The Simple Things Issue 159 September

TREASURE – Veg patch feasts & period drama picnics. Tin-your-own toms. Firepit dusks. Kitchen window wildlife. How to kveldsmat. Plum cake and rosemary cider. A show of hats. Torta Italia. Railway adventures. Polecats. Why handwriting helps. Potting bench garden bar. Experiment with slapdash.

Don’t we all have a treasure chest? Maybe not a literal trunk filled with actual gold but with belongings and memories of times and places that we hold dear. And it’s always comforting to assemble our treasured things to create a pleasing nook – a special mug, your best pen, a nice notebook and maybe the latest copy of your favourite magazine. Light a candle, add a jug of flowers or a bowl of fruit and your treasure trove is complete. Emma Bridgewater, arguably a national treasure herself, understands this well (p44). September brings fresh starts and a back-to-school energy; a good time to try experimenting with a slapdash approach that embraces ‘good enough’. It’s also a golden month that bridges the seasons. We both savour the end of summer and welcome in autumn – watching wildlife in the back garden, enjoying ripe, homegrown tomatoes and a warm dusk a round a firepit. Rituals to be treasured.