The Simple ThingsSeptember 2025的目錄

Morning! What's your first drink of the day? I start with a mug of hot water, lemon, turmeric and black pepper while getting myself and my two-year-old daughter, Sienna, ready. Can you tell us a bit about what you do and why? After having Sienna, I found postnatal life hard: breastfeeding struggles, anxiety, and feeling deeply alone. Not wanting other mums to feel that way, I retrained as a postnatal doula. I'd studied life coaching and kinesiology [the science of human body movement], and together they've become a way for me to support others. Time to pop the kettle on? Ooh, yes please! I've got a big box of Pukka teas -my favourite is Relax. I also love making energy balls for my clients - and keep a few for…

Sungold Her favourite tomato was sungold – I know because I remember, one late August or early September, being together, and being told to marry them with bread, basil, mozzarella, a little olive oil, just a pinch of salt. It was too good – to a fault. I will never again eat panzanella or pick sungolds off the vine without thinking of how her life would stop so soon after that bumper crop, when everything was fine. Delicious food and treasured memories marry in this lovely, melancholy poem by Erica McAlpine. A season of sunshine and rain has ripened the aptly named tomato, its bittersweet flavour a reminder of someone loved who is gone. Things to ponder: How does the rhyme structure of the lines lead you into the heart…

“Spend your life doing something that you really approve of. Something that you really feel needs doing, that you know you'll want to get up and tackle every day, whatever that may be for you.” “My dad would say to me, ‘You can ask anyone anything, but don't waste their time.’ Work out who it is you need to get the answer to your question from, get the answer and go.” “You should always create just for you. It helps you face the world the right way, because if you're always looking to monetise an experience, that's not a good thing.”…

Torta della Nonna This pine nut tart is beloved throughout Italy, with many regional variations. Often pasticceria will sell a slice with a coffee for breakfast or to take home for an afternoon snack. Serves 8-12 FOR THE PASTRY: 150g unsalted butter, softened 150g caster sugar 4 large egg yolks 350g plain or Italian 00 flour, plus extra for dusting Zest of 1 lemon FOR THE FILLING: 350g ricotta Few drops vanilla extract 50ml double cream 3 large egg yolks 100g caster sugar 100g pine nuts Icing sugar, for dusting Add the flour, lemon zest and a pinch of salt and mix again until it comes together into a dough. Wrap in baking paper and chill for 1 hr. Add the vanilla extract, cream, egg yolks, sugar and three quarters of the pine nuts and mix together. Chill again for 30…

Seeking out a peaceful spot to write a few words with a favourite pen and a beautiful notebook is more than just a pleasant way to pass the time. From helping us cope with difficulties, to improving memory and enabling us to make plans and connect with people, handwriting can have a remarkably positive impact on our wellbeing. While many of us were avid diary writers as children, and penned handwritten letters to distant family and lovers in the days before WhatsApp, handwriting is an easy habit to fall out of. According to recent YouGov research, only one in six of us updates a journal or diary by hand at least a few times a month, and just 7% of us are regularly writing letters by hand. Despite these statistics,…

Time near water is time well spent. And it's always a magical moment to be able to sit back and watch the sun dip below the horizon, drink in hand. Bookshop browse SPOTTING THE SEASONAL SHIFTS The Hidden Seasons: A Calendar Of Nature's Clues And Signs by Tristan Gooley Tristan Gooley has spent decades walking different landscapes, carefully reading nature's signs and explaining the whys and wherefores of the ripples in water, moss on trees, animal footprints in the mud and the stars in the night sky. Here he takes a deep dive into seasonal changes, explaining the parts played by the sun, moon and the weather and how they affect flora and fauna. Designed to sharpen our powers of observation and our delight in the world around us, he…

A LITTLE RESPECT BY ERASURE It's not unknown for pop stars to demand a little respect. Just think of Aretha Franklin's classic reworking of the Otis Redding song. But in September 1988, when Erasure's song came out, it was much rarer for gay pop stars to demand it, or even be openly gay. Andy Bell – Erasure's lead singer – was an exception. He'd teamed up with Vince Clarke, who was already well known from being in bands including Depeche Mode and Yazoo, after responding to an advert for a singer in Melody Maker. A Little Respect came from their no.1 album The Innocents, released in April that same year. Given the fame of other Respect songs, Vince resisted adding to that canon. But Andy felt that they could give…

THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE SEPTEMBER BIRTH FLOWERS ASTER AND MORNING GLORY Aster is Ancient Greek for ‘star’ because it's said that the goddess Astraea was saddened by how few stars there were, causing her to cry tears that turned to asters – now symbolic of innocence, faith and wisdom. Morning Glory's deep blue and purple trumpets, meanwhile, bloom in early morning, reminding us to treasure life's fleeting moments. Folklore CALLING THE MARE In this end-of-harvest tradition, the last sheath of corn harvested is used to make a rough mare shape and tossed into the neighbouring farmer's field, while shouting “Mare! Mare!” It was a not-so-subtle way of showing off your harvesting prowess and hinting that wild horses would be after your crops if you didn't hurry up. As each…

FAVOURITE GIFT SHOP PUHA This indie boutique stocks clothing, accessories and prints from local designers and sustainable brands – most of them are Dutch. puhashop.nl FAVOURITE GALLERY FOTODOK A stylish exhibition space that shares visual stories, showcasing photographers and artists driving change. fotodok.org FAVOURITE MUSEUM Nijntje Museum Brings to life the world of the Netherlands’ iconic white rabbit, Miffy – known as “nijntje” to the locals. nijntjemuseum.nl FAVOURITE MARKET Saturday flower market Every weekend, the old town square outside Janskerkhof becomes a hotbed of flowers. This has been part of Utrecht's market tradition since the 1830s. markten.nl/en/weekly-market/utrecht FAVOURITE WAY TO SPEND AN HOUR Koffie Leute This cosy coffee bar also sells cassettes from Utrecht and Dutch labels as well as secondhand CDs and vinyl. koffieleute.nl PLACE TO SEE BY NIGHT…

GARDENER'S HERBAL TEA Serves 1 Handful of fresh herbs, such as lemon balm*, mint, wild chamomile, plus more for garnish Honey (or preferred sweetener), to taste Ice cubes, raw-sugar or flower-powder rim, optional Add the herbs, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 to 15 mins. Sweeten with honey and serve chilled or over ice, garnished with fresh herbs. Taken from The Herbalist's Guide For The Sober Curious by Leah Jorgensen Jean (Chartwell Books)…

No one, surely, wants to consider themselves a clock-watcher. But my ever-present wristwatch – one of the first things that goes on in the morning, and the last taken off at night – has helped give me my time back. To be clear, there's nothing ‘smart’ about my watch; it doesn't alert me about emails, or monitor my heart rate, or anything like that. I'm resolutely analogue with my watches – though surely a portable device just a few centimetres big that can keep time is the very definition of ‘smart’? It's actually not that dissimilar to my very first watch that helped me get to grips with telling the time, aided by its half-red/half-blue clockface. After a decade or so without one, I became reacquainted with the joy of…

Esther Kimani is a Kenyan AI software engineer – not an obvious agricultural champion, yet her tech innovations are proving transformative for farmers across Kenya. As a child, Esther's parents worked hard on their smallholding, but like so many, lost up to 40% to pests and disease. “It was devastating,” she told the Royal Society of Engineering. She “felt a responsibility to leave home to change home,” and was able to put her tech training to good use on behalf of Kenya's five million smallholding farmers, creating an early crop detection system. By rigging up a solar-powered camera to a computer it monitors the crops, identifies pests or diseases and can notify the farmer by text within five seconds. The result? Loss is prevented, and yield is raised. Esther won…

At Dovey Junction a few years ago, I was the only passenger alighting from the train. This can, of course, bode ill, but for me it underscores an exciting remoteness. It amplifies the sense of adventure, of heading off somewhere unusual. It's one of rail travel's great pleasures. Dovey Junction is halfway up Wales’ west coast then slightly inland, along the River Dyfi's estuary. It's where the picturesque Cambrian Line forks, with services heading north to the Llyn Peninsula or south to Aberystwyth. It's a kilometre from the nearest road or cottage and where I'm standing can only be reached by rail. As my train disappears, I'm totally alone save for two red kites gliding above a panorama of green-brown hills, woodland and reedbeds. These moments highlight the delight of…

The year before my parents married, my dad bought my mum a charm bracelet – and every year on their wedding anniversary, he gifted her with a charm for it until the time came when he couldn't fit any more on the links of its rose-gold chain. My favourite charm changed from year to year. My mum's did too. There was the fob which spun when you blew on it to reveal the words ‘I love you’. A little cottage that flipped open to reveal a fully furnished room. A drum which hid a cowering mouse inside and a worn-out boot that homed the old women from the nursery rhyme who lived in shoe. As a child, Mum's bracelet was a thing of wonder. Its distinctive jingle was a sign…

Fill in the gaps with letters to find the names of eight countries. Only eight? Yes, two of these are red herrings and will only produce frustration. (answers on page 124) “Where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure” Rumi Those dots over a vowel in English? Technically ‘diaeresis’, they show that it should be sounded separately, like in Brontë. Though it was only last year that the sisters’ Westminster Abbey memorial finally had the diaeresis added.…

You will need: Wooden box in need of a makeover Clean cloth Sandpaper (medium and fine/extra fine grades) Gesso or acrylic paint Paper designs – think print-outs of personal photos, wrapping paper, pics from your favourite magazine (ahem) Scissors or a craft knife Glue (découpage glue or PVA glue) Découpage brush (try hobbycraft.co.uk or use a flat, clean paintbrush or sponge brush) Clean sponge Varnish Brush away any dust. Experiment with how they'll be placed on the box until you have a layout that you're happy with. Smooth out with the clean sponge.…

Thatched It was almost the last straw for this tradition until Historic England intervened in the 1970s. Today, 60,000 thatched buildings survive in the UK. Townhouse The only way was up for Georgian townhouses, with 3 or 4 storeys. Seen putting their best face forward in Bath, Edinburgh, London and York. Arts and Crafts The art of craft on show in this turn of the 20th century style, with beams and brickwork all helping build an asymmetric charm. Tudor Don't mix up with Tudorbethan tributes, the real things have timber beams, steep roofs and jettied storeys. Another lead is the lead diamond glass. 18th-century terrace Feel at home? A quarter of the UK lives in a terraced house, a style that took off from the late 1800s with growing urban…

Hunt the treats A treasure trail to challenge your dog While we navigate our way around the world using sight, our dogs – with noses over 40 times more sensitive than ours – sniff their way around theirs. A good treat hunt will entertain any dog, from puppy to veteran. Make it more interesting by varying the treats – fold any greasy offerings in paper first – and carefully consider where you hide them: if they're all at natural nose height, it'll be a short-lived hunt. Vary the levels, putting some up high in more challenging places (move breakables out of the way before you start). Keep the door closed while you hide around a dozen small treats, then usher your dog in and help them, if needed, to find…

Serves 4-6 60ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 white onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 fennel bulb, finely sliced ½ tsp fennel seeds 1 carrot, cut into 2cm rounds 400g baby new potatoes, peeled and halved 1.25ltr vegetable stock 2 large tomatoes, chopped 600g cod, skin and bones removed, cut into 5cm chunks 20 mussels, scrubbed well, beards removed Add the onion, garlic, fennel and fennel seeds and season with a good pinch of salt flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10-12 mins, or until the vegetables are soft. Discard any mussels that haven't opened. Drizzle with extra olive oil to serve. You could also squeeze over some fresh lemon juice, scatter with chopped dill and serve with a pitta bread. Cook's note: This soup is…

“Mum,” Nat said, over the phone. “The school's shut – they've had a flood. Can you have Henry? I can't miss another team meeting, I just can't. Please?” May's heart clenched. Her first, guilty reaction was no, I can't. Not alone. “Nat…” she began. “He'll be fine,” Nat insisted. “He's got his ear defenders. He's had breakfast. He's got his iPad with his pirate treasure puzzle game on it. I'll be back before lunch, I promise. Please, Mum. We're here now.” “But I'm not home,” May said, looking around at the verdant abundance around her, caught frantic mid-waltz as it began to dance from late summer into early autumn. “I'm at the allotment.” “I know,” Nat told her. “Where else would you be on a morning like this? We're here.”…

The word ‘perfect’ is banned from The Simple Things. It's hard to live a slower, more fulfilled life when we are surrounded by unrealistic examples of a flawless existence. So, cakes are wonky, suggestions are could-do, not should do, food is slow, not for show. Yes, we make things look pretty and choose the most beautiful pictures because there's a pleasure in that, but our weekend projects are ‘proudly homemade’ and we're never striving to ‘impress our guests’ in our Gathering recipe ideas. Belongings are often more treasured because they're imperfect and many of our favourite memories stem from things that went awry. When we talk to people about their plots, jobs, homes or cities, we ask about their mistakes, failures, problems and life lessons, as well as the good…

IN A WORLD THAT CAN FEEL INCREASINGLY UNIFORM, WE'RE CELEBRATING THOSE HAPPILY DOING THINGS a bit differently. Meet the PEOPLE WHO ARE seriously PASSIONATE a bout their pastimes. PERHAPS THEY'LL PERSUADE YOU TO TRY something NEW? “Welcome to the only hat festival in the kingdom.” In contrast to what follows, our greeter's head covering – a trilby adorned with two feathers – is a modest affair. But Simon Eastwood isn't here just for the festivities – the former sheep shearer's been weaving baskets in Bridport's Bucky Doo Square for 30 years. It's that kind of town. The next person we hear from is more of a special occasion merchant. “Titfers in place, caps lock on, flaunt your great headgear! And God save the King!” thunders the town crier from beneath…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE HERB DRYING RACK Herbs can multiply so much it's hard to eat everything when fresh. This rack lets you hang them – they'll dry even faster when close to the ceiling. You will need: Approx 10m planed pine, divided into 17 rails, 515 × 15 × 15mm each Ruler and pencil Try square Mitre box Japanese saw Small clamps Wood chisel (approx 10–16mm wide) and mallet Wood glue (plus a rag for wiping) Bore, 6mm and drill Sandpaper, 180 grit 120 × 600mm thin linen (or cotton) cloth 5m cotton rope (approx 5mm in diameter) The bottom frame has five crossbars instead of being covered with fabric as for the top two. Mark the rails where you'll cut (following the drawing below) – you can use the piece that will slot in, so you'll make the mark at exactly…

This corner gives me a break from daily life – it feels grounding and calm. I decorate it with soft lighting and natural materials, such as wicker, rustic pots and seasonal plants. Lighting the firepit is a simple ritual that helps us slow down. I like to sit with a coffee or a glass of wine, enjoying the peacefulness. Sometimes, I'll tend to my plants, rearrange the pots, or I'll just sit and watch the flames. Carin Norberg, Strängnäs, Sweden @villasjovik I love to upcycle and this firepit is made using recycled materials – wooden pallets and an old kettle barbecue. We enjoy family time, sitting around it with our grown-up children, reminiscing and toasting marshmallows. Emma Fox, Wroxham, Norfolk @upcyclefan Our beautiful outdoor fireplace gives the seating area a…

Edible sumacs have red clusters of upward-facing berries. The berries ripen at the end of the summer; so pick when they are bright red. Beware of some trees known as ‘sumacs’ that are toxic (including the poison sumac). Cordial Fruity and astringent, add to soft drinks or cocktails. Make a syrup by infusing the berries in hot water for a couple of hours, then strain and place in a saucepan with 400g of sugar for every 500ml of liquid; simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Sumac berries make a lovely fruity drink, either by themselves or paired alongside rosehips, elderberries or blackberries in a hot or chilled tea. Tipple Delicious infused into spirits such as vodka and tequila, either alone or with orange. Adapted from A Forager's Guide To…

TURTLE DOVE Most commonly associated with love and romance, thanks to their tender behaviour, the male displays intense emotions when wooing the female. Once the female's heart is secured, the pairing will last a lifetime, as these birds are famously monogamous and are often seen perched together, preening. Many ancient civilisations considered them symbols of enduring love. Fides, the Roman goddess of trust and good faith, was often depicted wearing a laurel wreath crown and white veil while holding the turtle dove lovingly in one hand to emit a sense of purity. The ancient Greeks also favoured the sweet nature of these birds and associated them with their goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. It was thought that a flock of doves pulled her chariot through the skies. The Syrian…

TO REVIVE MEDIEVAL GAMES Medieval times were not known for their frivolity so there was a low ‘fun’ bar where games were concerned. Verily, that maketh it quite easy to recreate a medieval games tournament… or so one would think. Start with the familiar Lots of medieval outdoor games are still played today. Tug of war remains much the same, though in the Middle Ages, they added an interesting obstacle in the middle of the rope, such as a hedge… or river. Wear your wellies if you're playing Middle Ages rules. Indeed, many outdoor medieval games sound familiar… just ‘rougher’. Wrestling and Stone Throwing (essentially extreme shotput) are both easy to recreate though come with a high risk of injury. Branch out You could try looking up the rules to…