lifts your mood when you enter the room.” Maggie Evangelou, north London @Our_Edwardian_Home “This sink has been filled…

Easy win Crumbs stuck in your toaster? Unplug, flip upside down over your bin, then use a dry pastry brush to get out the really stubborn bits. CAPTION COMPETITION OVER TO YOU… Make us giggle with a caption for this piping plover parent. Each month we pick our favourite and send a lovely book to the winner. Post your best efforts at facebook.com/thesimplethingsmag COLLECTIVE NOUNS A caravan of camels DREAM DECODER FLOWERS If flowers manifest in a dream, they are typically a symbol of comfort, beauty, kindness, love or joy. Colour symbolism may operate: white denotes purity; blue, calm; purple, adventure; pink, tenderness; orange, creativity; and yellow, playfulness. The type of flower can be significant, too, so it’s worth researching traditional associations. Daisies denote friendship; roses, love; dandelions, childhood; and…

DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ by Journey. It’s a song about keeping going, that’s just kept on… going. The genesis was a phone pep talk keyboardist Jonathan Cain had with his dad, at a time when his musical dreams just weren’t working out. Soon after, Jonathan’s musical career began to blossom. On release in 1981, it reached number nine in the USA and at one stage claimed the most digital sales of any song of the 20th century. But its main Great British moment wasn’t until November 2009: a classy double act of being featured on both Glee and The X Factor. By the December, it could declare itself the year’s 25th biggest selling single in the UK. In 2020, it even reached Christmas number one (kinda), with LadBaby’s charity single Don’t…

One Day You’ll Dance for me, New York City Thomas Dybdahl Homegrown Rymden, Bugge Wesseltoft, Magnus Öström Fljótavík 12 Ensemble Savant ViVii Love Love Love Of Monsters and Men Lover. Where Do You Live? Highasakite Valborg Håkan Hellström Hey There Darling West Halo Ane Brun, ft Linnea Olsson To Live a Life First Aid Kit House By the Sea Moddi Pt. 7 The Wedding I Think You’re Awesome I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From Kings of Convenience Green Grass of Tunnel Múm Darlings Susanne Sundfor Du Fortenar Ein Som Meg Daniel Kvammen Gressholmen Kristian Kristensenthesimplethings.com/blog/vardryppplaylist stop look listen This playlist is compiled by Norwegian reader Katrine Wang. The direct translation of ‘vårdrypp’ is spring (vår) drip (drypp), meaning “the dripping from the roofs when snow is melting…