Journey through the Seasons

Edited by: Adam Bailey

Music Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)

Podcast artwork: Karen Ingall

Opening words: Sue reads Dear November by E Russell

Seasonal chat: Sue talks about her daily poetry challenge for November, which she's undertaking via Substack. You can find details here: https://open.substack.com/pub/rabbitroom?r=36rfh7&utm_medium=ios

You can find out about Sue’s book here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfbXzlfhyqf/?mdxt=MXJyOHpjZndkaWZpbg==

Seasonal living:

Sue refers to Lia Leendertz's Almanac in this section. You can find info on Beaujolais day here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyv75yznqe0o, and on the migration of birds here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/autumn-arrivals

Seasonal Recipes:

Low histamine butternut, carrot and quinoa stew:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium leek or 1 small white onion finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick half-moons

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp sweet paprika, optional

½ tsp ground cumin, optional

¼ tsp ground cinnamon, optional

Small piece of fresh ginger, finely grated, optional

2 bay leaves

800ml litres low-histamine vegetable stock and 400ml cocnut milk

150 g quinoa, rinsed well

200 gkale, chopped

1 tbsp maple syrup

Salt, to taste

Fresh parsley to finish

Squeeze of lemon, only if tolerated

Method:

Warm the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the leek or onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5–6 minutes until soft and sweet.

Stir in the garlic, turmeric, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and ginger, if using. Cook for 30 seconds - just long enough to release the aroma from spices  - then add the squash, carrots and bay leaves.

Pour in the stock, bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, rinsed quinoa and continue to simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and has thickened the stew slightly. Add a little more water if it becomes too thick.

Stir in the kale and maple syrup. Cook for a final 5 minutes, then season with salt.

Remove the bay leaves. Finish with plenty of fresh parsley. Add lemon only if you know you tolerate it.

Golden Milk Recipe:

Ingredients: 250ml coconut milk drink (Emma recommended Plenish)/ 1tsp freshly grated turmeric or 1/2 tsp ground/ 1 tsp freshly grated ginger/ 1/2 tsp coconut oil/ 1 tsp maple syrup/ 1/2 a cinnamon stick

Method: Add all to a small saucepan and warm gently

Seasonal Words:

Sue reads a poem from Between Heaven and Earth by the Fallen Poet, Donna Ashworth's poem All Weathers from her new collection The Art of Being Easily Pleased and Spark from her own book A Head Full of Stars

What's on Our Book Shelf?:  

Sue has enjoyed Caro Claire Burke's Yesteryear and Murder of Crows, the first in the series of cosy crime books by Sarah Yarwood Lovatt. She has binge watched Colin from Accounts, enjoyed Episodes starring Matt LeBlanc and the film Derek vs Derek

Emma has loved two books this month: Kate Atkinson's Our Noble Selves and Stations by Louise Kennedy. She enjoyed the Trespasses adaptation on Channel 4's streaming service and East of Eden on Netflix. She is listening to the Observer newspaper podcast Foundling and looking forward to listening to the Reith Lectures delivered by Robert Macfarlane

Tasks: Here's a mincemeat recipe Emma likes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mincemeat_2491

Enjoyed our Podcast? Please consider supporting us with a contribution however small! You can contribute any amount from £1 upwards by clicking here: buymeacoffee.com/journeythroughtheseasons and we would be SO grateful!

Timings:

Opening words: 0.57

Retreat Chat: 1.41

Seasonal Living: 17.33

Recipes: 22.34

Self Care: 31.49

Seasonal words: 42.31

What's on our Bookshelf: 46.38

Tasks: 55.57

Farewell: 1.00.55

Edited by: Adam Bailey

Music Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)

Podcast artwork: Karen Ingall

Opening words: Sue reads Late October by Maya Angelou

Seasonal living:

 
Black History Month
https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk
Sue reads from Black and British a forgotten history by David Olusoga

More info on Orionids meteor shower
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/c64gr18jrvx3o

For a deeper delve into Halloween, have a look at: 
https://resobscura.substack.com/p/a-very-deep-history-of-halloween?r=36rfh7&utm_medium=ios

For info on the Northamptonshire based World conker championships, have a look here:

https://worldconkerchampionships.com/about/the-world-conker-championships-is-on/

Seasonal Recipes:

Emma's pumpkin bread recipe: 

Ingredients: 250g plain flous/ 250g wholemeal flour/ 1 tsp salt/ 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda/ 150g grated butternut squash/ 75g chopped walnuts and pumpkin seeds/ leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme/ 300ml plain yogurt with a squeeze of lemon in it/ 125ml whole milk [NB: make it vegan by substituting the yoghurt and milk for 400ml plant milk with a good squeeze of lemon plus 30g of a neutral tasting oil such as rapeseed)

Method: Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with baking parchment or a thin sprinkling of flour.  Combine dry ingredients, then mix in the butternut squash, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and thyme before adding wet ingredients.  Give it all a really good mix, then turn out onto the baking sheet and shape into a rough ball. Using a sharp knife, make a deep cross in the top of the loaf to help your bread cook more evenly.  Dust with a little extra wholemeal flour.  Put into the hot oven for 15 minutes before reducing the oven temperature to 200 degrees.  Bake for a further 20-25 minutes until the bread feels hollow if you tap it.  Allow to cool a little before slicing and eating if you have the patience for it.

Emma's sloe-gin recipe is based on this recipe from BBC Good Food: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sloegin_7722

Self care: 

Sue spoke about the 10-30 method/ the 3/3/3 method/ the kitchen fork method.  You can read more about these in the links below:

Declutter ideas 
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a73959328/the-1030-decluttering-method/
Marie Kondo
https://konmari.com/?srsltid=AU7gw4WFyUvJinwvLoJa3IfO3pQZq8OTvk_5p9FZ42onVv6jvE-WjD8w
The kitchen fork method
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a70734400/the-fork-decluttering-method/

Seasonal Words:

Emma reads the poem Conker by Robert MacFarlane taken from the Lost Words collection, an extract from Polly Vernon's column in Grazia magazine dated 12 October 2026 and some words taken from Kate Mosse's Autumn memoir.

What's on Our Book Shelf?:  

Sue is listening to The Doctors Kitchen podcast.  She's been reading poems from Donna Ashworth's To the Women, reading Moth Snowstorm by Michael McCarthy and following @thebarefootforager on instagram

Emma recommends the remake of Sense & Sensibility and has loved the audio versions of Meg Mason's Sophie Standing There and Ripeness by Sarah Moss and enjoyed Kate Mosse's memoir Autumn.  She has really enjoyed series 3 of Colin from Accounts (not Colin the Accountant!)

Timings:

Opening words: 0.54

Prepare Chat: 01.44

Seasonal Living: 16.28

Recipe: 27.18

Self Care: 36.35

Seasonal words: 42.02

What's on our Bookshelf: 48.04

Tasks: 58.52

Farewell: 1.03.29

Edited by: Adam Bailey

Music Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)

Podcast artwork: Karen Ingall

Opening words: Sue reads Abundace by Louise Gluck

Seasonal Living: Sue references to Lia Leendertz's The Almanac. You can read more about the Harvest moon here: https://bookishseasons.com/what-is-the-harvest-moon/ and about Michaelmas here: https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/st-michaels-day-and-michaelmas-traditions 

Recipe: Emma's Sourdough Apple Cake recipe is as follows.  For the starter: 460g plain flour, 500ml milk, 230g caster sugar, 2tsps yeast (mix in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel).  Feed on day 4 and day 9 - 120g plain flour, 225g caster sugar, 225ml milk.  Stir daily.  The starter is ready to bake with on day 10.  For the cake: take 1/4 of your starter (gift or start again with any portions you don't use to make a cake) and add to a large bowl, add 150ml sunflower oil, 2 eggs, 2 tsps vanilla extract, stir well.  Then add dry ingredients; 255g soft brown sugar, 240g plain flour, 2 heaped tsps baking powder, a little salt, a generous teaspoon of cinnamon and mix well.  Add 2 cooking apples, peeled and diced into approx 1cm squares and stir in along with an optional 100-150g raisins or sultanas.  Add to a lined tin (it'll fill a 20cm round tin), sprinkle with demerera sugar and put into an oven pre-heated to 170 degrees.  The cakes take roughly 45 minutes to cook - check, it may need a little longer, and then allow to cool in the tin before truning out and eating or storing.

Self-Care: To read more about gratitude practices and gratitude in general please visit: https://grateful.org

Seasonal words: Sue reads poems this month: Warm Apple Crumble by Gervase Gordon (instagram @lit_service_dept ), Ted Hughes' Harvest Moon and On the Hill Late at Night by Wendell Berry

What's On Our Bookshelf: Sue has read Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell and is currently reading Raising Hair by Chloe Dalton.  She has enjoyed the poetry collection Earth Prayers, edited by Carol Ann Duffy.  She's watching Ludwig on BBC iPlayer and has arranged a community screening of the National Emergency Briefing after attending a screening earlier in the summer.    Emma recommends the Maggie O'Farrell's (again!) new book Land, Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hessian and A Year of Nothing by Emma Gannon.  She has enjoyed the Netflix series' Little House on the Prairie and My Beautiful Career. She has been listening to the In Thin Air album from Spell Songs.

Tasks: You can donate to the Macmillan coffee morning campaign here: https://donation.macmillan.org.uk

Emma remebered the other person who has died: Gloria Steinham

Timings:

Opening words: 1.01

Abundance Chat: 08.44

Seasonal Living: 17.35

Recipe: 22.04

Self Care: 28.35

Seasonal words: 35.04

What's on our Bookshelf: 39.55

Tasks: 45.08

Farewell: 47.54

Edited by: Adam Bailey

Music Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)

Podcast artwork: Karen Ingall

Opening words: Sue reads "May" by Donna Ash worth

Blossoming chat: Sue mentions a change in the blossoming time of trees associated with climate change here- you can read about that here: https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/why-are-blossoms-early

Seasonal Living: Sue references to Lia Leendertz's The Almanac and found her Shakespeare quotes here: https://nosweatshakespeare.com/quotes/categories/flowers/

Recipe: The spring shakshuka recipe is based on a recipe from the BBC website; https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/green_baked_eggs_with_98845

Self-Care: You can read more about the benefits of microsdosing mindfulness here: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2502370-too-busy-to-meditate-microdosing-mindfulness-has-big-health-benefits/ .  Sue discovered the idea of microdosing mindfulness at a retreat run by OptimumYou Yoga at Kelmash Hall: https://www.facebook.com/KelmarshHall/videos/ground-grow-%EF%B8%8F-last-friday-optimumyouyogastudio-hosted-a-wonderful-wellbeing-expe/2248353469236792/

Seasonal words: Sue reads from Chasing Fog by Laura Pashby and from the Substack account @MidnightCrumbs on romantisising April: https://open.substack.com/pub/midnightcrumbs/p/your-pocket-guide-to-a-gentle-joyful?r=36rfh7&utm_medium=ios

What's On Our Bookshelf: Sue is reading Laura Pashby's Chasing Fog and has finished The BBQ are No 9 by Jennie Godfrey, a book she really enjoyed but recommends with a trigger warning for domestic violence, she'll be reading Katie Hodgett's Act, Rest Reset, Repeat when it's released in May. Emma recommends the BBC iplayer adaptation of The Other Bennett Sister, the Bhutanese film Lunana (A Yak in the Classroom), the Podcast Why Women Grow (https://www.alicevincent.co.uk/podcasts) and The Names by Florence Knapp (with a trigger warning for domestic violence).

Tasks: Sue recommeds a task borrowed from Kelly Louise Marshall: https://open.substack.com/pub/kellylouisemarshall/p/five-days-of-noticing-joy?r=36rfh7&utm_medium=ios 

Sue shares a card from the Sensory Herbal oracle card pack.

Timings:

Opening words: 0.58

Blossom Chat: 2.10

Seasonal Living: 17.46

Recipes: 22.47

Self Care: 28.02

Seasonal words: 37.52

What's on our Bookshelf: 43.28

Tasks: 50.59

Blessings Card: 56.02

Farewell: 57.02

Edited by: Adam Bailey

Music Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)

Podcast artwork: Karen Ingall

Opening words: Sue reads words from LR Knost

Seasonal Living: Sue references to Lia Leendertz's The Almanac

Recipes: The spiced Easter biscuits recipe is from Honeywell Bake's book, *Planet Friendly Baking*.  You can find the recipe here: https://honeywellbakes.com/spiced-easter-biscuit-recipe/

Emma also suggests using leftover egg whites from the biscuit recipe to make Riverford's Rhubarb Meringue Pie: https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/rhubarb-meringue-pie and experimenting with a wild garlic houmous: https://www.farmersgirlkitchen.co.uk/wild-garlic-hummus-wild-garlic-pesto/

Seasonal words: Emma shares the opening words from Kenneth Graeme's *Wind in the Willows* and an extract from the collection *The English Landscape* collated by Kathleen Conyngham Greene, The Beech Trees in Spring by Richard Jefferies,

What's On Our Bookshelf: Sue is reading *The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding* by Holly Ringland and loving her poetry book, *Finding Joy*, from Dervla Miscal.  She is enjoying *Cacophony of 

Bone* by Kerri ní Dochartaigh and for some light relief watching Married at First Sight Australia.  She has enjoyed a village screening of *Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy* and listening to The Plodcast with Mandy Stark and Ellie Williams.  Emma recommends *You be Mother* by Meg Mason and Mary Oliver's essay collection *Upstream*.  She is working her way through the books of Thich Nhat Hanh and has enjoyed watching the films *Philomena* and *Little Miss Sunshine*.  

Tasks: Emma suggests copying passages from Thich Nhat Hanh's book, "How to Love," as recommended in a newsletter from Beanie Robinson: https://thehealth-space.com

Sue suggests participating in the Big River Watch initiative: https://earthwatch.org.uk/greatukwaterblitz. Sue shares a card from the Sensory Herbal oracle card pack.

Timings:

Opening words: 1.00

Emerge Chat: 2.56

Seasonal Living: 17.01

Recipes: 22.52

Self Care: 32.54

Seasonal words: 41.15

What's on our Bookshelf: 47.38 

Tasks: 58.18

Blessings Card: 1.02.30

Farewell: 1.03.50

Edited by: Adam Bailey (huge thanks!)

Music Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)

Opening words: Sue reads A Light Exists in Spring, by Emily Dickinson

In their awaken chat, Sue mentions the writing course she's doing with Beth Kempton (dowhatyouloveforlife.com) and a walking tour of Oxford she enjoyed with her boys run by Mystery Guides (https://www.mysteryguides.co.uk/products/oxford)

You can read Emma's blog about her panchakarma detox here: https://www.breathe4good.co.uk/panchakarma

Seasonal Living: Sue refers to Lia Leendertz's The Almanac

Recipes: Banana oatmeal bars - you can find the recipe here: https://cookidoo.com.au/recipes/recipe/en-AU/r154151 

Emma's detox tea recipe, to make 1l: Roughly chop a thumb size piece of ginger and add to a saucepan with a teaspoon of fennel seeds (and some corainder seeds if you like).  Add your water and bring to the boil.  Boil for 3-4 minutes and decant into a thermos to sip through the day.

Seasonal words: Sue reads an article titled Slowly Does It from the spring issue of the National Trust Magazine (read it here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/services/media/rembrandt-slow-looking-tour), and she shares a poem by Adam Maxwell Martin Winter Hasn't Finished With Us Yet

What's On Our Bookshelf: Sue is reading Tin Man by Sarah Winman and enjoyed The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex.  She's looking forward to reading The BBQ at No 9 by Jenny Godfrey and The Names by Florence Knapp.  Emma recommends the book Connie by Charotte Duckworth, and Marianne Williamson's Midlife Awakening.  She has been enjoying enneogram quizzes, as recommended on the Postcards from Midlife podcast and bingeing Bridgerton series 4.  

Sue shares a card from the Sensory Herbal pack of oracle cards.

Timings:

Opening words: 0.58

Awaken Chat: 2.08

Seasonal Living: 14.54

Self-Care: 17.44

Recipes: 21.58

Seasonal words: 28.40 

What's on our Bookshelf: 32.30

Tasks: 38.26

Blessings Card: 42.33 

Farewell: 43.36

Edited by: Dan Lange (thanks Dan, it was a toughie!)

Music Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)

Opening words: Sue reads Mindful by Mary Oliver

In their gratitude chat, Sue mentions Beth Kempton (dowhatyouloveforlife.com) as an inspiration 

Wassailing - Emma mentions Kate Rusby's song Cornish Wassailing

Recipes: Emma's carrot cake porridge recipe: Mix 1/4 cup oats, heaped tsp chia seeds, 1/4tsp mixed spice, grated zest of a clementine, a small carrot - grated, a small handful of raisins, a generous cup of plant milk (I like cashew or almond) in a small saucepan and warm gently on the hob.  When the liquid is absorbed and porridge is nice and hot, transfer to a bowl and top with a handful of walnuts and some maple syrup if you like.  Emma's warm smoothie recipe: Add to a food processor a cooked sweet potato, dried ginger, cinnamon, a scoop of protein powder, a small handful of almonds, some warm plant milk. Blitz until smooth then enjoy.

Seasonal Living - Sue refers to Lia Leendertz's The Almanac

Seasonal words - Emma reads David Whyte's words from his book Consolations, on gratitude, which she found on the website Grateful.org

What's On Our Bookshelf - Sue is watching Top Gear and Friends series 2 and reading When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman.  She is listening to Small Ways to Live Well (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2280335/follow).  Emma recommends the books Godmersham Park by Gill Hornby and Circle of Grace by Jan Stevens.  She has watched the film Train Dreams and listened to Bill Nighy's podcast Ill Advised.

Tasks - You can download a copy of the intention setting template that Emma uses here: https://calmchristmas.substack.com/p/the-calm-christmas-planner and she mentions her Riverford veg box

Sue shares a card from Pippa Best's Sea Soul Blessings pack of oracle cards.

Timings:

Opening words: 0.57

Gratitude chat:2.09

Seasonal Living:13.50

Recipes: 21.46

Self-Care:26.37

Seasonal words: 34.53

What's on our Bookshelf:41.25

Tasks: 46.52

Blessings Card: 51.49

Farewell:52.41

Edited by Dan Lange

Music - Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music: https://www.purple-planet.com/home

Opening words: Sue reads Winter's Cloak by Joyce Rupp

Seasonal Living - you can find more info on Twelfth Night here: https://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/twelfth-night-what-it-is-when-it-falls-and-why-its-the-biggest-celebration-we-no-longer-enjoy-251278/https://www.discoverbritain.com/history/traditions/british-twelfth-night-traditions/

Seasonal Recipes: To make mulled apple - simply heat some good cloudy apple juice in a heavy bottomed pan with some mulling spices - cinnamon sticks, cardamon pods, star anise and cloves, for example.

Nigel's Slater's new year's lentil soup recipe:  175g red lentils/ 3 tbsps oil/ 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds/ 1 tsp cumin seeds/ 8 cardamom pods/ 35g ginger/ 3 cloves garlic/ 1tsp turmeric powder/ 2 small chillies/ 1 tbsp tomato puree/ 250g chopped tomatoes/ 3 tsp tamarind pastes/ 750ml water/ 1/2tsp salt.  Make a start by rinsing lentils thoroughly.  Use a pestle and mortar to grind the cumin seeds and the seeds from the cardamon pods.  In a food processor, blitz the ginger and garlic (both peeled) with the turmeric and chillies and ground spices, plus 1 tbsp of the oil to make a smooth paste. Add the remaining oil to a heavy based pan and fry the mustard seeds for a minute or two, then add the spice paste and cook for a further minute until fragrant/  Stir in the tomato puree and the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes to allow the tomatoes to soften and collapse a little.  Then add the drained lentils, tamarind paste, water and salt, bring to a simmer and allow to simmer gently for 25 minutes before serving (ideally with Nigel Slater's treacle and rye bread!)

Seasonal Words: Sue read The Year's Midnight from Gillian Clarke (https://x.com/PoetryBookSoc/status/815278176196763648) and Surrounded by Treasure from Donna Ashworth's Wild Hope. 

What's on our Bookshelf ? - Sue is reading: Chill by Mark Harper, The Almanac by Lia Leendertz, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Seas The Day by Rachael Boughton.  She mentions Twelve Poems, a poetry collection from Martin Jones based on the seasons at Old Rectory in Quinton (and available to buy from Emma!) She'll be watching the film The Voice of Hind Rajab.

Emma recommended the film The Ballad of Wallace Island and podcasts From the Oasthouse (Steve Coogan) and Human Intelligence, presented by Naomi Alderman.  Over the festive period she watched Riot Women on BBC iPlayer.

The blessing card was drawn from Pippa Best's Sea Soul Blessings cards.

Thanks to Sue’s friend Alison for bank holiday babysitting so we could record this episode!

Timings:  Opening Words -0.55/ Appreciate Chat - 3.30 /  Seasonal Living - 15.45/ Recipes - 22.12/ Seasonal Words - 27.45 / Seasonal Self Care - 31.15 What's on Our Bookshelf - 34.47 /Tasks - 39.50/ Blessing - 43.17/ Goodbyes - 44.09

Edited by Dan Lange

Music Credit: Purple Planet Music: Reiki Healing - https://www.purple-planet.com/home

Opening words - Sue reads words from Adam Maxwell Martin

Immerse chat: Sue had been meditating at her local Buddhist centre: https://meditateinnorthants.com and Emma attended an Aga cooking demo at Aga Oundle: https://www.agaliving.com/store-locator/aga-oundle

Seasonal Living: The moment of winter solstice 2025 is 3.03pm on 21 December.  Sue shares words from The Almanac 2026, by Lia Leendertz

Recipes: To make fire honey, mix a small (225ml) jar of honey with the the finely chopped peel from a lemon and an orange, a c5cm chunk of ginger, grated,  one finely chopped red chilli, a teaspoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  You'll need one teaspoon of fire honey in one cup of hot water for an immune boosting drink.  

You can find the recipes for frangipane mincemeat squares here: http://www.daffodilkitchen.com/christmas-frangipane-mincemeat-squares/

Self-Care: you can read more about Jolabokaflod here: https://jolabokaflod.org/about/founding-story/

Seasonal words - Emma shares Robert Frost's Dust of Snow and reads words from Nina McLaughlin's Winter Solstice essay collection

What's on our Bookshelves:  Sue is reading The Ladies Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan and This Way Up by Jay Forman and Mark Cooper Jones and watching videos by Ed Pratt, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuNy42Y5egf07cSiHbF23wg .  Emma is reading Nancy Mitford's Christmas Pudding and about to read Freya North's Christmas at Flora's House.  She has been to see Nuremburg and was recently interviewed for the podcast Gathering Garden Ghosts, hosted by Melanie Hicks: https://open.substack.com/pub/melaniehick?r=1l6l79&utm_medium=ios

This month's blessing card was drawn from Pippa Best's Sea Soul Blessings pack.

Timings:  Opening Words -0.55/ Immerse Chat - 01.58 /  Seasonal Living - 15.56/ Recipes - 21.06/ Self-Care - 27.54/ Seasonal Words - 30.43 / What's on Our Bookshelf - 35.36 /Tasks - 42.10/ Blessing - 46.07/ Goodbyes - 46.57

Edited by Dan Lange

Music Credit - Purple Planet - Reiki Healing

Opening poem - Sue reads Winter Dark by Lilian Moore

You can read more about the micro-season of winter in Vermont here: https://www.boston.com/culture/wickedpedia/2023/12/01/noah-kahan-stick-season-vermont/

Sue's Wrap around earphone headphone was bought from Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/d9aDfW3

In Lunar Living, Sue references star gazing apps  - both Stellarium and Star Walk 2 are favourites of hers.  She talks about St Lucia’s Day - you can read more about it here: https://www.britannica.com/topic/St-Lucias-Day.  Sue shares some words about the Leonids meteor shower taken from Enchantment by Katherine May.  You can find out more about the Leonids meteor shower here: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/leonid-meteor-shower-when-and-where-see-it-uk  Harriet Powers story of stitching quilts can be found in Stitching Stars: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/851725.Stitching_Stars

In the Recipe section, Emma mentions Jolabokaflod which we will talk about in our next episode.  For a sneak preview check out this website: https://jolabokaflod.org/about/founding-story/

This month's Quincemeat recipe is taken from Winter in the Highlands by Flora Shedden.  Ingredients: 1kg quince/ zest and juice of a lemon/ 500ml cider/ 350g light soft brown sugar/ 200g suet/ 200g raisins/ 100g golden raisins/ 200g sultanas/ 100g pitted prunes/ 100g dried apricots/ 100g dried mixed peel/ 75g flaked almonds/ 1/2tsp ground mixed spice/ 1/2tsp ground cinnamon/ 1/2 tsp ground ginger// 1/2 nutmeg finely grated / 100ml brandy// Method: 1. Sterilise jars 2. Put grated quince, lemon zest and juice, cider, sugar and suet into a large pan and cook over medium heat until simmering. 3. Add fruit and nuts and simmer gently for 15-20 mins until the fruit is swollen and the mixture thickened.  4. Take off the heat.  Stir in the brandy then spoon into jars

In Seasonal Self Care, Emma talks about her daily morning practice based around A Course in Miracles:https://acim.org/acim/en.  Sue mentions her Mindfulness calendar - Wellbeing, Mindfulness, Creativity - Escape, Breathe and Make Time for Yourself .
In Seasonal Words, Sue shares Nikita Gill's With Love from Midnight from her new poetry collection Wild Embers and an extract from The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel
Slater 

In What's on our Bookshelves, Emma is reading cookery books - A Little Bit Brilliant by Na Hansell, Winter in the Highlands from Flora Shedden and Lucy Brazier's Christmas at River Cottage.  She's been listening to Jilly Cooper's Riders and has now moved onto Rivals.  Emma's been to see the Bruce Springsteen biopic Rescue Me from Nowhere.  Finally, she recommends Beth Kemptons's podcast Calm Christmas (Sue has signed up for Beth Kempton's free midwinter writing retreat, which you can find out more about here: https://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/?add-to-cart=184064)

Sue has been listening to The Examiner by Janice Hallett and talks about the Jackson Brodie series of books by Kate Atkinson.  She's been dipping into her copy of 800 Years of Women’s Letters, edited by Olga Kenyon.  Sue will be venturing out to her Village Cinema to watch Thursday Murder Club .  Sue also mentions refreshing poetry in her local park.  You can follow Sue's adventures in poetry via the instagram account @findpoetryinplaces

Sue will be stocking up on dried fruit from at her local refill centre Market Harborough Eco Village.

Sue will be making candles using beeswax obtained from Ali from Clipston Hives and Waxworks 

Our card pick is taken from Pippa Best's Sea Soul Blessings oracle pack

To finish a reel on kindness https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOq25OjjY67/?igsh=cTJ0eWl5bG9vdmQ=

You can follow the show and access bonus content on Substack: https://journeythroughtheseasons.substack.com - where you can also buy a subscription to help support the podcast, or you can buy us a coffee - at https://buymeacoffee.com/journeythroughtheseasons

Timings:

Embrace Chat: 0.58/ Lunar Living: 14.28/ Recipe: 21.49/ Self Care: 27.07/ Seasonal Words: 31.24/ What's on our Bookshelf: 34.20/ Tasks: 43.37/ Blessing: 48.50/ Close: 49.55