Join editor of The Simple Things magazine Lisa Sykes and wellbeing editor Rebecca Frank as they appreciate summer foods and sensory walks, explore the medicinal benefits of garden herbs and rediscover the pleasure of handwriting a letter.

If you are in the UK, you can try an immediate start subscription to the The Simple Things and receive the current issue straight away. Or buy current and back issues here

Thanks to our sponsor Titanic Belfast. Find out more and how to visit at titanicbelfast.com and on Instagram @titanicbelfast 

Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett

In the May issue (167) available to buy here

Berry Shrub and other recipes from Michelle Tansley’s cottage garden in our new series, A Good Life

Switching on the senses – discover the moodboosting benefits of sensory walks

Bloom scrolling – self edit your feeds for a more fulfilling online experience

In the June issue (168) available to buy from 29 May here 

Weekend project – make your own herbal bug spray and natural after sun balm

Cake in the house - Elderflower and strawberry tart

Read our favourite entries from our midsummer microfiction competition. 

Find out more about National Flash Fiction Day on 13 June nationalflashfictionday.co.uk

On the blog

Spring beans on toast – broad beans and ricotta with elderflower dressing recipe

Pea cheesecake recipe

Rhubarb and sweet cicely shrub with Aperol recipe 

Natural first aid for bee, wasp and jelly fish stings taken from The Natural First Aid Handbook by Brigitte Mars (Storey Publishing)

Elderflower toner 

Chickweed Ice cube aftersun 

Letters that changed the world 

To read

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Penguin Books)

From previous issues available to buy here

The joy of writing a letter April (167)