Blog
Taking Time to Live Well
DJ: FRANCES AMBLER
IMAGE: VANESSA GRZYWACZ
Whether it’s your house or your neighbourhood, our latest playlist celebrates your patch. It’s taken from our September PATCH issue (see what we did there?) in shops from 28 August 24.
Take a listen on Spotify here
Have a browse of all our playlists here
DJ: Frances Ambler; Illustration: Shutterstock
Join us on a ramble this month with our latest playlist. Take a listen on Spotify here
Or have a browse of all our playlists here.
Illustration: Kavel Rafferty
Keeping the chill away on late summer evenings that feel a bit brisk
Imagine that it’s been a pleasant September day, and you’re outdoors happily socialising. Then, the sun goes down, and you’re freezing. Without cutting the fun short, what can you do? Ideally, you’ll pop on some extra layers, fetch a wool rug or gather round a fire pit and carry on your fun.
In reality, you could try:
‘Borrowing’ clothes Bust out the Apprentice-style negotiations – friends don’t really need both arms of their cardie, do they?
Drinking something warm A hot cider will probably fit the bill.
Make sure you’re not sitting on a cold surface, as it’ll make you cooler.
Gentle exercise will warm you up, although avoid any sweating. Just five push-ups then?
Eating: purely to get your metabolism up, obviously.
Stuff your clothes with scrunched-up newspaper (more useful if you’re in trousers, rather than a skirt).
Or, erm, take the gathering indoors. Now that’s nice and toasty...
This advice is from our Miscellany pages in our September issue, which are full of more facts, fun and random silliness. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe
Am I Overthinking This? by Michelle Rial (Chronicle Books)
We’re waving off our September issue with the final thought from our back cover
Our September issue will soon be off the shelves and we’re welcoming in October. We hope you enjoyed the Begin issue. Perhaps it inspired you to take up a new hobby, learn a new skill or just mark the beginning of a new start, or a new season.
The illustration we used on our back cover made us all laugh so we’re sharing it with you here. It’s from Am I Overthinking This? By Michelle Rial (Chronicle Books).
Eating out in the wild this month? Why pack a salad when you can scour hedgerows for woodland treats?
Al fresco dinners take on a new, more exciting element in early autumn. You can still enjoy mild days and longer evenings but also bring out more robust flavours and warming dishes that just shout ‘Autumn’ at you.
In our September issue, we have a very special ‘gathering’ feature we’ve called Into The Woods, with recipes by Rachel de Thample. It’s all about cooking over a fire and making the most of the great outdoors before the days become shorter, with everything from koftas and flatbreads to pear crumble and apple hot toddies. We particularly liked this simple Wild September Salad, which you can serve as part of this campfire feast or at any late summer, early autumn picnic. Just find your way to a likely looking hedgerow and see what nature has provided.
Yarrow Feathery leaves resembling camomile – delicious aniseed flavour.
Alkanet Use the smaller, newer leaves and pretty blue flowers, which taste like cucumber.
Three-cornered leek Looks like wild garlic, tastes like wild garlic, but its triangular stems enjoy a late flush in early autumn.
Wild rocket Resembles farmed rocket, although the leaves range from greyish green to dark green. Smells peppery.
Shepherd’s purse Its tiny love-heartlike seed pods have a nice punchy, mustardy flavour.
Wood sorrel Small clover-like leaves, only smaller and tinged bronze; lemony tasting.
(There’s a good hedgerow food guide at wildfooduk.com.) Wash freshly picked leaves well, then pat dry with kitchen towel. Tumble together in a large bowl to mix and either pack into flatbreads or serve as a side with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe
Photography: Nassima Rothacker
This month marks Sourdough September and we can’t think of much that’s more worth celebrating
As summer draws to a close our minds turn to home comforts, particularly those that involve flowery hands and warm smells emanating from ovens. For our September ‘Begin’ issue, we visited Sourdough School to begin finding out from sourdough guru Vanessa Kimbell how to make that delicious, crusty, chewy bread. You can read all about it on p22 of the issue. To give you a flavour, though, we’ve posted one of Vanessa’s simple sourdough recipes here. Don’t say we aren’t good to you. You can find out lots more about sourdough at The Sourdough School.
Allow yourself about 3 –4 hours for the dough to be mixed, folded and shaped ready to place in the coldest part of the fridge to prove overnight.(If you are new to bread making, you can, instead of shaping the dough and putting it into a banneton, grease a 2lb bread tin liberally with butter, let the dough rise in it overnight in the fridge and then bake as per the recipe instructions below.)
Equipment:
A large mixing bowl
A round cane banneton
2 clean tea towels
A Dutch oven or La Cloche
A large heatproof pan, a sharp knife or ‘lame’ to slash the dough with
Ingredients:
300g water
100g sourdough leaven (made with your starter)*
100g of stoneground organic wholemeal flour
400g organic strong white flour
10g fine sea salt mixed with 15g of cold water
25g rice flour mixed with 25g of stone ground white flour (for dusting your banneton)
Semolina to dust the bottom of the baking surface
Makes 1 loaf
Late afternoon
In a large bowl whisk your water and starter and mix well. Add all the flour and mix until all the ingredients come together into a large ball.
Cover with a clean damp cloth and let the dough rest on the side in the kitchen for between 30 mins and 2 hours – this what bakers call Autolyse
Add the salt mixed with the water and dimple your fingers into the dough to allow the salty water and salt to distribute evenly throughout the dough. Leave for 10 mins.
Next lift and fold your dough over, do a quarter turn of your bowl and repeat 3 more times. Repeat 3 times at 30 min intervals with a final 15 min rest at the end.
Shape the dough lightly into a ball then place into a round banneton dusted with flour (If you don’t have a banneton then use a clean tea towel dusted with flour inside a colander). Dust the top with flour, then cover with a damp tea-towel
Leave your dough to one side until it is 50% bigger then transfer to the fridge , and leave to prove there for 8 – 12 hours.
The following morning
The next morning preheat your oven to 220°C for at least 30 mins before you are ready to bake. Place your cloche or baking stone in the oven and a large pan of boiling water underneath (or use a Dutch oven). The hydration helps form a beautiful crust.
Once the oven is up to full heat, carefully remove the baking stone from the oven, taking care not to burn yourself, dust with a fine layer of semolina, which stops the bread sticking, then put your dough onto the baking stone and slash the top with your blade. This decides where the bread will tear as it rises. Bake for an hour.
Turn the heat down to 180°C (and remove the lid if you are using a Dutch oven) and bake for another 10 -15 mins. You need to choose just how dark you like your crust but I suggest you bake until it is a dark brown – it tastes much better.
Storage
Sourdough is really best left to cool completely before slicing and is even better if left for a day to let the full flavour develop. Once your sourdough has cooled, store in a linen or cotton bread bag, or wrapped in a clean tea towel. If you don’t like a crunchy crust on your sourdough bread, simply wrap your bread in a clean tea towel whilst it is still warm.
* To make 100g of leaven, use 1 tbsp of sourdough starter, 40g of water and 40g of strong white flour, mix well and leave, covered on the side in the kitchen in the morning. It will be lively and bubbly and ready to bake with in the evening.
Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe
Photography: Kirstie Young
Crumble certainly has its place but if you’re looking for something a little different for your blackberry glut, look no further than this simple September starter, side or light lunch to share
This combination straddles the sweet and savoury worlds and is all the better for it. Sweet and sharp blackberries pair well with creamy goat’s cheese, thinly sliced onions tip it towards savoury while the final drizzle of honey pulls it back to a harmonious and very seasonal whole.
Makes 4
500g strong white flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
150g soft goat’s cheese, cut into discs
400g blackberries, gently crushed with a fork
1 tbsp fresh or dried thyme
2 tbsp runny honey
1 Put the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Pour over 325ml warm water and the olive oil, and mix to a soft dough. Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 mins, then transfer to a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside to rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
2 Meanwhile, put the red onion in a small bowl with the vinegar, mix together and leave to marinate.
3 Once the dough has risen, set a baking tray upside down on a high shelf in the oven and preheat to 240C/Fan 220C/Gas 9.
4 Sprinkle a handful of flour on your work surface and roll out a quarter of the dough as thinly as you can. Sprinkle another handful of flour on the heated baking tray, transfer the dough to the tray and bake for 6 mins.
5 Drain the onion and pat dry with kitchen roll. Remove the flatbread from the oven and scatter over a quarter of the cheese, a quarter of the blackberries, a quarter of the onion and a quarter of the thyme. Return to the oven for about 7 mins.
6 Drizzle the flatbread with a little honey and eat immediately. Repeat with the remaining dough and ingredients to make four flatbreads. Cook’s note: If you have a special pizza oven or a pizza stone, you may be able to put the topping onto the raw dough and cook it all together, but most standard ovens won’t get hot enough to make flatbreads without soggy bottoms unless you cook the base a little first.
This recipe is by Lia Leendertz and is part of our Finders Keepers series on foraging. You can find the rest of the recipes for blackberries and elderberries in our September issue. We’ve got everything from elderberry lemonade to roast blackberry fool!
Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe
Enter our competition for the chance to give your home a new look for autumn
September is often a time of fresh starts and resolutions, prompted by the summer coming to an end. As the temperature drops, thoughts turn to indoors – so it’s a good time to make changes to the home, whether it’s introducing new cushions or a throw, or a total storage rethink. This month’s fantastic competition gives you the chance to treat your home with £500 to spend at Garden Trading. Best known for its outdoor furniture, lighting, pots and more, Garden Trading is also a great place for soft furnishings, homeware and indoor furniture.
Find the full collection at gardentrading.co.uk.
How to enter
SImply press the button below and answer the question to enter the prize draw.
Terms & conditions The competition closes at 11.59pm on 11 October 2019. A winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms are on page 127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.
Frances Ambler shares her top five newsletters from our September issue feature on the new breed of newsletters: writing that moves, informs and inspires, that you definitely won’t want to leave unread
Domestic Sluttery, domesticsluttery.com
I used to write for Domestic Sluttery when it was a website. Now it’s in a newsletter format, I can’t wait to see what treats they have discovered each day. From inspiring women to the best bargain on the high street, it really does live up to its promise to make your inbox more fabulous.
Thread, bit.ly/jhethread
I’ve started reading more newsletters to read the personal stories and reflection that I used to find in blogs. It’s hard to pick a favourite tinyletter but I’m always pleased when Jean Hannah Edelstein’s Thread arrives. She relates stories from her life so beautifully – it’s always a refreshing pause for thought in my inbox (and her current book, This Really Isn’t About You, is fantastic too).
Laura Olin, lauraolin.com/newsletter
I don’t know how Laura does it, but her weekly newsletter always links to fascinating things on the internet that I just don’t come across elsewhere – things that make you smile, things that make you think. On days when the internet seems to just be people yelling at each other, it’s a reminder how it can be an inspiring, positive space as well.
Black Cardigan Edit, blackcardiganedit.com
“Advices and enthusiasm related to writing, books and creativity”. I don’t think the author of Black Cardigan Edit, Carrie Frye, has featured a book without me immediately clicking ‘buy’ – it’s almost as if her recommendations are specifically tailored for me. It’s a good job it’s infrequent, as otherwise I’d be broke.
Quartz Obsession, qz.com/newsletters/quartz-obsession
A daily dive into something you’ll likely have overlooked, packed with facts and stats. Thanks to Obsession, I’ve learned about vanilla, venus flytraps, sheds, lettuce and the colour purple. It’s the most pleasurably geeky moment of my day.
Turn to page 44 of September's The Simple Things for more newsletters worth reading.
The mophead blooms of the hydrangea look as good in a vase as in the border.
“They may not be the cheapest cut flowers,” says Ellie Marlow, florist at Catkin & Pussywillow, “but they work well either as statement arrangements or single stems in bud vases. As their name suggests, they are thirsty blooms and like a lot of hydration. Should they droop, dip the stem into boiling water for a minute. That will revive them.”
Photography and flowers: Ellie Marlow, Catkin & Pussywillow, Winchester railway station (catkinandpussywillow.com)
Some former routes have been restored for use as heritage lines, offering passengers the chance to enjoy the full sensory experience of steam: the smoky scent in the air, the magical chuff-chuff of acceleration and the occasional tuneful whistle.
They include:
Climb aboard splendid steam trains with romantic names such as the Sussex Belle and Golden Arrow running between East Grinstead and Sheffield Park in East Sussex; bluebell-railway.com.
Admire the North York Moors National Park from the steam trains on this not-for-profit, volunteer-led railway, which is fast approaching its 200th birthday – don’t miss Goathland, famous for playing fictitious stations including Harry Potter’s Hogsmeade, as well as a turn in 1990s TV show Heartbeat; nymr.co.uk.
Indulge in afternoon tea and first-class travel as you steam between Porthmadog and Caernarfon along the world’s oldest narrow gauge railway – the carriages’ windows framing magnificent mountainous views as it passes through Snowdonia; festrail.co.uk.
Turn to page 62 of September's The Simple Things for Ruth Chandler on her love of old railway tracks, or read on for some of her favourite routes.
Photography: Kirstie Young
When you have a glut of sweet peppers, one of the most delicious things to do with them is to roast them and preserve them in vinegar and oil. Long slow cooking brings out their sweetness, and they make a brilliant addition to mezze and an excellent pizza topping.
Makes 1 jar
8 peppers
White wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
YOU WILL NEED
450ml Kilner jar or equivalent, sterilised
1 Preheat the grill. Put the whole peppers on a baking tray and grill, turning, until blackened all over.
2 Tip the peppers into a large bowl, cover tightly with cling film and leave to cool completely: the cling film traps the steam and helps to separate the skins from the flesh.
3 Once cool, peel away the blackened skins and discard, then open up the peppers to remove the seeds and stems. Tear the flesh into wide strips and drop it into a bowl, along with as much of the juices as you can capture, then tip everything into a sterilised jar.
4 Pour enough vinegar over the peppers to cover, and use a knife to agitate them a little and get rid of any air bubbles, then top with a small slick of olive oil. Seal the jar and transfer to the fridge. Eat within a month.
Turn to page 38 of August's The Simple Things for more of our staple foods feature on peppers from Lia Leendertz.
My inherited recipe books by Gill Valenti
My most treasured books lie hidden. They’re shrinking violets in my kitchen, spines frayed and indecipherable, found among modern volumes from celebrity kitchens and heavyweight classics from renowned masters. My favourite cookery books are often rediscovered by accident and, as I ease them from the shelves, they transport me to half-forgotten times and places in my past.
My Mother’s Be-Ro book, a slim booklet produced by the flour manufacturer, still falls open at the pages consulted by her, and sticky fingerprints offer clues to the ingredients of coconut macaroons and jam tarts. It conjures up memories of my scratchy bottle-green school jumper and toasting bread with my brother in front of a smoky coal fire, Blue Peter on the television.
The Farmer’s Wife book evokes my teenage years. The spicy aroma of the sticky gingerbread contained within gives way to Aqua Manda, the heady fragrance that I applied liberally on Saturday nights.
The Hamlyn All Colour Cook Book heralds early married life and, with its curried eggs and tuna bake, a new and sophisticated period along my culinary journey. As I browse the faded pages, it’s our trendy brown and orange kitchen and primrose bathroom suite (how I longed for avocado) that elbow their way through the mists of time. Fast forward ten years and the Food Aid book from which I make mushroom pâté each Christmas reminds me of the Live Aid concert that inspired its publication.
There are more, each with their own special memories, but it is a small blue book bulging with handwritten notes that means the most. These are the family recipes handed down to me over the years. One glance at the looped script and I am back in the kitchen of my childhood. It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon and my mother and aunts are chatting as they assemble bridge rolls stuffed with tinned salmon, and arrange their specialities – fruit scones, cream meringues and chocolate eclairs – on doilies. I can smell their soap and hear their gentle scolding as my cousins and I play underfoot.
I doubt I’ll be able to resist the new, glossy cookery tomes that will appear this Christmas but, as they join the rest of my collection, I know that my memories will be hiding in their midst.
We’d like to know what you treasure - whether it’s a sentimental artefact, a person, a place or something else. Tell us in 500 words what means a lot to you - email thesimplethings@icebergpress.co.uk
Handwriting analysis, or graphology, studies the unique features of writing, from the spaces between letters to the curliness of a ‘g’, to reveal our individual traits and how we interact with the world, cope with stress and express emotions.
Handwriting, as with all fine motor coordination, is a physical process; the brain sends signals to the arm, the hand and the fingers to manipulate a writing tool (the pen or pencil you are holding). The brain is very much the main control room, which is why our writing can be described as the X-ray of the mind. It is therefore not surprising that no two handwriting styles are the same and they are as unique as a fingerprint.
Before you start, write a few sentences on blank paper – avoid copying text as it will slow down your natural speed – and then sign your name under the text.
Turn to page 74 of September's The Simple Things to analyse your own handwriting.
Illustration: CLAIRE VAN HEUKELOM
On the eve of London Fashion Week, here are some starting points for dressing with a conscience
ON DEMAND & CUSTOM MADE
Encompassing made-to-order, tailormade, and DIY. Campaigners believe that the fashion industry should be more responsive to consumer demands, rather than make in bulk. Consumers can put this into practice, too. If we play a role in the production of our clothing, we’re more likely to look after it and hang onto it. Getting custom-made is an increasingly affordable option, thanks to the likes of Fox in a Glove, foxinaglove.com, offering modern styles made in Europe, and Brighton-based Dig For Victory, digforvictoryclothing.com, which specialises in vintage-inspired shapes. Clever sewers can make their own clothes. For fashionable patterns, try the Sewing Your Perfect Capsule Wardrobe project book by Arianna Cadwallader and Cathy McKinnon (Kyle Books), Sew Over It (sewoverit.co.uk) and Tilly and the Buttons (tillyandthebuttons.com).
GREEN & CLEAN
Try to buy green, where you can – and ideally items that are green through every step of the process. The textile certification helps identification, but in general look for organic, natural fibres, such as wool, cotton, silk, lyocell and hemp, rather than the likes of petroleum-derived polyester, nylon or acrylic, which don’t typically degrade in nature. Ideally you’d be able to track a garment’s credentials at every stage of production – virtually impossible at the moment, so join the campaign for greater transparency from clothing brands at fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency.
HIGH QUALITY & TIMELESS DESIGN
When you buy, try to buy better. The WRAP Love Your Clothes campaign offers best buy guides at loveyourclothes.org.uk/guides/best-buy-guides that highlight what to look for to get the most from an item of clothing. Livia Firth’s #30wears campaign is simply a prompt to ask yourself before buying if you’ll wear something at least 30 times – it’s surprising how many garments won’t reach this criterion.
FAIR & ETHICAL
Referring to traditional production, artisan crafts and animal rights. As with the Green & Clean, try to find out who made your clothes – and if anybody or anything has been harmed in the process. This can feel impossible to ascertain, so demand better and join in Fashion Revolution Day on 24 April by asking companies, Who Made My Clothes? To educate yourself further, try a copy of Fashion Revolution Zine (fashionrevolution.org), or a free course exploring the subject; futurelearn.com/courses/who-made-my-clothes.
REMAKE, REPAIR OR UPCYCLE
Extending the life of a garment by nine months reduces its impact on the environment by 20–30%. Learn the quick fixes – replacing a broken zip, sorting a wayward hem – to keep a garment in use, or up the ante and try remaking your clothes entirely. Dressmaking courses around the UK are listed at thesewingdirectory.co.uk/workshops-and-courses/ – or take advantage of the skills of a local tailor to keep beloved items in use.
RENT, LOAN OR SWAP
There’s a wealth of desirable clothing that won’t cost you a penny, if you decide to borrow from friends and family. ‘Swishing’ parties – pooling donated clothing and accessories – are a social way to share unworn clothes. And for big occasions, consider hiring rather than buying
an unlikely to be worn again frock: wearthewalk.co.uk and girlmeetsdress.com offer fashionable rental options.
SECONDHAND OR VINTAGE
Extend the life of an item of clothing by buying secondhand or vintage. See issue 63 of The Simple Things for pleasurable ways to shop secondhand, from car boots to charity shops. On Instagram @knickers_models_own offers plentiful inspiration on how to style pre-loved clothes: Caroline Jones did a full year of only dressing in clothes sourced from Cancer Research shops. And it goes both ways: hand on your own items, rather than throw away. Even garments that are no longer wearable can go for textile recycling.
Green Strategy, a Swedish consultancy on improving sustainability, suggested these seven ways we can start to shop and dress more sustainably. You can read all about it by searching ‘seven’ at their website, greenstrategy.se.
Turn to page 89 of September's The Simple Things for more on our ethical fashion feature.
Photography: Sarah Murch
Sarah and Will Murch dreamt of wild swimming in their garden. So they turned a disused patch into a tranquil pool, now a haven for wildlife a well as their family.
'Every time I visit the pool, I am blown away by its magic; it always surprises me. It doesn’t matter if it’s a dull day, windy or sunny – it is always beautiful and every time I swim, I am gobsmacked that we built this. The wildlife that is drawn to the garden is a big thing for me. Sitting by the water and seeing the swallows dip and the dragonflies hover is pretty amazing. It is also the place we all come together as a family – we are all drawn to the water. It is where we gravitate, it calms and revitalises, and not just when swimming in it but also by being beside it. It is a very special place.'
Turn to page 110 of September's The Simple Things for more on how Sarah and will created their pool.
Illustration: Kavel Rafferty
There are many reasons why it’s considered bad luck to put your shoes on the table – none of them pleasant. Let’s look at the death-related reasons first.
It may be because criminals were often hanged still wearing their shoes, or because it’s associated with a laid-out corpse. Back when shoes were more expensive and poorer folk had only one pair, it could also be a way of identifying a body. Which brings us to why new shoes are thought unlucky; when shoes were pricy, they’d be passed from the dead person onto another family member, as a “new” pair.
If not for deathly reasons, you don’t need to be a mastermind to understand why you might want to keep the soles of shoes away from anywhere involved with food. Back in less hygienic, less medicated times, it was quite possible the resulting illness could lead to another pair of shoes going spare...
Photography: Alan Benson
90g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
3 eggs
130g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla essence
35g plain flour, sifted
30g cornflour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder, sifted
3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 2cm dice
FOR THE CHANTILLY CREAM (OPTIONAL)
300ml whipping cream
30g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste or essence
1 Preheat oven to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas 3. Grease the ring of a 24cm springform tin, then turn the base upside down, so it no longer has a lip. Place a piece of baking paper over it, then clamp the ring around it to secure.
2 Combine the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl, and whisk with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume.
3 Using a hand whisk, gently fold in the plain flour, cornflour and baking powder with a pinch of salt until you have a smooth batter. Pour in the melted butter and fold with the whisk until totally combined, tilting the mixing bowl to make sure you’re reaching right to the bottom, where remnants of the butter might be sitting.
4 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, then scatter the chunks of diced pear evenly over the surface. Don’t worry if there are a few pieces peeking through the top of the batter.
5 Bake for about 45 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cake will balloon up when cooking, then collapse a bit after cooling, but this is entirely normal.
6 Cool completely in the tin before sliding a paring knife around the edge of the cake to release the ring. Carefully slide the cake onto a serving plate (leave it on the baking paper as the texture is very delicate). Serve with your choice of cream.
7 To make the chantilly cream, combine the cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl and whisk by hand or with an electric mixer until medium peaks form, being careful not to overwhisk.
Recipe from Poh Bakes 100 Greats by Poh Ling Yeow (Murdoch Books).
Cake in the House is our monthly recipe feature - get a cake recipe every month in The Simple Things!
Illustrations: FLORA WAYCOTT
Virgo
23 August – 22 September
“If you’re not happy at home, you’re not happy anywhere else,” said actress, Angie Harmon. Your domestic life may have been a theme for some time now, from your home to your family ties. This year is likely to have seen a lessening of difficulties but the real turning point comes in November when a much happier phase begins. Why is this important? Because the more happy and secure you feel in your foundations, the more able you’ll be to go out into the world and shine your light. This autumn is about new beginnings after which you’ll find it easier to make progress.
Turn to page 125 of September's The Simple Things for the other twelve star signs.
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.
