Elle
Spring Storms and Fallen Trees
Spring heralds the return of colour, but also the arrival of storms. The destruction can be terrible, but also brings renewal.
journaling the slow life
in the suffolk countryside
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Elle
- Jan 29
- 4 min
B is for Brussels Sprouts
Is there any vegetable that divides opinion as much as the humble Brussels sprout? It certainly divides our household...
Sam
- Dec 30, 2021
- 3 min
A Year of Suffolk Reading
We set ourselves five rural reads, and I soon fell in love with those books about the people who have lived and farmed here in Suffolk.
Elle
- Dec 22, 2021
- 5 min
Over-Consumption: 3 Ways to Break the Habit
Over-consumption is not going to be an easy habit to break, but after the excess of Christmas, this is the right time to challenge myself.
Sam & Elle
- Dec 11, 2021
- 5 min
Rural Reads V: The Fat of the Land
Today, the idea of the countryside being "an escape" seems very modern, but The Fat of the Land proves this urge is as old as the hills...
Sam
- Nov 25, 2021
- 4 min
Fog and Ruins: A Walk to Rougham Hall
Between the trees ahead of us, the ruin of Rougham Hall materialised out of the mid-morning fog like a ghost.
Sam
- Oct 29, 2021
- 4 min
Rural Reads IV: Adrian Bell's Corduroy Trilogy
Adrian Bell’s trilogy, beginning with Corduroy (1930), creates a world of quiet beauty that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.
Sam & Elle
- Sep 28, 2021
- 2 min
A Seasonal Shift: Autumn
Autumn is on its way. Already the colours of the trees are shifting to the golds and browns and yellows, and the leaves crunch underfoot.
Elle
- Aug 23, 2021
- 3 min
Rural Reads III: Hollow Places
The third of our 5 rural reads: Christopher Hadley's detailed investigation into mythology and landscape in rural Hertfordshire.
Sam
- Apr 26, 2021
- 4 min
A Seasonal Year: Twelve Months in Six Photographs
Over the last year of working from home, we have been photographing the same corner of a nearby field, watching it change with the seasons.
Sam
- Apr 7, 2021
- 3 min
Rural Reads II: Wilding
The second of our 5 rural reads: Isabella Tree's fascinating and enthusiastic account of rewilding a 3,500 acre farm in Sussex.
Sam & Elle
- Mar 10, 2021
- 4 min
Brighter Skies: The First Days of Spring
There is something about that first day of Spring. You know there will still be some colder, darker days ahead, but this day is a gift.
Elle
- Feb 24, 2021
- 4 min
Rural Reads I: The Lost Words
The first of our 5 rural reads: Robert MacFarlane's observative acrostic poems combined with Jackie Morris's characterful illustrations.
Sam
- Feb 10, 2021
- 6 min
5 Simple Rituals to get you Back in the Present
Since the beginning of 2021, I’ve been trying to spend more time focused on the present moment. Creating rituals out of daily tasks.
Elle
- Jan 27, 2021
- 4 min
Hunkering-Down: The Virtues of the Winter Larder
The larder is the heart of the kitchen in winter. We have been filling it with grains, preserves and drinks, and now it's time to enjoy!
Sam & Elle
- Jan 13, 2021
- 5 min
5 Rural Reads: a Book List for 2021
Over the years, we have been drawn to books on the theme of rural writing and the natural world. Welcome to our 2021 rural reads!
Sam
- Dec 29, 2020
- 4 min
Memories of December Snow - Part II
Snow formed the backdrop for one of my most treasured childhood memories. It saddens me that White Christmases may be coming to an end.
Elle
- Dec 16, 2020
- 5 min
Memories of December Snow - Part I
One morning two weeks ago, we opened the curtains to find the garden sprinkled with a dusting of snow.
Sam
- Nov 14, 2020
- 4 min
A Foggy Morning and Comfort Cooking
Slow-cooking is my favourite reason to the in the kitchen. There is something more wholesome about this type of food.
Elle
- Oct 30, 2020
- 4 min
The True History of the Jack-O'-Lantern
Pull your chair a little closer to the fire and listen carefully as I tell the history of the Jack-O'-Lantern.
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