Table of contents for February 2024 in The Simple Things

COMPETITION WIN! FABULOUS FLOWERS ALL YEAR ROUND Just imagine the smile on the face of someone who receives a gift box of scented flowers through the post on a dull mid-winter day. Enter our competition and you could be the lucky reader who wins 12 boxes of scented narcissi to send to your friends – however, we won’t judge if you choose to enjoy a few yourself. Grown on the picturesque Isles of Scilly, just off the Cornish coast, the ‘Tazetta’ narcissi – a scented cousin of the daffodil – flourish in small sheltered fields from October to Easter. The Isles of Scilly are unique in being able to grow flowers outdoors throughout the winter months, without the need for any additional heat or light. This means that as the…

Morning! Where are you waking up for brekkie? For the past ten years I’ve called the Isle of Wight home. Having lived in London, I appreciate the slower pace of life. I always start the day with a strong, black coffee and toast with lots of butter and marmalade. What led you to start Friendinabox? Friends were going through difficult situations and I couldn’t find anything appropriate to send. Having lost my mum, I thought about the amazing letters she’d written to me and Friendinabox was born – gifts for sensitive situations combined with an old-fashioned letter. The letter is centre-stage, rather than the gift That’s lovely. What’s first up? I work from home and start by going through orders. Hearing that our boxes have helped to comfort people fills…

Make a beeswax candle Beeswax candles make a lovely gift to mark Imbolc on 1 February (the festival halfway between winter solstice and spring equinox) or just something to lift the last of the dark days. You will need honeycomb beeswax sheets, beeswax wicking (available from crafts suppliers), some good scissors. 1 If your honeycomb sheets don’t come as squares, cut them to shape. 2 Cut a length of wicking about 5cm longer than one side of your square and lay it right at the edge of one side of the squares. 3 Fold a very small part of the edge over the wicking and press down firmly all the way along the edge. Continue to carefully roll your beeswax square into a candle. 4 Use your thumb to warm…

SNAP IT FOR LATER FAVOURITE SHOPS Chandal In the heart of trendy El Born, Chandal has been my favourite since day one. You can find local and international design brands, photography books and curated children’s toys and books. chandal.tv Bobo Choses The flagship store of the famous Catalan brand is a colourful corner of fashion for kids and adults. Follow their Instagram for upcoming workshops. bobochoses.com FAVOURITE GALLERY MOCO Museum The Moco Museum is an independent museum featuring modern, contemporary and street art. mocomuseum.com FAVOURITE CAFÉS Brunells Home to some of the best croissants in town. brunells.barcelona Granja Dulcinea A picturesque café where you can enjoy churros with chocolate and Catalan cream. granjadulcinea.com FAVOURITE RESTAURANT Antic Bocoi del Gotic A cosy restaurant in an extraordinary setting – next to the…

Lucy’s lessons for life “I get cross about the idea of children as ‘future citizens’ – they’re equal citizens. You can be nine and angry about the war in Ukraine – it’s not like they turn 18 and are suddenly fully formed.” “I love to talk, but when somebody is telling me something in grief, I’ll pinch myself so I don’t interject. People fill the silence, or compare. ‘That person went to Tenerife, but I’ve been to Elevenerife.’ It must be silence.” “If anyone goes into hospital or has time off, I gift them Recovery: The Lost Art Of Convalescence by Dr Gavin Francis. It’s so important to understand the value of fallow – work out what rests you.”…

AVOCADO, BANANA & HONEY REVITALISING FACE MASK 1 Using a fork, mash a banana and avocado together. Stir in 1 tbsp of honey. 2 Apply to your face and leave for 15 minutes. Remove with lukewarm water. 2-IN-1 NOURISHING TREATMENT WITH EGG 1 Separate an egg and, in a bowl, mix the yolk with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp brewer’s yeast. Mix well. 2 Apply to the hair, focusing on mid length to ends, wrap in a towel and leave to work. 3 Meanwhile, beat the egg white and apply it to the eyelid and eye contour area using a cotton wool pad. To the rest of the egg white add 1 tbsp honey and a splash of almond or olive oil and spread over the face and…

Sunlight leaking through trees KOMOREBI 木漏れ日 This expression describes sunlight filtering through trees and, as well as having a descriptive element, it’s used to express a love of natural beauty. Let’s imagine you walk into a forest on a sunny day and the light rays are filtering through the branches of leafy trees, the dappled sunlight reflected on the path. 木漏れ日 or komorebi captures this very subtle and beautiful natural phenomenon in four short syllables. The concept doesn’t really exist as a phrase in other languages and can’t be translated as a single word. To see with the long eye NAGAI ME DE MIRU 長い目でみる Life is full of surprises – some of them not so great – so sometimes it’s a good idea to ‘look at things with the…

HOME TOUR Bringing your work home isn’t always a good idea, but if you’re an illustrator with a love of plants, folklore and fairy tales, it makes for an enchanting house filled with interesting finds, creative touches and a warm welcome. The Sheffield home of artist, illustrator and author Sandra Dieckmann – which she shares with husband Tim, their daughter Ronja, six, and their tuxedo cat, Little Crumb – dates back to the early 1900s and has a Victorian feel, with early Art Deco features, too. After spending their twenties in London, the couple were drawn to Sheffield because it offered family-friendly city life close to the Peak District. “It has a great music and pub scene, theatre, outdoor space and an easy commute to London for work,” explains Sandra.…

GARDENS That first time a fluffy blue tit fledgling pokes its head out of the nestbox is a painful moment of joy and tension. I momentarily stop breathing. It’s always such a slow move, the parents noisily encouraging it, me silently urging. Finally, just when I’m about to give up and get another cup of tea, it finds the courage to launch – a weak fluttering that ends in an ungainly splashdown in a nearby bush. I cheer under my breath, as if I raised the little bird myself. And in some ways I have. I chose the nestbox, sited it carefully and tried to create the right conditions for the parent blue tits to breed. It’s so rewarding. By the time I’ve made that next cuppa, a second chick…

A PLACE TO STAY While many venture west in search of beaches, it’s easy to overlook the subtle drama of Devon’s heartland. You perhaps may think Dartmoor’s charms to be a bit bleak, too rugged and out in the elements for a family with young children but, as it turns out, the opportunity to unwind in a converted barn on the western fringes of Dartmoor proved to be a welcome break at the tail end of winter for our family of four; a chance to explore more than brooding moorlands, but also deep river valleys, ancient oak woodlands and adventurous waterfall walks. Although we expected to be staying ‘in the bleak midwinter’, the weather actually delivered crisp bright days with endless blue skies framing the lofty tors. Where we stayed…

TENDER HOOKS Commonly confused phrases and linguistic muddles If you’re in a state of nervous tension, you might say that you’re ‘on tender hooks’. You’re probably wondering what a tender hook is, especially as hooks need to have some kind of rigidity. And this saying doesn’t have anything to do with other meanings of the word ‘tender’, such as money (‘legal tender’) or steam trains (where a ‘tender’ would contain water and coal). That’s because you should actually be on ‘tenterhooks’. Wondering what a tenterhook is? We won’t leave you hanging: it’s a type of nail used on a tenter. And a tenter is a frame historically used in cloth production. After washing, the cloth would be stretched out on the tenter, using tenterhooks, to prevent it deforming as it…

Necklaces, shoelaces, wires, fairy lights, ropes, etc The key is loosening the knot. Lay out the tangle as flat as possible in good light. Push the ends towards each other to see if it loosens. If not, find a tool, and gently work into the knot until you’ve made space big enough to pull it apart: think a pin for a necklace, a fork prong for shoelaces and a pencil for wires/fairy lights. And for ropes? Make like a sailor with a marlinspike – a tool for this very purpose. Hair Tends to tangle when dry so apply some rich conditioner. Use a wide-toothed comb or brush to work section by section, going ends to roots. Plastic bags or balloons It’s in the twist: with a bag, keep twisting one…

Stood with her hand on the gate, Iris tried to quell the urge to flee. It was hard being here, in this place, his place. “Excuse me?” Startled, she swung round to find a man of around her age standing behind her, a shovel in one hand, and a brown paper bag in the other. “Sorry.” She moved aside. “I was just… sorry.” He was tall, but not ungainly, with a green woollen hat pulled down over tufty blond hair. Instead of walking through the gate, he propped it open and waited for her, remarking cheerfully that it was “a lovely day for it.” Iris took in the whitewashed February sky. It had snowed the previous week, though she’d barely noticed. “Which one’s yours?” He was looking at her expectantly.…

CAMPAIGN Just as St David’s Day is associated with daffodils, and Christmas with holly and ivy, Valentine’s Day is symbolised by the rose. But, while those first two are linked to the season – and can be gathered from the garden – that’s certainly not true with roses at this time of year. “Look what’s happening outside the window now, and how different that is from the bouquets that are available to buy,” says Olivia Wilson, one of the founders of SSAW, a collective of florists and growers (See The Simple Things, March 2022). “It’s not a practice in tune with the season.” This disconnect is behind their ‘Why buy Roses in February?’ campaign, intended to help us question not only their availability, but also their ubiquity. The campaign has…

Tara Bergin’s poems begin in unlikely places, such as a dentist’s waiting room or a queue in the bank. To finish them she needs to be “in a room with a door that can close.” Such rooms can be hard to find as A Rented Room Above The Registry Office beautifully shows. Things to ponder: Tara describes her poetry as being about “the clash between inner life and outer reality and how they seek to disrupt each other.” How does that happen in this poem? What’s the narrator of this poem’s feeling about love and romance? A Rented Room Above The Registry Office by Tara Bergin is from the collection The Tragic Death Of Eleanor Marx, reprinted by permission of Carcanet Press, UK.…

WALNUT BLOCK COLLECTABLES SAUVIGNON BLANC, £14.95 Deliciously fresh, this is a great value zingy, organic New Zealand Sauvignon. Citrus fruits give a crisp and pure finish – brilliant for pairing with the beetroot and smoked salmon. BEETLE RIESLING TROCKEN, £16.95 Light and golden with fruity flavours including lime, kiwi and passion fruit. Its freshness means that it easily cuts through the richness of all the cheese. CHATEAU CABIDOS PETIT MANSENG DOUX CUVEE ST. CLEMENT, £16.95 To accompany the rich flavours of the dessert, you’ll want a lighter wine. Made by a family producer in the foothills of the Pyrenees, this has an aroma of ripe fruit and honey, with fresh acidity on the finish. Wine recommendations by Andrew at Cheers Wine Merchants, cheerswinemerchants.co.uk…

“PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FEN SKATING IN EAST ANGLIA SINCE MEDIEVAL TIMES” During sustained periods of cold weather, flooded meadows in East Anglia freeze and create a safe and enchanting terrain for skating. Weather conditions must be precise, which makes fen skating a rare and fleeting sport. The surface relies on shallow flooding prior to a cold snap; optimum conditions enable less than a handful of skating days every few years. Last winter, photographer Harry George Hall stumbled upon this niche pursuit and forged links with a small but dedicated online community, making trips to fen skating ‘hotspots’ only to find thin or melted ice, rain, flooded roads and darkness. But he knew that when the conditions aligned, it would be worth it. When the day arrived, he turned up to…

This year, 10 February marks the start of the Lunar Year of the Dragon, which comes around every 12 years and invariably causes a baby boom. Unlike their counterparts in the West, Chinese dragons bring good luck, and children born during dragon years are traditionally thought to be destined for success and prosperity. Asia might be the only place where dragons are part of the calendar, but giant mythological reptiles – which may or may not fly and breathe fire – are common to cultures across the world, from Scandinavia to Central America. To the Norse they were a symbol of strength, and Vikings carved their grimacing forms on their longships to frighten enemies. To the Aztecs, the ‘feathered serpent’ Quetzalcoatl was a revered god. Some First Nations cultures in…

BELONGINGS When my sister and I were little our mum always kept an old cardigan of hers in the cubbyhole, under the stairs, which she laid over us whenever we were poorly. It was made of soft, mauve wool and had leather buttons that were worn but soft to the touch. The cardi was a comfort and a treat because it was Mum’s – it smelled of her and always made us feel better. As I grew older, I remember fetching the ‘poorly’ cardi for Mum when she didn’t feel well, laying it over her and tucking her in as she had done for me. Some years later, when I was expecting my daughter, I treated myself to a beautiful dark green Fair Isle wool cardigan. It became a firm…

WEEKEND PROJECT PROUDLY HOMEMADE DOORSTOP An a-door-able helper, which requires just a little raiding of your fabric stash and kitchen cupboards. You will need: 40cm x 25cm of thick fabric (upholstery fabric, corduroy or quilting cotton are best) Wide webbing Pins Cotton, to match the fabric Dried rice or lentils (large bag) 1 Right sides together, fold the fabric in half so that the two shorter sides line up. Sew these ends together, 1cm from the edge. Fold the fabric so the seam is in the centre. Press seam out. 2 Sew along the bottom, 1 cm from the edge. Mark 4cm in from both corners, then pinch the fabric out to make a triangle, draw a line across the top and sew along it. Do this on both sides…

“I love how well this space works all year round. Having a bay window alongside the sliding doors has really made this a bright, light space. In a narrow home where you spend the majority of your day on the ground floor, it was important for us to optimise every square inch. It’s created a warm, inviting place that’s extremely practical for our small family, as well as when we have friends and family over to visit. It really has transformed how we use and feel about our home, we’re so thrilled with how it turned out!” Amber Hopkins, Battersea, southwest London @ourhoppyhouse “All the rooms in our house are inspired by memories the terracotta walls here are a reminder of our honeymoon in Mexico. The window seat is my…

DOWN TO A TEA TOWEL Not only a cheering sight from a window, the snowdrop can lift spirits when drying up, too, thanks to this pretty design by Jane Abbott – also available on jugs and aprons. £12.99 from janeabbott.com BRICK IN THE WALL How many five-letter words can you find reading down the face of our wall? The letters of each word can only read downwards on touching bricks, taking just one from each line. (answers on page 124) “A large heart can be filled with very little” Antonio Porchia The Trinity knot, or triquetra, is found in Anglo-Saxon and Celtic art. While its original meaning is unclear, it was linked with the Christian Trinity in the 19th-century Celtic revival. Today it’s widely seen as a symbol of love. WHAT…

MIGLIACCIO (SHROVE TUESDAY CAKE) Serves 12 400ml whole milk ¼ tsp salt 180g semolina 60g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 3 medium eggs 250g caster sugar 250g ricotta, drained Zest of 1 unwaxed orange Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon 2 tsp vanilla bean paste ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp orange blossom water 100g dark chocolate chips Icing sugar, for dusting 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/ Gas 4. Grease a 23cm springform tin and line with baking paper. 2 Put the milk, 400ml of water and salt in a pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and gradually add the semolina, whisking vigorously. Keep whisking for 2-3 mins to produce a thick paste, then take the pan off the heat and, while hot, add the butter. Stir well, then pour into a wide tray. Line the surface with plastic…

THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE Local lore OLNEY PANCAKE RACE Pancake races are held in towns and cities all over the UK and are always a (flipping) good laugh. The oldest takes place in Olney, Buckinghamshire. The women of Olney have raced on Shrove Tuesday every year since 1445. Even during the pandemic, it was run by one lone woman so the tradition wouldn’t be broken. It’s a thoroughly old-fashioned affair, run by women only who must be wearing a skirt. (Aprons and headscarves are provided.) The church shriving bell sounds to announce the start of the race, then everyone tosses their pancake and runs the 380 metres from the marketplace to the door of St Peter and Paul’s church, where they must perform a final toss. The race is…

Each season, I create a little botanical tableau on a set of driftwood shelves overlooking our cottage garden. These two small shelves frame the seasons, delivering a dose of botanical magic come rain or shine. Papery hellebores and delicate snowdrops; summer sweet peas in lip gloss shades; a happy harvest of grasses, puffy nigella seed heads and poppies providing a sea of warm, rippling gold to see me through to spring. The shelves are just out of our back door, in a south facing lean-to we built as a temporary extension to our kitchen. Keeping the arrangements undercover but outdoors means they are safe from our two cats leaping around and they last a bit longer than they do in the house on all but the hottest of summer days.…

GOOD THINGS TO MAKE Making your own beauty products not only ensures that you know exactly what you’re putting on your skin but it can also be an enjoyable and mindful activity, with pleasure in the preparation as well as the application. As you feel the textures and mix the components, you can learn about the different ingredients and what feels good for your face and body. These simple recipes offer an introduction to making our bathroom cabinets more conscious and sustainable. That’s gentle and soothing masks, creams and balms but also considering more everyday items, such as our toothpaste or deodorant. After all, the first step towards loving our body is to take care of it. PROUDLY HOMEMADE Ylang ylang flower hair cream The essential oil of ylang ylang…

As I paddle out a couple of hundred yards from the shore of West Beach on the Moray Coast, I’m hopeful of seeing a bottlenose dolphin breaching the calm blue expanse. There’s barely a wave or a breath of wind, so I lie down on my paddle board, feeling the late afternoon sun warm my bare toes, hearing my children playing on the sand behind. Sheltered from Atlantic south-westerlies and tucked in the ‘rain shadow’ of the Grampian mountains, the Moray Coast – ‘Scotland’s Sunshine Coast’ – enjoys 1,300 hours of sunshine per year, keeping it as warm and dry as the south of England. Squint at the Scots pines and sweeping sandy beaches and you could be in the south of France, with just the coconut scent of gorse…

So many wellbeing books, so little time. Our deconstruction of someone’s fresh thinking could send you in a new direction In a nutshell We’re living in an age of abundance, we can expect to live longer, healthier lives than ever before and yet many of us struggle with our mental health. Figures from the World Health Organisation show that 284 million people worldwide have an anxiety disorder and 280 million suffer from depression. So why do we feel so bad when we have it so good? Psychiatrist and author Dr Anders Hansen looks back through the evolution of humankind to explore how and when we became so focused on being happy and whether the pursuit of happiness may be having the opposite effect. So, we shouldn’t get hung up on…

LOOKING BACK The fuel for all that is to follow, breakfast has long been regarded as the most important meal of the day. Only the ingredients have changed. Sheep tongues and potted pigeons might have been usurped by eggs Benedict and Weetabix, but the need for early bird energy – whether chasing peasants for tithes or offspring on the school run – remains. If breakfast’s composition has changed, so too has its wider role in our lives. Until relatively recently, unless you were a moneyed member of the loafing class, the day’s first meal was partaken early and summarily, whether at home or in the local greasy spoon. Now, going out for breakfast is A Thing. We meet friends, and we update our lexicon and repast accordingly: think the introduction…

WISHLIST Bookshop browse HOW TO DO WINTER WELL Winter Wellness by Rachel de Thample Subtitled Nourishing Recipes To Keep You Healthy When It’s Cold, The Simple Things contributor Rachel de Thample’s mission is to boost both spirits and the immune system in the chilly winter months. It’s a warming mixture of delicious, healthy snacks, restorative recipes, easy-to-achieve ferments and homemade condiments. Sprinkled with herbs and spices, and using up end-of-the-year produce, there are reliable old remedies, like a lemon and honey sore throat soother, to fresh takes on classic dishes such as tahini porridge and dandelion and burdock ramen, all designed to replenish and encourage a restful mind. (Bloomsbury) Shopkeeper of the month So retro Treasure hunting in Norfolk Norfolk Retro is a vintage haven nestled in Norwich’s ‘Creative Quarter’…

Small Ways To Live Well is hosted by Editor, Lisa Sykes, who will be sharing tea and cake with colleagues and contributors from The Simple Things. There are six episodes in Season 1: The Hibernacle, each offering a different take on thriving in winter. They’ll go out on Sunday afternoons, from 21 January. Subscribe via your podcast app so you don't miss an episode. Here at The Simple Things we believe winter is not something to be endured but embraced. However, we need help; a tonic for the coldest and darkest months – from Twelfth Night through to the first day of spring. Welcome to 'The Hibernacle' – a winter retreat where you can pretend for a time that the outside world doesn’t exist. It’s not about hiding under the duvet but…

HALE APRON Linen and cotton, complete with a handy pocket. Best for: an array of colours and patterns means there’s one for every chef’s taste. £39, fermliving.co.uk JELLY AND CAKE Have your cake and wear it, with this fetching screenprinted number. Best for: going all in with oven gloves and tea towel to match. £25, thornbackandpeel.co.uk CROSSBACK PINAFORE Made from slubby linen, with pleasing crossover straps round the back. Best for: looking as smart inside the kitchen as out. £75, toa.st WAYS TO MAKE ART Take your cue from famous artists with a creative challenge Sarah Lucas’s humorous, provocative works use items of furniture, cigarettes, even fried eggs to suggest elements of the body. Using everyday objects, try making a sculpture of yourself. A chair or an ironing board might…

Dog rose Buds begin to show in early March, cheering the dog-end of winter. Hedge your bets you’ll find their spiny stems in… well, hedges. London plane Planes overhead, if you live in the capital where they’re the most common tree. Buds shaped like an aeroplane’s nose and just as shiny to boot. Hazel A tale of two buds: the male catkins – a welcome sight over winter – have plump green buds, and the female flower, much smaller red buds. Hornbeam Long and hairy buds, nestled against a wavy twig – this one should have you beaming, as you can start spotting budburst from early February. Common oak The mighty oak’s leaves from clustered, pointed buds grow. Less commonly known: they’re fodder for purple hairstreak caterpillars, too. Wild cherries…

CUT OUT AND KEEP Crepes with rhubarb compote, greek yogurt and pistachios Serves 4 (12 crepes) 140g plain flour 200ml whole milk 2 eggs 25g unsalted butter, melted, plus a little extra for greasing 450g rhubarb, chopped into 1cm pieces 45g sugar 200g greek yogurt 40g shelled pistachios, chopped 1 Start by making the crepe batter. In a medium-sized bowl, sift in the flour along with a pinch of salt and create a well in the centre. 2 Mix the milk and 100ml of water together. Break the eggs into the well in the flour and start whisking slowly. Gradually pour in the milk and water mixture continuing to whisk constantly and incorporating all the flour. 3 Once all the flour has been incorporated and the batter is smooth, leave it to rest for 30 mins. 4 While…