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Nature | Almost Mythical Sea Creatures

David Parker October 21, 2025

From merfolk to megalodons, sea serpents to Scylla, scary sea creatures have long haunted fiction and film… but do some of them actually haunt our sea beds, too? Let’s meet a few and find out… are they FISH or FAIRYTALE?

Kraken

The Kraken is reported to be a huge (and we really mean HUGE) octopussy creature, that lurked off the coast of Norway and Greenland, sinking entire ships with a single swipe of a tentacle. The Kraken is taken from Norse mythology and its inspiration was probably the giant squid that lived in these waters and sometimes grew up to 13 metres in length. That’s quite a calamari dinner. So. Inspired by actual fish but ultimately fairytale, probably. 

Sea Serpents

These slithery sea-going beasts have appeared on maps and in fiction since the dawn of time, with the most well-known, Leviathan, appearing in the Hebrew Bible. But is there any truth in the myth? Could there really be giant snakes hiding in dark waters? Well, probably not, but we do know that oarfish can grow up to eight metres, with a face like a horse and a bright red crest all the way down its body. Sounds like a sea monster to us. Fish, for sure. 

Giant killer sharks

Sharks are pretty scary for sure, and pretty amazing, too. But where fish end and fiction begins is sometimes hard to tell. Clearly sharks are real but watch and of the ‘Meg’ or ‘Shark Attack’ films and you’d think giant shark, the size of your house were lurking around every pier just waiting to pounce. The inspiration behind these giant shark films is the Megalodon, a type of extinct mackerel shark that existed millions of years ago.  Estimated to have grown to up to 23 metres, even its teeth can be 18cm long. No wonder ‘megalodon’ means ‘big tooth’.  We’re voting ‘fish’ on this one. 

Mermaids (and mermen)

Half folk, half fish, these sirens of the sea were said to lure sailors to their death. Now, you’d think that there was little debate about how real merfolk actually are, but then ‘real mermaids’ began to turn up in the cabinets of 18th-century collectors of curios. Fishy, no? Well, quite fishy as it turns out but probably not real. They turned out to be the work of cryptozoologists who stitched together monkeys’ torsos and fish tails to make the sort of seaside souvenirs that send a chill through one’s spine. Fairytale. Thankfully. 

Kelpies

These equine shapeshifters live in Scottish lochs and rivers and take the form of huge, dark horses with manes wet from the waters. They’re said to lure children in to drown them, or shape-shift into young men to seduce women and lure them to their deaths, eviscerating them so that only their guts make it back to land. Brutal stuff. The truth is probably less dramatic; the Kelpies were simply a good story to stop kids straying too close to the water… and to stop young women having their heads turned by young men in swimming trunks.

In our October issue, we meet the real monster hunters, including a Nessie investigator and those who have tracked Bigfoot. Buy this month's The Simple Things -buy, download or subscribe

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Photography by Rebecca Lewis

Recipe | Savoury Cheesecakes (and matched wine)

David Parker October 18, 2025

Not all cheesecakes are sweet, these savoury versions are topped with your favourite roasted veg

Serves 6

Ingredients

200g mixed cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp butter

50g seeded oat crackers

100g dates, roughly chopped

50g walnuts

100ml thick cream

1 tbsp spelt flour

400g soft goat’s cheese

1 tbsp nigella seeds

To make

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas 5.

2 Place the tomatoes in a baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil and half the balsamic. Roast for 15 mins.

3 Melt the butter in a pan and, once melted, pour into a food processor along with the crackers, dates and walnuts. Blitz until finely chopped.

4 Divide the blended mix between six serving glasses, filling each glass an inch or two full and firmly pressing the contents down. Set aside.

5 Gently heat the cream in a small pan until it comes to the boil, add the spelt flour and stir until it’s fully blended. Mix in the goat’s cheese and a few twists of salt and pepper.

6 Pour the creamy goat’s cheese mixtures into each of the serving glasses, on top of the cracker, date and walnut base, then transfer to the fridge to cool and set.

7 To serve, remove the glasses from the fridge, top with the tomatoes and sprinkle with nigella seeds.

Cook’s note: If you know that you’re going to be pressed for time, you can make the cracker base and creamy goat’s cheese body of these savoury cheesecakes up to two days ahead and keep them in the fridge. Then you can roast and add the toppings on the night.

Pair it with…

2021 Lay & Wheeler Rioja Viña Avanzando by Bodegas Lanzaga because its sour cherry and ripe plum flavours, combined with vanilla and cloves, makes it a great choice for a cheese course.

The above cheese and wine pairing is from our October ‘Gathering’ pages, which this month is a cheese and wine evening, also including recipes for Baked Halloumi Sticks, Beetroot & Blue Cheese Tasting Dish, Grilled Courgette Ribbons with Burrata & Toasted Pine Nuts, Herbed Goat’s Cheese Crostini and Roast Spiced Nectarines with Cinnamon Mascarpone Cream. Each cheese dish has a suggested wine to match with it. Cheers! The recipes are by Kay Prestney and the photography is by Rebecca Lewis.

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Photography by Miranda Mills

Stationery | Good Uses for Best Notebooks

David Parker October 11, 2025

If you’re a lover of stationery we’re willing to bet you have a secret stash of ‘too beautiful to use’ notebooks somewhere. Now’s the time to let them shine. Here are several ways to actually use your best notebooks and show them some love rather than let them languish in a drawer.


1. A Could-do list notebook

Here at The Simple Things, we don’t believe in ‘to-do lists’ but we are big fans of ‘could-do lists’. In fact, we print one at the front of each and every issue. Beautiful notebooks are just made for Could-do lists - notes about things you might like to do, things that bring joy, allow you to enjoy the moment and mark the passing of the seasons. Ours are relevant to the month of the year, but yours could be weekly or even daily. They could be themed by subject rather than seasonally. Or they could be relevant to particular times in your life - perhaps a travel Could-do list or one for planning a party or days out with friends. The main thing to remember is they should be pressure free. You don’t need to tick them off; you don’t actually need to ‘do’ any of them. It’s all about the planning and dreaming. 

2. Bullet journalling

Bullet journalling has been around for many a year and is a pleasing way of keeping track of everything in your life using symbols to denote appointments, tasks and notes. Many people make them more of a craft project, using beautiful letters, doodles and illustrations to make them a visual record of everything going on in their lives. 


3. Personal almanac

Almanacs are a collection of (usually) meteorological or astronomical data to help farmers, sailors and their ilk in day-to-day life. They might include sunrise and sunset hours, tide times, or agricultural information. You can create your own almanac by using a notebook to collate information that’s specific to you and your area. Maybe what time to catch the best sunsets in September, good dark places to go stargazing in meteorite showers, when the tide is far out enough for sandcastles at your local beach (and where to get the best ice creams, too).


4. Nature journals

This one’s almanac-adjacent, but more specific. You’re simply noting down all the changes in nature you see in the same spot, every day or every week over a year. By the end of the year you’ll have a complete record of when the snowdrops peek out, when the first swifts can be seen, when blackberries are ripe, and so on.

5. Morning pages

Great for writers and other creatives or anyone who just needs to clear their heads, this writing practice invented by Julia Cameron in ‘The Artist’s Way’ simply means getting up each morning and writing three stream-of-consciousness pages before doing anything else. The idea is to clear space in your head ready for the day but every now and then your semi-conscious mind produces something surprisingly good. 


6. Reading record

Quite simply, a notebook in which to record everything you read. Never again will you struggle for inspiration when someone asks if you can recommend anything good, and never again will you get halfway through an Agatha Christie before realising you’ve already read the blinking thing and remember who dunnit. 


7. Food and friends notes

Can’t remember if you did your lamb navarin the last time Bryan and Sarah came for dinner? Feel like you’re sure Laura and Kate loved that salad you did two summers ago but can’t for the life of you remember what was in it? Keep a record of every meal you cooked, for whom and where you found the recipe and you’ll feel like the hostess with the mostess. Plus it’s a lovely thing to look back on and remember all those happy times around your table. 

8. Positivity pages

Sometimes it’s just nice to have something to lift your spirits in dark times. Keep a journal of ‘gratitude’ ie things you are grateful for, or simply add happy memories, things that made you smile or funny stories you’ve read about or been told. Then when you’re having a down day you can dip in for a dose of positivity. 


9. Dream diary

Whether you believe in dream interpretation or are simply interested in the way your mind works while you snooze, keeping a diary of dreams next to your bed so you can write them down before you forget them can be a fascinating exercise. (And saves you boring other people with them, too!)


10. Commonplace book

A commonplace book is a notebook used to record favourite quotes, excerpts from books and letters, poems and proverbs, wise sayings and song lyrics. They can be collated on a theme or you can simply note down anything that ‘speaks to you’ for a bit of inspiration whenever you need it. You can read all about them in our feature ‘Chapter and Verse’ by Miranda Mills in our October issue, or in Miranda’s book ‘The Country Commonplace Book’ (Batsford). 


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History | Five Memorable Garden Parties

David Parker October 7, 2025

There’s something magical about a gathering in a beautiful garden. Here we remember five backyard bashes that have gone down in history


Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee

You may not know, but it was Queen Victoria who hosted the first ever Buckingham Palace Garden Party in 1868. But it took her a few years to hit peak party person at her Golden Jubilee celebration in 1887. As well as several banquets, a parade and two days of festivities, around 6,000 illustrious guests (including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Leopold II of Belgium and Emperor Frederik III of Germany) enjoyed a buffet in a tent in Buckingham Palace gardens, alongside music provided by the Royal Marines. The day was captured in oil on canvas by the artist Frederick Sargent in the painting ‘The Garden Party at Buckingham Palace’, which was bought for Queen Elizabeth’s collection in 1994… Perhaps it was the inspiration for her own ‘Platty Jubes’ celebrations…

Second Earl of Dudley’s 21st at Witley Court

Whether your 21st was a posh bash at the golf club or a few jars at the men’s working club and a homemade cake, it will have paled in comparison to the 21st birthday celebrations of William Ward, Second Earl of Dudley in 1888. The party was a three-day event comprising a ball for 214 with a music marquee as well as a separate marquee for coachmen and a temporary stable to accommodate 100 horses. But the party piece de resistance was Day Three when 900 of his tenants and workers lunched in a massive marquee in his park, after which guests enjoyed ‘swings and roundabouts and boats on the lakes, sports races and music’. Bunting hung all over the drive, the fountains were lit and the night ended with ‘one of the most splendid displays of fireworks ever seen in this country’. Inviting absolutely everyone in the vicinity including women, children and servants worked well in ensuring there were no complaints about the noise!

The Party of the Delights of the Enchanted Island, Versailles

One way to make a party memorable is a quirky theme, which is clearly what Louis XIV had in mind when he threw a party for his mother based on the story of Alcine the Magician from the book Roland Furieux by Ariosto. The party included a horseback parade, in which the King took part, playing the part of ‘Roger’ from the book, followed by Apollo’s Chariot down to ‘Alcine’s Palace’ built especially for the occasion. There were horse-riding competitions, operas, comedies, readings, shepherds and shepherdesses dancing while surrounded by animals… The King himself starred in a ballet just for the ladies, written for him by none other than Moliere and feasts were served by masked and costumed servants. On the third day, Alcine’s Palace was lit up by a firework display during which a floating ‘whale’ and two whale calves took Alcine and her servants away across the water. 

We don’t even want to think about how many bin liners it took to clear that little bash up. 

MOMA’s Party in the Garden 2022

MOMA (The Museum of Modern Art) in New York City has held an annual fundraiser every year since 1969. Sadly the party was cancelled due to the pandemic in 2020 and in 2021 it had to be held as an online-only event. So by the time the Party in the Garden returned in June 2022 everyone was even more excited than usual to be together in beautiful surroundings, raising money for the museum which had been closed to visitors for so long. New York’s arty types enthusiastically filled MOMA’s modern sculpture garden that evening to honour film-maker George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson. The couple told the assembled crowd how they had enjoyed one of their first dates in the museum, everyone dined on a meal of halibut and burrata and then finished a magical evening dancing to rapper Anderson Paak and DJ Michael Brun. Sometimes the best garden parties are the ones you’ve waited the longest for.

Secret Garden Party

The indie arts and music festival, Secret Garden Party (SGP) was launched in 2004 by DJ and art student Fred Fellowes (SGP’s Head Gardener) and James Whewell, heir to Wyresdale Park, to be an alternative to the larger, mainstream music festivals. It began with just 300 revellers, growing to welcome some 35,000 people 13 years after its inception. As well as live music, art installations and performances, guests can take part in everything from outdoor swimming to parades to workshops, all in the magical setting of Abbots Ripton in Cambridgeshire in the grounds of a Georgian farmhouse, taking in lakes, a river, and beautiful landscaped gardens. Each year has a ‘theme’ that binds together all the acts and offerings and every year is special in its own way, but 2012 is generally accepted to have been the best SGP of all time, with acts including Orbital, KT Tunstall, Lamb and Tim Minchin. The festival is all about ‘secrets’ though, with one of the best being that the acts are not disclosed before the day itself, so you never know quite what sort of garden party you might get!


If you’re feeling inspired by garden parties and secret gardens you might enjoy our feature, Plot Twist, in our September issue, which is all about gardens from fiction. The illustration by Lucille Clerc, above, is taken from Literary Gardens: The Imaginary Gardens Of Writers And Poets by Sandra Lawrence (Frances Lincoln), and depicts a scene from the short story, The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield.
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Make | An Upcycled Jumper Blanket

David Parker October 4, 2025

Illustration by Christina Carpenter

A good use for any moth-eaten jumpers – sew them into a patchwork blanket for cosy reading sessions by the fire.

You will need
Old jumpers, throws and blankets; good scissors; paper; an old bed sheet; wool; large needle.

To make
1 Decide how big you want your squares and make somepaper templates – a 20cm square is a good size to work with. Cut a few paper squares, then pin them to the jumpers or blankets and cut out. Keep cutting squares until you have enough. The size of the blanket is up to you but 10 x 15 squares is good.

2 Zig-zag stitch around the edges of your squares to stop unravelling, lay them out on the floor and arrange them in an order you like. Sew together the squares in each long row first, giving you several ‘strips’ of squares. Then sew the strips together. You can do this by hand or use a sewing machine.

3 Place the blanket right side down on an old bed sheet and sew the two together leaving a gap to turn the blanket right side out, then close it up by hand. Using wool and a large needle, blanket stitch all around the blanket’s edge.

4 Curl up on the sofa under it.

You can find more seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do on our Almanac pages every month.

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Make | Koromogae Linen Spray

David Parker September 28, 2025

Photography by Louise Gorrod

Koromogae is the switchover between the seasons in Japan: a chance to get out the clothes and furnishings you’ve had in storage, and carefully stash away the things you’ll no longer need for the coming months. This homemade linen spray will keep your clothes fresh (and moth free) until the warmer weather. Simply spritz sheets, clothes, towels, curtains and other fabrics in your home for a refresh that you can make in minutes.

Makes 1 bottle

You will need
90ml vodka or rubbing alcohol
20-30 drops of essential oils (see suggested combinations below)
350ml distilled water
Measuring jug
Spray bottle (at least 500ml)
Small funnel

To make…
1 Pour the vodka or rubbing alcohol into a measuring jug and carefully add your essential oil drops. If using a blend, rather than just a single scent, do it slowly so you can make sure you have a fragrance that you like.

2 Add the water and mix thoroughly.

3 Using a funnel, add the liquid to the spray bottle and screw the top on. Label the bottle and remember to shake thoroughly before using.

Maker’s note: If you use rubbing alcohol rather than vodka it’ll have a stronger smell and requires a more thorough shaking to mix the ingredients each time you use it. This spray will last up to one year – however, if the spray starts to smell differently, it’s time to replace.

Scent combinations to try: Lemon and lavender; Sandalwood and clementine; Rose, lavender, jasmine and sandalwood.

This project is from our Home Economics page which, this month, is all about the Japanese tradition of Koromogae - the seasonal switchover in the home. You can read more about it in our October issue.

Project by Karen Dunn, photography by Louise Gorrod.

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Recipe | Baked Pear Pies

David Parker September 27, 2025

Photography by Kym Grimshaw

Making little pastry leaves to go on a pie is a core memory for many of us. There is something about adding small artistic touches that elevates food out of functionality and into aesthetically-pleasing fabulousness.

Serves 4

For the pastry
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
120g fridge-cold butter, grated
2 tbsp icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten with 2 tsp very cold water

For the pies
4 pears
2 tbsp milk, for glazing
Crème fraîche, for serving
Maple syrup, for drizzling

1 First, make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl and add the grated butter. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

2 Mix in the icing sugar and salt followed by the beaten egg mixture. Combine to make a rough dough using a table knife then turn out the pastry onto a work surface and bring it together into a ball. Wrap in cling film and put in fridge for 30 mins.

3 Preheat the oven to 175C/Fan 155C/ Gas 4.Peel and halve the pears, leaving the stem intact. Use a small knife to scoop out the core and seeds. Place flat side down on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

4 Roll out your pastry so that it’s around 5mm thick. Cut it into four equal squares and place over each pear – they should be big enough to fit over a pear half. Cut away the pastry from the edge of each pear.

5 Make a couple of slits into the top of the pastry and use the pastry you cut away to create leaves. Attach these to the top of the pears with a little milk and then brush all over.

6 Bake for 20 mins.

7 Let the pies cool on the tray and then transfer them to serving plates, pastry side down. Top with crème fraîche and drizzle with maple syrup.

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our October issue’s Kitchen Therapy pages, which also include recipes for a Turmeric & Ginger Tonic, Mushroom Risotto with Crispy Sage, Cardamom Knots and Seed & Nut Brittle, alongside ideas for seasonal ways to pass the time while the oven is doing its work. The recipes are by Lottie Storey and the photography is by Kym Grimshaw.

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Playlist | Sunday songs

David Parker September 17, 2025

Our October playlist is compiled by Daniel Gray, author of Sunday Best: Travels through the day of rest.

These are songs that sum up the spirit of a Sunday. Have a listen on Spotify here.

You can see some of Daniel’s ‘Sunday best’ outing suggestions in HUG, the October 2025 issue of The Simple Things magazine.

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Aug 29, 2025
Aug 29, 2025

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Pre-order a copy of Flourish 4, our new wellbeing bookazine 

Listen to our podcast – Small Ways to Live Well

Wear our Slapdash Patches and show your support for ‘good enough’

Aug 29, 2025
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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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