Carved into the walls of churches and other old buildings across the UK is a figure steeped in mystery. Sometimes he’s smiling; sometimes he looks pained. Perhaps he’s benevolent; perhaps demonic. But he is always surrounded by leaves – worn as a crown, forming his hair and beard or erupting from his mouth, nose, ears …
Self-reliance is often described as a quiet superpower. It fuels confidence, decision making and the ability to create a life that fills you with joy. But what happens when you become too independent? When self-reliance turns into going it alone at all costs? When the scales tip too far in one direction, self-reliance can morph …
Smaller than a house cat, and twice as nimble, the pine marten is a dextrous ghost of the woods. If you didn’t come across its multi-coloured scat, you’d be hard pushed to know you were even sharing a forest with it. The pine marten is a small, omnivorous predator that’s widespread across the world. Mic …
For days now it’s been distracting you, this problem. You just can’t see a way forward. You’ve tried all the usual fixes – journalling your feelings, comparing pros and cons, talking it over with friends – but nothing has shifted. Exhausted at the end of a dispiriting week, you’re having a long soak in the …
Imagine if your body and mind was run by tiny people at work inside you. They would flip switches and send commands to control your organs – your brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. They could run your digestion, and even fight off bacteria. That was the nutty idea behind The Numskulls, a comic strip born …
Look around the next time you’re out and about or on public transport: tiny earbuds and chunky headphones are everywhere. If you tuned in to listen to them, what would you hear? These days, rather than your eardrums being subjected to thudding bass beats, you’d be more likely to hear a history podcast or the …
In a small souvenir shop on a Greek island, you spin the wire rack and postcards flicker past in a blur of Aegean blues and chalky whites. You take your time before choosing: an image of mouth-watering local dishes for a foodie friend, a vibrant underwater scene for a scuba-loving cousin. After a day of …
In this issue: Wish you were here – Rewind to unwind – Character building – The avoidance trap – Local love – Spirit of the woods – Stress dial – The creative’s companion – Just for fun – Best served… chilled Answering the door to things you don’t want to face can be hard. Occasionally …
Angela Zaher started cooking with her two sons after their school encouraged parents to involve children in the kitchen. ‘They instructed us how useful it would be for them academically: learning about fractions through cutting up apples in segments, weighing ingredients on scales…’ Angela says. ‘The plan worked beautifully, but what was really striking was …
Ashen-faced, soaked in rain and with a big swollen cheek, my husband returned home. He’d had a tooth out and – apparently – I’d said I’d meet him afterwards at the dentist. The penny slowly dropped. I’d said that I’d meet him after his appointment, but started chatting with a friend. And then totally forgot. …
