Small Ways To Live Well from The Simple Things

The Simple Things

Small Ways to Live Well is a podcast from The Simple Things, a monthly magazine about slowing down, remembering what’s important and making the most of where you live.  Our podcast will help you savour these short weeks and prepare your mind, body and pantry for the colder and darker season to come. It’s also a chance to reflect on the year so far and make plans for the one ahead. This is your companion guide from the last days of summer to the first days of autumn. Six episodes released weekly from 31 August. To subscribe or order a copy of The Simple Things visit thesimplethings.com   Back-to-school time has a feeling of new year about it. A chance for a fresh start and a time to take on new projects or travel to new places. But summer is not quite done, there’s still time for mellow weekends, laid-back camping, and to swim in the warmer seas before the season ends. This push and pull goes on through the autumn equinox into October before we finally embrace the shift into autumn and change our attitudes along with our clothes. But not without a bit of feasting along the way. Orchard fruits and nuts, blackberries in the hedgerows and mushrooms in the woods, not to mention ripe tomatoes and the full bounty of the veg patch make this a harvest festival in the kitchen. We’re living life outdoors while the sun shines but also embracing the pleasures of home and finding the new in what we have and what’s on our doorstep.  Co-hosted by the Editor, Lisa Sykes, wellbeing editor Rebecca Frank and regular contributor Jo Tinsley. In Season7: Golden Days, they’ll be embracing end-of-summer vibes then watching the season turn

  1. 20 JUN

    Magical Midsummer - Epsiode 6 MAGICAL

    It’s the final episode of our magical midsummer season and today all three of the Small Ways to Live Well podcast hosts have come together to talk about the most magical moments of this special time of year. Join Lisa Sykes (editor, The Simple Things), Becs Frank (Wellbeing editor) and Jo Tinsley (regular contributor and author of The Slow Traveller) as we discuss midsummer feasts and rituals, wonderful places to enjoy the solstice, the art of storytelling, and how dreams help us process emotions (and how to decode them).   If you are in the UK, you can choose an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett On the blog: Midsommartårta (midsummer strawberry cake) recipe Lemon basil spritzer recipe Wild midsummer cocktails    To read: Decode Your Dreams: Unlock your unconscious and transform your waking life by Ian Wallace (White Lion Publishing) Lucid dreaming – find out more about directing your dreams in our wellbeing bookazine, Flourish (Volume 3) buy it here The Slow Traveller : An intentional path to mindful adventures by Jo Tinsley    In The Simple Things From the June SOAR issue (156) Midsummer short story writing competition To celebrate National Flash Fiction Day this month we’re launching our search for your best short stories, themed around ‘The Longest Day'. Send your entry of 300 words max to thesimplethings@icebergpress.co.ukwith the heading MIDSUMMER MICROFICTION. Closing date 31 July. Full details in our June issue What happens at Stonehenge? Read about this and other seasonal ideas including making a fairy-lit garden room in our monthly Almanac Buy June issue here and on the newsstand until 24 June   In the July FRUIT issue (157)  Tomato leaf martini – a fabulously fragrant summer tipple Sleepless in summer – how to get the rest you need in the warmest months Magical creatures: Purple emperor butterflies Subscribers will receive the July issue from 20 June when pre-orders will also open at picsandink.com or you can buy on the newsstand from the 25 June. Find out how to subscribe here Check out The Simple Things Anthology Volume 4: A Year of Celebrations for any excuse to celebrate with the food, flowers and decorations for every occasion

    51 min
  2. 15 JUN

    Magical Midsummer - Epsiode 5 SLOW

    Welcome to Episode 5 of our Magical Midsummer season in the Small Ways to Live Well podcast from The Simple Things magazine. Join Editor Lisa Sykes and and Jo Tinsley, a regular contributor to the magazine and also, very appropriately, author of The Slow Traveller, as we discuss all things SLOW from taking our time to savour summer fruits and learning how to enjoy the fruits of our labours to working out the best ways to while away a summer afternoon. Plus, we’ll be sharing some wise advice on travelling slowly.  If you are in the UK, you can choose an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett On the blog Recipe: Ploughman's scones Ice cube herbs Ice cube aftersun     To read The Slow Traveller: An intentional path to mindful adventures by Jo Tinsley  Ernest journal   Things to do Black Girls Do Run   In The Simple Things From the June SOAR issue (156) Looking Back: Radio Times. Whether the Top 40 or Desert Island Discs, we tune into the programmes that have ruled the airwaves – and our hearts – over the last 100 years  Kitchen Therapy: Take it outside. Lottie Stories shows us how to make Blossom Ice Cubes Wisdom: A question of sport. Long, light days encourage us to get outside and get moving, just like these women, who you’ll find doing what they love across the UK’s paths and roads, bridleways and waters.  Competition: Put pen to paper. To celebrate National Flash Fiction Day this month we’re launching our search for your best short stories, themed around ‘The Longest Day'. Send your entry of 300 words max to thesimplethings@icebergpress.co.ukwith the heading MIDSUMMER MICROFICTION. Closing date 31 July. Full details in our June issue Buy June issue here and on the newsstand until 24 June Subscribers will receive the July issue from 20 June when pre-orders will also open at picsandink.com or you can buy on the newsstand from the 25 June.

    42 min
  3. 8 JUN

    Magical Midsummer - Epsiode 4 CAREFREE

    You’ve arrived at Episode 4 in our Magical Midsummer season of the Small Ways to Live Well podcast from The Simple Things magazine. Join Lisa Sykes, editor of the magazine and Jo Tinsley, a regular contributor and author of The Slow Traveller. The loose theme for this episode is carefree because if you can’t feel a little bit frivolous and ditch a few chores and responsibilities around midsummer, then when can you? So think of us as your suggestion box this week, an audible prompt to try things you haven’t done for years, wear something out of the ordinary or take a trip. We’ll also be celebrating festivals and tiny campsites, appreciating a magical creature as we have every episode this season and sharing a few moments of magic that will hopefully inspire you to capture your own. If you are in the UK, you can choose an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett On the blog; Camping Truths: Camping is full of highs and lows but somehow it’s always worth it. Here, some of the Simple Things team share some of their most memorable camping moments.    To read: The Slow Traveller : An intentional path to mindful adventures by Jo Tinsley  Tiny Campsites: 80 Small but Perfect Places to Pitch by Dixe Wills Mini Quilting by Laura Strutt   Things to do & make  The Big Retreat Festival, Pembrokeshire  Weekend Project: Pass holderand Belt bago or pouch template Greener Camping Club Nearly Wild Camping   In The Simple Things: From the June SOAR issue (156) My Living: The Festival. Amber Lort-Phillips on the realities of running a festival Wearing Well: Bucket Hats. More stories of the clothes we love! Buy June issue here and on the newsstand until 24 June Subscribers will receive the July issue from 20 June when pre-orders will also open at picsandink.com or you can buy on the newsstand from the 25 June. Find out how to subscribe here The Simple Things Anthology Volume 4: A Year of Celebrations Any excuse to celebrate with the food, flowers and decorations for every occasion and ways to mark the season Country shows: A day out with animal, vegetable and mineral appeal.    In previous issues of The Simple Things (back issues are available to buy here) Out

    44 min
  4. 1 JUN

    Magical Midsummer - Epsiode 3 SHINE

    Promise and Possibilities  In the third episode of our magical midsummer season, Rebecca Frank, Wellbeing Editor of The Simple Things, and Jo Tinsley, regular contributor and author of The Slow Traveller are celebrating the first day of summer and the things that make us shine at this time of year. Join us on a nostalgic trip to the British seaside, pick up some useful knowledge for growing your own pick of salad ingredients in pots and hanging baskets, and take some wise advice from our pick of wellbeing books for different times of life.  If you are in the UK, you can choose an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here  Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett On the blog BBQ sides – because it’s all about the side dishes and pickles really Broad bean guacamole and kohlrabi slaw Salty dill cucumbers  To read or listen to  Yoga for Stiff Birds by Marion Deuchars (Skittledog) – we feature a different stretch in the Miscellany section of the magazine each month. Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown (Ebury) Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (Penguin) The Lido Guide by Emma Pusill and Janet Wilkinson (Boundless)   To find out more Lidos – Discover your nearest lido by visiting The Outdoor Swimming Society website and browse ‘The Big Lido Map’ at All The Lidos  Visit the lidos mentioned in the episode: Shepton Mallet Lido  Saltdean Lido  Hathersage Swimming Pool  Brockwell Lido  Silver Nutmeg jewellery on Folksy   In The Simple Things From the May TEND issue (155) One Pot Food Forest – a mini food forest where all the seeds are sown at once but have different harvest dates so the planter evolves over time, offering a constant crop.  From My Plot: A Wilder Way with Poppy Okotcha, author of A Wilder Way: How Gardens Grow Us (Bloomsbury) Magical creatures: an appreciation of pondskaters Buy the May issue here   From the June SOAR issue (156) Shelf help – 18 classic wellbeing books recommended by our experts that offer wisdom throughout life’s changes and challenges. The collection includes Quiet by Susan Cain and Lost Connections by Johann Hari as mentioned in the podcast.  Good vibrations – how chanting a mantra can help still a busy mind Salad Days  - growing advice and recipes for homegrown salads from The Kew G

    36 min
  5. 25 MAY

    Magical Midsummer - Epsiode 2 DISCOVER

    Promise & Possibilities  It's half term, another bank holiday weekend so in this episode The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank are setting out to DISCOVER things new to them (and hopefully you) plus learning why stepping outside of our comfort zone is good for us. And because it is midsummer we’ll be celebrating a magical creature and finding a moment of magic to note and notice. If you are in the UK, you can choose an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here  Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett.  To discover The Tweed Run  Treasure Trails Caring for God’s Acre – Love your Burial Ground Week 7-15 June   To read Snorkelling Britain: 100 Marine Adventuresby Emma and Gordon Taylor (Wild Things Publishing)   On the blog Maypole cake How to maypole    From the June issue (156) Magical creature: Beavers My Plot: Narrowboat nursery & tow-along greenhouse Weekend away: staying in a lighthouse Buy the June issue here and on newsstands from 28 May.    From our new book: The Simple Things Anthology Volume 4: A Year of Celebrations     Whitsuntide recipes Modern Eccentrics – Boss Morris, yarn bombers, mermaid, steam punks  Treasure hunting   In previous The Simple Things Whitsuntide gathering (May 2024 – 143) Nature reserves (May 2023 – 131) Churchyards for wildlife (July 2022 – 121) Narrowboat home tour (August 2021 –110)  Three campervans (July 2021 – 109) Converted horsebox home (August 2024 – 146)

    46 min
  6. 18 MAY

    Magical Midsummer - Epsiode 1 IMAGINE

    Promise & Possibilities  Anything seems possible at the start of summer and in this first episode The Simple Things’ Editor Lisa Sykes and Wellbeing Editor Rebecca Frank use their imagination to explore what a ‘could-do week’ looks like, find ways to make bank holiday journeys more bearable and the joy of being a regular, as well as making the most of elderflowers and roses and passing on some creative first aid.  If you are in the UK, you can choose an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett.  On the blog Rhubarb and rosewater tart https://www.thesimplethings.com/blog/2016/4/13/recipe-rhubarb-and-rosewater-tart-with-cardamom-and-honey-cream?rq=rose   Elderflower champagne recipe https://www.thesimplethings.com/blog/2014/06/06/recipe-elderflower-champagne?rq=elderflower%20   Rose petal and strawberry sandwiches https://www.thesimplethings.com/blog/silly-sandwiches?rq=rose%20petal   To read Extra Mile guides to Delicious Alternatives to Motorway Services, Coastal cafes and Farm shops Wild Swimming Hidden Beaches by Daniel Start (Wild Guides)  Creative First Aid by Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose (Murdoch Books)    In The Simple Things   From the May issue  (155)  Respect your elders – plan an elderflower foraging session then make cake, cordial and much more…  The joys of being a regular – why revisiting regular favourite places results in so many happy returns Buy the May issue here   From the June issue (156) Could-do week – shake up your week to make time for the things you enjoy every day The Longest Day microfiction competition Buy the June issue at picsandink.com from 23 May and on the newsstand from 28 May.    From The Simple Things Anthology Volume 4: A Year of Celebrations Pushbike picnic : Vegetable crisps, three cheese & herb savoury muffins, Italian focaccia pressed sandwiches, apricot, blueberry and almond energy bars.    Back garden campout featured in August 2021 issue (110) with Paprika & Parmesan Popcorn, Campfire Tacos, Frittata, Kohlrabi Slaw, Bean Salsa and Chipotle Mayo with  Puffed Quinoa fridge cake. Plus Raspberry French Toasties and skillet granola for breakfast

    38 min
  7. 18 APR

    Return of the Light - EASTER SPECIAL

    Join us for our Easter Special episode of Small Ways to Live Well, the podcast from The Simple Things magazine  Released on Good Friday, Team TST are recording live from a Blackdown Shepherd Hut in Somerset where they’ll enjoy cake and decorate an Ostereierbaum (Easter tree) before trying a sauna and cold plunge and warming up with rival hot chocolate recipes. Plus the signs that spring proper is here, stories of cute spring animals and making the most of April showers.  Oh and we’re learning how ducks quack in other languages.   Co-hosted by The Simple Things Editor, Lisa Sykes; wellbeing editor Rebecca Frank and author of The Slow Traveller,  Jo Tinsley Our Easter Special and Season 5: Return of the light is supported by Blackdown Shepherd Huts.  If you are in the UK, you can choose an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here. The May TEND issue  is on sale at picsandink.com from 17 April, on newsstands 24 April  Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett.    To read: Play spring bingo – signs that spring is really here  Speak like a duck abroad    To bake: Simnel cake recipe & history Hot cross buns recipe Gugelhupf  – Austrian Easter cakes   To make: Ostereierbaum (Easter tree)  Dyed eggs   Hot chocolate Tangerine & nutmeg Sea salt Spiced With pink peppercorns  Orangey tipple    To buy: M&S Simnel cake Blackdown sauna & cold plunge deck  Beautiful mugs in the Blackdown hut for hot chocolate were by Florence Ceramics    From The Simple Things:  In the April JAUNT issue  Rain gardens Easter buns of Europe Magical Creatures – mallards     In our new anthology&

    39 min

About

Small Ways to Live Well is a podcast from The Simple Things, a monthly magazine about slowing down, remembering what’s important and making the most of where you live.  Our podcast will help you savour these short weeks and prepare your mind, body and pantry for the colder and darker season to come. It’s also a chance to reflect on the year so far and make plans for the one ahead. This is your companion guide from the last days of summer to the first days of autumn. Six episodes released weekly from 31 August. To subscribe or order a copy of The Simple Things visit thesimplethings.com   Back-to-school time has a feeling of new year about it. A chance for a fresh start and a time to take on new projects or travel to new places. But summer is not quite done, there’s still time for mellow weekends, laid-back camping, and to swim in the warmer seas before the season ends. This push and pull goes on through the autumn equinox into October before we finally embrace the shift into autumn and change our attitudes along with our clothes. But not without a bit of feasting along the way. Orchard fruits and nuts, blackberries in the hedgerows and mushrooms in the woods, not to mention ripe tomatoes and the full bounty of the veg patch make this a harvest festival in the kitchen. We’re living life outdoors while the sun shines but also embracing the pleasures of home and finding the new in what we have and what’s on our doorstep.  Co-hosted by the Editor, Lisa Sykes, wellbeing editor Rebecca Frank and regular contributor Jo Tinsley. In Season7: Golden Days, they’ll be embracing end-of-summer vibes then watching the season turn

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