September 1st: Official start of meteorological Autumn. I mean, I declared it Autumn on 1st August and, despite the heat, I see no reason to change that idea. What September really means is official approval to enjoy the turning of the leaves, admire the flavours of coffee available and crochet a large wrap or blanket without risking completely overheating underneath it. And, today, books. I … Continue reading September Small Things 1: New books
I don’t know how time works: I just know that some weeks the time is everlasting and sometimes it flies. We’ve been watching The Lazarus Project on Sky recently, and the idea that there’s a reset point (on July 1st every year) that only some people remember if the machine resets is intriguing. Messing with time is dangerous, especially when we try to fit too … Continue reading Book Friday: The Green Sketching Handbook by Dr Ali Foxon
December’s posts this year all share the theme of Mindful Christmas. There’ll be short posts each day encouraging us to pause and look at our celebrations in a more measured, mindful way. Every day has a concept heavily tied in to Christmas, and the plan is to look at them individually, examine what role they play in our own Christmas and, if we decide we … Continue reading Minimalism and Simplicity: Mindful Christmas Day 11
You know I’m a happy person, right? A good, kind, generally smooth natured and positive person? It’s bizarre. I am a natural optimist, born optimistic and lived optimistic (until about 5 years ago, when I started seeing optimism as the super power of the youthful). I wonder if losing one’s optimism goes with the menopause? Does losing the faintest hope of ever having another baby … Continue reading Life is a Rollercoaster and I am not Fully Enjoying the Ride.
I know hygge has no rules… because it’s a very personal thing and what makes me feel hyggely may well be what makes you feel antipathy… but there are certain things that act as guidelines. Not fixed, immovable rules, but ideas that can help, especially if at a certain point in your life you’ve just hit a brick wall of chaos or doubt that has … Continue reading Hygge Guidance for a Good Life.
Simply Living Well has the subtitle A Guide to Creating a Natural, Low-waste Home. Living well, living simply are cornerstones of my life, and I am always keen to read up on how other people live and see how environmental principles can be embedded in daily living for everyone. Julia Watkins is the creative force behind @simply.living.well on Instagram. It’s a beautiful feed, classy, elegant, … Continue reading Book Friday: Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins.
Small, cheap, easy things to boost your hygge in February Continue reading February: Short and very Sweet. Perhaps.
Any and every book, magazine or blogseries focusing on Christmas should have ‘Plan Well’ as the first chapter. Christmas is a weird festival. We place so much faith in one day a year as a day of happiness, wonder, joy, love and so much more besides and yet we forget that the happiness, wonder and joy we feel afterwards is just as necessary. Especially this … Continue reading Christmas of Hope 2020: Plan Well for this year and the next.
How to Hygge the British Way 