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