Innehållsförteckning för January 2026 från The Simple Things

FAVOURITE SHOPS Hope Town Canvas and Harbour Island Canvas They sell upcycled bags made from old sails. wsailbags.com Bahama Handprints Their silk screen fabrics are printed in Nassau. @bahamahandprints FAVOURITE RESTAURANT Café Matisse Located in a charming historical building in Downtown Nassau, it's been a staple for years. cafematisse.rest FAVOURITE CAFÉ Bon Vivants Coffee shop by day and craft cocktail bar by night, it's decorated with vinyl records. bonvivantsbahamas.com FAVOURITE BAHAMIAN DISH Conch salad, similar to ceviche, chopped conch with lime, tomato, bell pepper, hot pepper, onion and a tropical version with mango. Delicious! FAVOURITE HOTEL The Dunmore Hotel One of my favourite examples of traditional Bahamian architecture. dunmorebeach.com FAVOURITE WAY TO SPEND AN HOUR Sipping a good cup of coffee or a cocktail, anywhere with an ocean view. PLACE…

1926 Born on 8 May, Attenborough grew up in Leicester, where his father was principal of the university (their house is preserved on campus). 1947 Graduated from Cambridge with a degree in natural sciences. 1952 Joined the BBC and became a trainee television producer. 1954 Became the presenter of Zoo Quest, a programme he devised and filmed both on location around the world and by bringing animals into the television studio. 1965 Becomes controller of newly launched BBC2, introducing audiences to shows such as Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Forsyte Saga, and Kenneth Clark's Civilisation. “It was like being given a Rolls Royce, polished and perfect, with a full tank of petrol, and being asked where you wanted to go,” he's said. 1968-1972 Works as director of programming at the…

Whether urban or wild, long views from tall places are to be relished. As vantage points go, standing at the top of The Empire State Building taking in the movie-backdrop skyline and soundtrack of NYC was a special moment, but perhaps my favourite view from on high is a lesser-known one and rather closer to home. At Falmouth's National Maritime Museum* (nmmc.co.uk) you can travel from sea to sky in minutes – from the glass-walled underwater Tidal Zone up to The Lookout at the top of the tower, with its sweeping views of the Cornish coastline. I love watching the boats carving gently through the deep harbour waters. When I need a fresh perspective on a familiar landscape – and sometimes on life itself – I find heading upwards is…

Winter And the robin flew Into the air, the air, The white mist through; And small and rare The night-frost fell Into the calm and misty dell. And the dusk gathered low, And the silver moon and stars On the frozen snow Drew taper bars, Kindled winking fires In the hooded briers. And the sprawling Bear Growled deep in the sky; And Orion's hair Streamed sparkling by: But the North sighed low, “Snow, snow, more snow!” There's frosty magic and silvery, starry light in this poem by Walter de la Mare. Set at dusk, in the heart of winter, it's a world that sparks with unexpected colour, a suggestion of glowing warmth in the icy coldness. Things To Ponder How does Walter de la Mare capture the silence of the…

When she was just 27 years old, Marie-Alix de Putter's husband was murdered. She was four months pregnant. That night she hid away with her hairdresser, the only person she felt she could trust. Nine years later, having experienced PTSD, anxiety and depression from her experience, she founded the Bluemind Foundation. All the statistics point to the fact that many will experience challenges to their mental health, but where was the support - particularly for African women? she wondered. And what was the best way to offer them that support? One of the first pieces of research the Foundation carried out was to ask over 700 women if they trusted their hairdresser. Almost two-thirds said they confided in them and that led her to launch a mental health programme called…

Living in a draughty old wooden house with a tin roof means that for half of the year my winter hats pull double duty, proving to be just as essential inside as they are in the great outdoors. Little wonder, then, that I have a particular passion for those at the woollier end of the spectrum. Among my vast array of beanies and berets, a clear favourite style has emerged throughout the decades: the bobble hat. Like mittens (see TST January 2023), they have a playfulness that brightens the chilliest of days. I can't help but feel cheered whenever I walk down a wintry street and see people of all ages going about their often-rather-boring business while casually sporting pompoms the size of small planets on their heads – a…

Hellebores Also called snow rose or Lenten rose, hellebores bloom from December until April. Ranging in hue from white, lime green and pale pink to purple, dark mauve and even black, they're one of the few flowers to bloom in winter. But don't be in too much of a rush to pick hellebores from your garden – young blooms are prone to wilting. It's best to wait until the seed pod begins to form in the centre of the flower before cutting for the vase.…

FLOWERPOT FEEDER When there are fewer plants to grow in your pots, put them to use as a feeder for birds to peck at. You will need: 1 mug or jam jar of suet 1 mug or jam jar of bird seed Twine Twigs 3 small terracotta pots 3 short sprigs of rosemary 1 First make the bird food. Empty the suet into a bowl and mix in half the bird seed. Once incorporated, stir in the second half and combine using your fingers to squidge it together. 2 Take a length of twine and tie a hanging loop at one end. Thread the twine through the hole in the base of the pot and tie the loose end to a small piece of twig. Secure a short sprig of rosemary to the twine by…

If you're a beginner, you can borrow a lot of the kit, but for now, a clean pair of comfy shoes will do in place of curling shoes and you'll need comfy trousers that allow you to move and lunge without any embarrassing ‘incidents’ – curling pants are available if you decide to commit. You'll also need a curling helmet, gloves and kneepads. Now for the fun stuff: you might want a stabiliser to keep your shoulders square and stop you from overbalancing, and – the bit we all secretly want a go at – the broom!…

Wood chop A brilliant exercise combining the stability of the pelvis and lower limbs with the mobility of the trunk and upper limbs. It's how we generate and conserve energy when playing sports. Also handy if chopping wood. Start with feet slightly wider than hips, hands clasped in front. Squat down and take your hands to your right knee. As you straighten up, rotate to your left and extend your arms, hands still clasped, up and over your left shoulder. Return to the right knee. Repeat ten times then do the other side. To progress, try a light weight in each hand or a weighted ball. Keep the movement smooth.…

She still thinks of herself as the housekeeper, though she has not set foot in the house for many months – not since the family moved away. Too expensive to keep a country home these days, they said. Too much upkeep. Too many servants. She woke up this morning having forgotten. The day's tasks paraded through her head in the quiet moments before she gained full consciousness: the maids to corral, the linens to examine, a payment for the butcher. Then she opened her eyes. It is because of the New Year, the housekeeper thinks. This will be her first without the house, without the family, in over a decade. She does not know what to do with the days that gallop before her. She finds herself missing the master,…

There's something undeniably enticing about winter in Scotland. The sharpness of the air, the deepening of the skies, the way the land hunkers down into a slow, deliberate rest. Scotland's shades and tones were made for cold weather. Dove-grey clouds filled with snow, the silver of a naked birch tree, pale sparkling blue from a cloudless day, the charcoal silhouette of pine when the moon shines from behind. Not that I need an excuse, but for me the start of the cold weather has always been the ideal time to find comfort in the kitchen. January means, at last, we're left with a small amount of serenity. Food to take our time over. It's a quiet month, a month for that rare, lesser spotted activity – slowing down. Soups can…

MULLED WINE CAKE (GLÜHWEIN-KUCHEN) Makes 1 cake 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 16g baking powder 1½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground star anise ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground allspice 25g cocoa powder 225g caster sugar 20g vanilla sugar ¼ tsp salt 275g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing 4 large eggs Zest 1 lemon 200ml fruity red wine 80g mixed peel FOR THE GLAZE: 200g icing sugar 1 tsp lemon juice 3 tbsp red wine 1 Preheat the oven to 195C/Fan 175C/ Gas 6. Meanwhile, butter a 26cm bundt tin and dust with flour. 2 Put the flour, baking powder, spices and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. 3 Put the caster sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and butter into a separate bowl and cream together using an electric whisk. Add…

PINEAPPLE AND SAGE REFRESHER Serves 1 100g fresh pineapple chunks, reserve the juice Ice cubes 150g granulated sugar 125ml freshly squeezed lime juice 125ml coconut water 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves Sage leaf, to garnish 1 Place the pineapple in a tall glass along with the ice. 2 Make a simple syrup by dissolving the sugar into 150ml water in a pan. Bring to the boil and, once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool. This'll make more syrup than you need so pour the leftovers in a sterilised bottle to use later. 3 Add the lime juice, coconut water, sage, and a drizzle of the simple syrup to your glass. 4 Stir well and serve, garnished with a sage leaf.…

You don't need to buy expensive art to decorate your walls. Illustrator Theresa Gromski, who lives in Bournville, Birmingham, with her husband and two children, transformed an unloved corner of her kitchen into an ever-changing artwork with blackboard paint, chalks, and a touch of seasonal inspiration. When Theresa bought her house 12 years ago it was all white and greys, so she threw herself into decorating it to reflect her own style. “One of the first things I did was to paint the blackboard wall in the kitchen,” she says. “Rather than writing shopping lists on it, I thought my one-year-old son could doodle on it – instead of the other walls - so I was a bit disappointed when he wasn't that interested and decided to start chalking on…

THIS MONTH WE READ THE GIFT OF NOT BELONGING BY DR RAMI KAMINSKI In a nutshell Do you feel like you're neither an introvert nor an extrovert? Do you enjoy one-on-one relationships but feel like you're never quite comfortable in a group? If so, you might be an ‘otrovert’, a term coined by author Dr Rami Kaminski that defines someone who's neither outward nor inward looking but ‘one who is facing a different direction’. Kaminski describes his experience growing up as an otrovert as feeling like he was sitting on the outside of whatever group he felt he should fit into. ‘No matter how many friends I had or how popular, I always felt like an outsider.’ Is it like social anxiety? No, although Kaminski says otroverts are often mistaken…

This dresser is so versatile. We have used it as a sideboard without the top and have changed the colour a few times over the years. It's the ideal spot to hide away my many cake stands, plates, jugs and other items that I love to collect. I always style it to match the season and the soft green colour works really well as a background. Emma Brock, Churchill, North Somerset @bakewells_and_baskets This dresser belonged to my mother who had it made in the late 1970s. It was yellow pine, so the first thing I did when I was given it was to paint it. My favourite things on display are the two Johnson Brothers Hearts and Flowers pottery pieces. Natasha Martin, Albourne, West Sussex @myhomelookbook In the depths of…

Brighten your January table with a zesty cloth to protect it, just in time for marmalade season. Pick your fruits A few differently sized citrus fruits look effective, so maybe buy a couple of lemons, a couple of limes, a large orange and a grapefruit. Cut each in half widthways (so that you get a print that shows the separate segments). Juice each half carefully, taking care to break up the pith between each fruit segment. Leave the juiced fruit halves out to dry a little. Choose your colours Squeeze a generous amount of fabric paint into foil trays, using a different tray for each colour. Classic orange, yellow and acid green look effective but you could also pick colours to match to your decor if you prefer. Make your…

Orion This constellation is named after a hunter in Greek mythology. Orion is a symbol of strength and skill, known for his ability to catch any animal he sets his sights on – at least, all but one. In one version of the story, Scorpius was sent to defeat Orion. After a fierce battle, Orion was stung and killed by the mighty scorpion. How to see it Orion is best viewed in January. First find the belt – three bright stars that appear in a straight line. Then look nearby for a bright red star, Betelgeuse, which forms Orion's shoulder. To one side of the belt is Rigel, a bright blue star that marks the hunter's right foot. Brightest star Rigel is a blue supergiant. It's the brightest star in…

A Crime in the Neighborhood Neighbourhood – and national – watchfulness in Suzanne Berne's dark coming of age. A Spell Of Winter Siblings Cathy and Rob inhabit a ‘dark Eden’ in Helen Dunmore's Gothic tale, alone in a decaying country estate in the years leading to WWI. The Lacuna Art and politics is Barbara Kingsolver's palette as her protagonist crosses paths with the likes of Frida Kahlo, Joseph McCarthy and Trotsky. The Tiger's Wife With tales of escaped tigers and ‘deathless’ men, mythology abounds in Téa Obreht's 2011 winner, set against the 20th century wars in the Balkans. The Idea Of Perfection Kate Grenville's 2001 winner is an unlikely love story – a tale of bridges and sewing machines, demolition and creation in rural Australia. Hamnet A kestrel for Agnes,…

Fish pie and cheddar mash Comfort food at its finest – a fish pie with a cheesy mashed potato topping is worth the effort and a guaranteed crowd pleaser Fish pie and cheddar mash Serves 6 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium leek, finely sliced 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped 1 bay leaf 1 tbsp plain flour 300ml dry Cornish cider/dry white wine 300ml whole milk 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard Pinch grated nutmeg Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped Small bunch chives, chopped, plus extra for garnish 1 tbsp capers 500g MSC-certified haddock fillets (smoked and/or unsmoked), cut into chunks 200g MSC-certified cold-water prawns (pre-cooked, defrosted), cut into chunks 200g MSC salmon (defrosted if frozen) FOR THE MASH TOPPING: 800g potatoes 200g celeriac, peeled and cubed (optional) 40g butter 100ml milk 120g mature cheddar, grated 1 egg yolk (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180C/Gas…

Theresa's advice for creating your own art wall. • You only need one coat of chalkboard paint to coat the surface of the wall you want to use, and it should work on any wall. I repaint mine every six months, but it only takes 30 minutes and dries quickly. • Use a wall that isn't where people could accidentally rub off your design by walking past it or by leaning on it. You can use hairspray to seal your work, but I find my designs don't rub off too easily. • Try out different chalks – I use the ones from Flying Tiger as I find they have a good range of colours, but I also use artist pastels, too. Also try different makes and colours to find the…

Research has shown that nine out of ten British people will have spoken to someone about the weather within the last six hours (while around a third will have talked about it in the last 60 minutes). In fact, a survey published in 2015 found that Brits will, on average, spend around four months of their entire lives making meteorological small talk. It is perhaps for good reason, then, that our weather-related vocabulary is enormously well furnished. When temperatures drop, you might find yourself snerdling (snuggling together for warmth), peeling (accidentally stepping out in insufficient clothing) or even barflogging (slapping your arms against your sides for warmth). Then as nature begins to whicken (awaken from the depths of winter), birds valentine (chirp romantically) and, as spring approaches, you might experience…

Jane Austen Food as entertainment Period-piece recreations of Austen's novels, though set in the Regency era, tend to mistakenly suggest an aura of Victorian delicacy and refinement. Austen was a Georgian: a member of an earthy society where people were not ashamed of their bodies and plumpness was a virtue. The Prince Regent led the way in enjoyments of the table, and there's every reason to think that Austen followed suit. On one occasion she even admits in a letter that her hands are shaking as she tries to write, as she drank too much the night before. We can also suspect a particular interest in matters of the table because she describes the details of foods eaten by the characters in her novels, in comparison, say, to details of…

Living on a remote Orkney island, far from shops, and with six to feed, I baked in the range, supplemented by the Calor Gas cooker, and recipe books were my joy. A pen friend in Yorkshire, who edited a round-robin among farm women, lent me the family notebook, started in 1860, spanning four generations. I copied it faithfully, and the fun it has given is priceless. Among the recipes for Feast Cake and Fruitbread for farmhands, as well as frugal recipes from the First World War, are Jellied Rabbit and Buttermilk Cheese. All recipes have the name of the giver. A Miss Precious was particularly prolific, with entries from Ammonia Biscuits to Bakewell Tart. I've used them and feel I know Miss Precious well. Interspersed are notes on How to…

Its evergreen needles make for a year-round harvest. However, avoid if pregnant. Tipple All edible parts make great liqueurs. Taste after a few hours of infusing. Tea Pine needles and new buds are delicious. Pick and dry new buds to use throughout the year. Soda Sterilise a 1 ltr jar, add 4 tbsp white sugar and 60g pine needles. Top up with filtered, unchlorinated water, ensuring all needles are under the liquid. Seal the jar with a sterilised lid and shake. Place in a warm room away from direct sunlight and turn each day. After 3 days, open. If there's a fizz, it's ready (although it may need longer in colder temperatures). Serve with ice and a slice of lemon.…