July | a final thought

This post is our last for the July ‘embrace’ issue. Hopefully you’re fully embracing summer now, relishing every moment and looking forward to some slow time just for you over the next few weeks.

Above is the illustration from our back cover. We hope it made you smile. And here’s a haiku we penned as an ode to June. As always, we would love to hear yours. Write your own in the comments below or leave it for us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Five, seven, five, remember. We’ll send a lovely book to the author of our favourite.

New books to be read, 

Sands to tread, tastes to try.

Holidays are here.

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More from our July issue…

More wit and wisdom from our back covers…

June: a final thought

This marks the end of our June ‘shine’ issue. We hope it brought a little sunshine into your life.

As is tradition now, here’s a haiku we penned as an ode to June. Write your own in the comments below or leave it for us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Five, seven, five, remember. We’ll send a lovely book to the author of our favourite.

Grass-stained feet, bed before dark,

Days longer than nights.

Midsummer folly all round.

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More wit and wisdom from our back covers…

More from our June issue…

May: a final thought

We hope you enjoyed our May ‘Relish’ issue, and our back cover cartoon

This month we have loved celebrating the outdoors, relishing long weekends and making the most of the late spring sunshine. In homage to all that, here’s our May haiku. We’ve chosen the theme of casting not a ‘clout’ until May be out. But do have a go at writing your own (on anything May-related) and leave it in the comments below. We’ll send a lovely book to the author of our favourite.

Discard vests in May!

When they said ‘cast ne’er a clout’

They meant the hawthorn.

More thoughts from our back cover…

More from our May issue…

April: a final thought

Please enjoy our back page chalkboard message and a seasonal haiku

We’ve loved all the fun of our Treat issue and we hope you enjoyed the slightly out-of-the-ordinary cover of this issue.

Here’s an April haiku in homage to all that. Do have a go at your own and leave it in the comments below. We send a lovely book to the author of our favourite each month.

April brings showers,

But sweets, treats and flowers, too.

It’s a spring surprise.

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More from the April issue…

More wisdom from our back cover…

March: a final thought

Photography: Catherine Frawley

Please enjoy our back page chalkboard message and a seasonal haiku

Our ‘Seek’ issue has been a veritable romp through spring sights, quirky curiosities and all sorts of magical things that you only spot when you’re really looking. We hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have.

Here’s a March haiku in homage to all that. Do have a go at your own and leave it in the comments below. We send a lovely book to the author of our favourite each month.

Light, bright mornings and

A breath of bulbs on the air.

Spring is really here.

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More from our March issue…

More inspiration from our chalkboard…

February: a final thought

Please enjoy our back page chalkboard message and a seasonal haiku

From overnight bakes to wild walks, to indulging in the art of bathing, we hope you’ve enjoyed our Soothe issue this month. Here’s to lighter, warmer days to come.

We’ve penned a haiku in homage to February. Do share your own below (5, 5, 7 syllables, remember). We’ll send a lovely book to the author of our favourite haku.

Last days of winter,

Only twenty-eight, at least.

Thanks, February.

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More from our February issue…

More of our back cover messages…

January: a final thought

Please enjoy our back page chalkboard message and a seasonal haiku

Our ‘Cheer’ issue has reminded us of all the reasons why we love winter. We’ve been celebrating the dark evenings by hunkering down, gathering friends and lighting fires. Having an excuse to stay at home and cook, relax and hibernate a bit is a very good reason to enjoy the cold weather.

Here’s a January haiku in homage to all that. Do have a go at your own and leave it in the comments below. We send a lovely book to the author of our favourite each month.

Don’t misunderstand,

Snow’s great for a week or two…

But hibernation’s better.

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More from our January issue…

More inspiration from our back cover…

December: a final thought

Please enjoy our special December cover, along with a seasonal haiku

We so enjoyed putting our December issue together and pausing to remember all the things we love about midwinter and the magic it brings.

We’ve packed up our pencil cases for the holidays now so will leave you with our December haiku…

An afternoon walk
Gets more unlikely
The more sprouts one has consumed.

Please do have a go at penning your own and leave it in the comments below. We’ll send a lovely book to our favourite.

This cover was a little different but usually we publish a back cover chalkboard and have turned some of them into postcards that you can buy here if you would like to.

That’s all from our December The Simple Things, but our January issue should be in the shops any day now, full cheery wintry things to inspire and surprise you.

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See more of our final thoughts…

More from our December issue…

November: a final thought

Please enjoy our November back cover, along with a seasonal haiku

Some of the things we’ve enjoyed most about our November issue have been finding out about fabulous bookshops from around the world, creating nooks in which to read alone, perusing essays on autumn, and cooking comforting things perfect for a Sunday afternoon in with a rip-roaring novel.

Here’s our November haiku in homage to all that.

Reading a good book

Is so much more rewarding

With a good biscuit.

That’s all from our November The Simple Things, but our December issue should be in the shops any day now and we’re feeling rather festively excited about it.

We publish a back cover chalkboard most months and have turned some of them into postcards that you can buy here http://www.icebergpress.co.uk/shop/chalkboard-postcards-pre-order-

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More from our November issue…

See more of our chalkboards…