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Taking time to live well
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Taking Time to Live Well

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Photography: Jonathan Cherry

Modern History | Top Cats

Iona Bower January 24, 2023

Inspired by our visit to a cat cafe in our January issue, please meet five of our favourite cats from Modern History

Larry

Role: Downing Street, chief Mouser

Best known for: Smirking in the foreground at the scene of various PMs’ demises and lounging in a louche manner on the doorstep of number 10. 

Macak

Role: Inventor of the Hybrid Car

Best known for: Inspiring the electric car. Well, kind of… The story goes that as a boy Nicholas Tesla stroked his cat Macak’s back and saw sparks of static flying, which inspired his lifelong fascination with electricity and, by association, the hybrid car, years later when Elon Musk took up the Electricity Pioneer baton. What a cat!

Snowball

Role: Muse to Ernest Hemingway

Best known for: Having six toes. Snowball was given to Hemingway in the 1930s by a sea captain, and began the author’s love of polydactyl cats. Hemingway collected six-toed cats thereafter and many of Snowball’s ancestors still roam the grounds of Hemingway’s home in Key West. 

Felicette

Role: Astronaut

Best known for: Being the first cat in space (and the only one to have survived). Felicette beat 13 other unlucky cats to her place in the mission thanks to her unruffled disposition. One small step for man… four tiny paws for felinekind. 

Ollie the Polite Cat

Role: Being Polite

Best known for: Being the star of the 2018 viral meme ‘polite cat’ with his very polite (and quite possibly Photoshopped) smile. We’d probe further but it just wouldn’t be polite. Follow him on Instagram at @Polite_Cat_Olli_Official.

If you’d like to meet some more fabulous cats, don’t miss our Modern Eccentrics feature in which we visit a cat cafe, in the January issue, which is on sale now.

More cats we like…

Featured
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Jan 24, 2023
Modern History | Top Cats
Jan 24, 2023
Jan 24, 2023
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Apr 18, 2019
Playlist: Songs About Cats
Apr 18, 2019
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Wordless Wednesdays: Outside...
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More from the January issue…

Featured
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Jan 24, 2023
Modern History | Top Cats
Jan 24, 2023
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Jan 17, 2023
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Jan 14, 2023
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In Fun Tags issue 127, cats, modern eccentrics
Comment

Illustration by Christina Carpenter

Wild Waters | Dipping Your Toe In

Iona Bower January 17, 2023

If wild swimming is on your could-do list for 2023, don’t just dive right in. You need to have been going regularly as the waters get colder through autumn, or the temperature may be too much of a shock. If you’re a newbie, instead of taking the plunge, start January by finding a swim buddy. Wild swimming is safer and more fun with two.

For January, a swim at Loughrigg Tarn in the Lake District is a great shout. It’s said to be one of the warmest lakes locally to swim in as no rivers feed into it, and a little path running alongside, plus a car park, make it really accessible for beginners.

Stay at the Three Shires Inn nearby (threeshiresinn.co.uk) or head there for a hot coffee to warm up after your swim.

In January the average sea temperature is 6.5° in Airth, and 10.7° in Torquay.

Wild Waters is a new regular slot on our Almanac pages. Find suggestions for wild swim locations, sea temperatures and more each month, alongside other seasonal things to note and notice,
plan and do.

More wild swimming inspiration…

Featured
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Jan 17, 2023
Wild Waters | Dipping Your Toe In
Jan 17, 2023
Jan 17, 2023
SIM75.MYPLOT_DSC05480.png
Sep 11, 2018
My Plot | Natural born swimmers
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Jul 13, 2016
Escape: How to read water
Jul 13, 2016
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More from our January issue…

Featured
Cat cafe pic.jpg
Jan 24, 2023
Modern History | Top Cats
Jan 24, 2023
Jan 24, 2023
Wildwaters2.JPG
Jan 17, 2023
Wild Waters | Dipping Your Toe In
Jan 17, 2023
Jan 17, 2023
Mac n Cheese Balls.JPG
Jan 14, 2023
Recipe | Mac 'n' Cheese Balls
Jan 14, 2023
Jan 14, 2023
In Living Tags issue 127, wild swimming, wild waters, almanac
Comment

Photography, styling and recipe: Catherine Frawley

Recipe | Mac 'n' Cheese Balls

Iona Bower January 14, 2023

Mac ‘n’ Cheese you can eat with your hands? We’re in! These moreish bites are ideal for a games night, when you need to eat one-handed if you don’t want to lose.

Makes about 30 balls

300g macaroni
40g butter
40g plain flour
1 tsp mustard powder
250ml milk
150ml single cream
100g cheddar, grated
50g parmesan, grated
Parsley leaves to garnish, optional

For the coating:
40g cheddar, grated
Small handful parsley
5 crackers, crushed

1 Preheat the oven to 220C/ Fan 200C/Gas 7. Meanwhile, line 2 baking sheets with baking paper (or cook in smaller batches).

2 Cook the macaroni according to pack instructions, minus 2 mins (as it will be finished off in the oven).

3 Mix together the ingredients for the coating on a plate and set aside.

4 In a medium pan, melt the butter. Once foaming, stir in the flour and keep stirring over the heat for about 2 mins. Remove from the heat, stir in the mustard powder and season.

5 In a large jug combine the milk and cream and start adding that gradually to the butter and flour mixture. Stir to fully combine it before adding the next splash. Once it’s all added, return the pan to the heat, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 min, stirring constantly. The mixture should begin to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheddar and parmesan.

6 Drain the pasta and add it to a bowl. Pour over the cheese sauce and mix.

7 With your lined baking tray and coating ingredients easy to hand, start forming small balls. Take a tablespoon of macaroni cheese, form it into a loose ball then roll in the coating and place on the baking tray.

8 Bake for 20 mins, turning halfway – the cheese should be starting to brown. Serve with a parsley garnish.

This recipe is just one on the menu on our Gathering pages this month, a feast for a board games evening that we’ve called ‘Let the Games Begin!’ It also features cauliflower bites, mini beetroot & sweet potato burgers, mini lamb & mint burgers, halloumi bites, winter slaw, churros with chocolate sauce and root beer floats.

More snacks to serve…

Featured
Mac n Cheese Balls.JPG
Jan 14, 2023
Recipe | Mac 'n' Cheese Balls
Jan 14, 2023
Jan 14, 2023
SIM66.NIBBLES_fruit nut choc disc01.png
Dec 29, 2022
Recipe | Fruit and nut chocolate discs
Dec 29, 2022
Dec 29, 2022
Prawn Toasts Catherine Frawley.JPG
Feb 9, 2021
Recipe | Sesame Prawn Toasts
Feb 9, 2021
Feb 9, 2021

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In Eating Tags cheese, nibbles, issue 127, board games
Comment

Illustration by Kavel Rafferty

Miscellany | How to do Coffee Art

Iona Bower January 10, 2023

Think it looks easy? Wake up and smell the coffee! One estimate is that you’ll need around 1,500 coffees to start getting heart art right – the simplest latte art shape to master.

Get the kit: a lipped steel milk jug, milk thermometer, and steam wand (part of the espresso machine).

And the right ingredients: whole milk (its fat content makes things easier) and a freshly made espresso.

Put in the prep: cold milk goes in the jug, with the wand near the base.

Gradually draw the wand upwards until it’s just below the milk’s surface. Look for small bubbles and a temperature in the mid-60Cs (don’t top 70C!). Go with the flow: to pour, tilt the cup and aim for a constant – not too fast, not too slow –pour. Level cup when nearly full to create what Jori @baristainstitute, calls the ‘canvas’. Add artistic flourishes: move the jug closer to add details – practise a gentle wiggle. For a heart, pour a circle and use a final pull through with the jug’s lip to make a heart. This final step is key to many designs.

Capture on camera: Jori suggests filming yourself. Note that he says it took him half a year to master latte art, only becoming ‘great’ after a few years.

The cheat's way: Use a stencil for chocolate or cinnamon on top instead.

These instructions are from our January Miscellany pages, which are always full of fascinating facts and seasonal silliness.

More marvellous miscellaneous things…

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Mar 4, 2025
How to | Improve Your Pancake Toss
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Jun 21, 2023
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In Fun Tags coffee, miscellany, issue 127
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Photography and styling by Catherine Frawley

Quiz | What's Your Board Game Personality

Iona Bower January 7, 2023

Are you a role player or a traditional race gamer? Card shark or collaborator? Take our Simple Things Board Games quiz and find out what your board game strengths are and which sorts of play you would be best suited to. Let the games begin!


1. What was your best subject at school?

A. Probably PE. It was always great to get outside from a stuffy classroom and I was on all the school teams. 

B. Drama. I threw myself into every school play. I was always a bit of a nerd and felt happier when hiding behind a role. 

C. I was barely there! I’d go into school in the morning for registration, then get changed in the girls’ toilets and head into town for the day over the back gate. 

D. I was a bit of a maths genius. I’m still faster than the till in the supermarket!

E. Geography. I like seeing the world from others’ perspectives


2. What’s your greatest fear?

A. Losing. 

B. Real life. 

C. Being bored.

D. I’m not saying. 

E. Upsetting others.


3. What’s your ideal board games night snack?

A. Something quick and easy to eat like a pile of nachos.

B. Cran (dwarven bread) and a selection of rustic cheeses.
C. A huge seafood platter, with lobster crackers to get into the crustaceons. Your guests are going to have to WORK for their snacks.
D. Hard liquor. 

E. A few sharing platters, taking into account the vegans, low-carbers and kids. 


4. What’s your motto in a crisis?

A. If you’re going through hell, go fast.

B. Be yourself and if you can’t be yourself, be a Dragon Queen!

C. In. Out. Get the kettle on. 

D. Just roll the dice and see what happens. 

E. No person left behind. 


5. What’s your aesthetic?

A. Simple and classic never lets you down. 

B. A little edgy. Steampunk with a bit of buxom wench thrown in. 

C. Outdoorsy and practical. There’s no such thing as bad weather - just the wrong clothing.  

D. Sleek and smart. You can’t go wrong with a little black dress. 

E. Cottage core and a bit countryside chic. 


6. What’s your Simple Thing?

A. A run round the park, taking in the outdoor gym.

B. Losing myself in a story. 

C. Wild swimming in winter. 

D. Getting the last space in the car park just ahead of someone else!

E. Crafting with friends around the kitchen table.


Now add up your scores…

Mostly As

You’re best at traditional ‘race’ games such as Snakes and Ladders. You like to know exactly what the parameters of any challenge are but you accept that luck plays a large part in life. 

Board game recommendation: Escape from Colditz.

Mostly Bs

Your gaming style is RPG (role play games) like Dungeons and Dragons. You throw yourself wholeheartedly into occasions, never being too embarrassed to give something your all (especially if it involves fighting an orc or stealing a dragon’s gold).

Board game recommendation: Munchkin.

Mostly Cs

You’re an Escape Room aficionado. You like thrills and spills and an element of danger and love to live life bu the seat of your pants. 

Board game recommendation: Cluedo Robbery at the Museum: an escape and solve game.

Mostly Ds

Your gaming style is ‘card shark’. You take games seriously and are always first to suggest getting the wallets out to ‘make it more interesting’. It’s hard to tell when you’re having fun though, due to your poker face. 

Board game recommendation: Splendor. 

Mostly Es

You’re the sort of person who likes collaborative games. You don’t really like anyone to lose and just want it to be fun for everyone. 

Board game recommendation: Mysterium

This quiz was inspired by our Gathering feature in our January issue, which is a menu designed for a board games evening, with food you can eat one-handed and share with your team mates easily. It includes halloumi and cauliflower bites, winter slaw, mac and cheese balls, two types of burgers, churros and root beer floats. 


More games and fun…

Featured
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Jul 20, 2024
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Jun 2, 2024
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Dec 26, 2023
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Dec 26, 2023
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More from the January issue…

Featured
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Jan 24, 2023
Modern History | Top Cats
Jan 24, 2023
Jan 24, 2023
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Jan 17, 2023
Wild Waters | Dipping Your Toe In
Jan 17, 2023
Jan 17, 2023
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Jan 14, 2023
Recipe | Mac 'n' Cheese Balls
Jan 14, 2023
Jan 14, 2023
In Fun Tags issue 127, January, board games, quiz
Comment

Photograph: iStock

Wellbeing | Why Silence is Golden

Iona Bower January 3, 2023

Why making time for quiet contemplation can help you be more creative


It’s not surprising that when we’re bombarded with a constant stream of information and stimulation, we find it harder to think clearly or come up with ideas. Moshe Bar, a renowned neuroscientist and author of Mindwandering: How It Can Improve Your Mood and Boost Your Creativity (Bloomsbury Tonic), likens it to an engineering term known as ‘signal-to-noise ratio’ – “Basically, the less noise there is the more salient the signal” and explains why improving your chances of getting a clear signal for your creative thoughts to reach your conscious mind is so important: “Hidden inside the space that is our thoughts are the new ideas, insights, clear decisions and other mental treasures thrown at us from the subconscious,” he says. “And it’s much harder for us to notice them when they’re embedded in cluttering noise.” It’s not only external noise but the internal chatter of our minds. “A quieter mind is clearer in that it lets us see the fruits of our thinking better,” explains Bar, acknowledging that when we suddenly try to do nothing, we often find the mind starts racing – and not necessarily with helpful or positive thoughts. It’s perhaps unsurprising then that people often turn to distracting activities rather than sitting quietly. “So much attention has been paid to ways to unplug from the bustle, but the greater challenge can be freeing ourselves from the distractions within which disrupt our attention and intrude on the quality of our experience even when we are in a perfectly quiet place.”

Enjoy pockets of silence

A bit like being bored, silence is something many of us find uncomfortable and resist by watching TV, playing music or avoiding being on our own. The mind responds to stimulus so if you’re always surrounded by noise, it’ll be harder to focus – try doing some mental arithmetic while loud music is on or in a busy restaurant and see how much longer it takes than when you’re in a quiet environment. Introduce pockets of quiet into your day – you don’t have to be alone, you can spend time with others without talking or watching or listening – perhaps reading a book together or walking together silently.

This blog is an extract from our feature ‘Do Less, Think Better’ by Rebecca Frank, in our January issue. Turn to page 14 to read the rest of the feature. Rebecca is also the editor of our new Bookazine, which we’ve called Flourish. It’s a beautiful, season-by-season guide to nourishing your body, feeding your mind, thinking positively and appreciating the simple joy of rest. You can buy Flourish from our online store, Pics and Ink, now. 

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In Wellbeing Tags issue 127, wellbeing, quiet, silence
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Think | Fresh, slow starts

Iona Bower December 31, 2022

We hope 2022 has been happy and healthy for you. As well as reflecting on the year just gone, we’re looking forward to all that 2023 might bring, as you’ll see from the back cover of our January issue, above. But we always think it’s a mistake to pile pressure on yourself with ambitious plans for resolutions and the like.

If you find five minutes free today, you could spend it writing down a few ‘one day at a time’ plans - simple things you’re hoping to do, enjoy, see or achieve in the coming year and put it away in an envelope to look at this time next year.

If you’d like to, why not listen to our Fresh Start playlist while you write to inspire you? You can listen to it here.

A very happy new year to you all. Here’s to enjoying the future slowly.

More New Year inspiration…

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Dec 31, 2024
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Learn something new | Arm Knitting

Iona Bower December 15, 2022

In our January issue, we have the instructions to make this lovely arm-knitted blanket. The pattern is by Woolly Mahoosive where you can also buy chunky yarns for arm knitting. Visit woollymahoosive.com. If you’re having trouble getting started, watch this video from Woolly Mahoosive, which should give you a visual idea of how it arm knitting works and help you make sense of it all. You can buy the January issue of The Simple Things in all good shops and supermarkets or from our online store.

In Making Tags issue 127, arm knitting, crafts, crafternoon, knitting
Comment
Featured
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025

Buy, download or subscribe

See the sample of our latest issue here

Buy a copy of our latest anthology: A Year of Celebrations

Buy a copy of Flourish 2, our wellbeing bookazine

Listen to our podcast - Small Ways to Live Well

Feb 27, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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