The Simple Things Issue 170 August

MAGICAL - Twilight feasts & time travel outings. Puzzle makers’ wisdom. Seahorses. Enchanting tales. Halloumi popcorn. Plants that heal. Beach rose hips & hedgerow switchels. Jerk street corn. Secret forest theatre. Peach and basil whisky smash. Why we love a nightie. Skittles, kubb and quoits

What does a magical summer mean to you? There are the staples that sustain us through the year – good friends and food, revisiting favourite places and playing games – but summer can bring an extra sprinkling of magic. It’s not all about the sunshine and holidays (though, they undoubtedly help). Celebrating natural wonders can transport us from the everyday, whether foraging along the coast or gathering healing plants from our gardens. There are the amazing creatures to be discovered in our seas, and spectacles to be enjoyed in the night skies. We can wander down streets imagining ourselves back in time, read books that take us to other worlds or lose ourselves in puzzles. Set aside a little time for some deckchair dreaming. It’s in these quiet moments of contemplation that we plant the seeds of the ideas that can bring the magic in the months to come.