The Simple Things

The Simple Things is a beautiful, useful, quirky and fun magazine about taking time to live well. We cover mindfulness and microadventures, eating and growing, forgotten wisdom, home life and slow moments. It's for people who love their lives but want to take the pressure off and remember what’s really important. We like tea & cake, learning stuff, being outside and the satisfaction of a job well done. Do you?

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We’re celebrating 30 years…

A could-do list for September

Living by the tides • FROM SOLSTICE STRIPS TO THE CHILLY CHALLENGE OF A MIDWINTER PLUNGE, UNLIKELY SWIMMER LUCY BRAZIER CHARTS THE SEASONS WITH A DAILY DIP IN THE SEA

FINDERS KEEPERS • SEEK OUT BLACKBERRIES AND ELDERBERRIES AND MAKE THE MOST OF THESE HEDGEROW TREASURES IN THE KITCHEN, SAYS LIA LEENDERTZ

THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE • September is the time to bake sourdough, snoop around London’s most beautiful houses and watch a long-awaited epic film

THE GOOD LIFE EXPERAENCE

Magical creatures • AN APPRECIATION OF THE HERON

How hard can it be ? SOURDOUGH BAKING • BAKING YOUR OWN BREAD IS A BEAUTIFUL THING, BUT THE SCIENCE OF STARTERS CAN BE INTIMIDATING. REBECCA FRANK SIGNED UP TO SOURDOUGH SCHOOL

JUST FOR STARTERS.. • Before you begin baking sourdough, you need a starter. The sourdough starter is essentially a combination of flour and water that has been colonised by wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria.

Why bake sourdough?

CAKE IN THE HOUSE • A classic butter-rich shortbread recipe is given a subtle, but resoundingly tasty twist with the addition of rye flour and ground almonds

My day in cups of tea • THIS MONTH, WE GO BEHIND THE SCENES AND ASK OUR EDITOR, LISA SYKES ABOUT HER DAY IN CUPPAS

A simple thing...

Youth eco activism • THE WORLD’S LARGEST YOUTH-LED CONSERVATION SCHEME HAS BEGUN ON A 2,000-ACRE UPLAND ESTATE IN THE BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK

SMALL CHANGE

GOOD FIGURES • Where statistics and optimism meet

Stationery • THE STORIES OF INGENUITY FOUND INSIDE THE PENCIL CASE

HANDMADE HISTORIES • Craft inspiration – and a bit about where it came from

BOOK SMARTS • FOR DRAFTING PLANS OR LISTS, THIS DIY BOOK WILL FURNISH YOUR NEEDS – AND GIVE GREAT SATISFACTION IN THE MAKING

excellent women • HELP GOOD FOOD TO BEGIN AT HOME AND EVERYONE BENEFITS, SAYS COOKERY EDUCATOR PIONEER, LUCY MAY

FOOD FOR THOUGHT • A simple recipe but with an interesting twist

Into the woods • LATE SUMMER LINGERS LONGER WHEN YOU COOK FOOD OVER FIRE AND ENJOY IT OUTDOORS WITH FRIENDS

Get a healthy head start • WE’VE TEAMED UP WITH ORGANIC SUPREMOS ABEL & COLE TO BRING YOU AN UNMISSABLE SAVING

Plastics • AN ECO PACKAGE OF FACTS AND ADVICE YOU CAN USE AGAIN AND AGAIN

Join the conversation • Campaigns to support, hashtags to use and follow

Reasons to be cheerful • Changes already making a difference

Can I recycle it?

Little ways to use less • Seven simple steps toward cutting plastic waste

A POETIC PAUSE

About the author

SAN SEBASTIAN • FOR COOK AND FOODIE, MARTI BUCKLEY, THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE TO CALL HOME THAN THIS BASQUE COUNTRY BEAUTY

PROCRASTINATORS, LOOK SHARP. IT’S… QUIZ TIME • Find it hard to Get Stuff Done, occasionally? Take our entirely scientific and extremely focused quiz and find out exactly what type of procrastinator you are and how best to overcome it (or simply live alongside it). But do pair all those socks, clean the grout on those tiles and finish reading the seed catalogue that just came through the door first. There’s no rush…

THE RECKONING • Coiled spring or hopeless loafer with the attention span of a goldfish? Here’s what your...