The last year was one of pause for many. There are so many articles about how it’s been and what it means, the miscommunications, and small joys we’re all trying to find in our days. Everyone has their own version of the pandemic, their own story of lockdown and, honestly, I don’t need to add to that.
Instead, I’ve decided to turn these Lately posts into a more regular series. The flavour of them has always been about sharing snippets from my life – personal highlights, joys and the things getting me through the days. I’ll keep some of that. But they’ll now be posts that share stuff made by others too. Anyway, enough intro. Let’s get on…
~ March 2020–21
Reading →This Golden Fleece by Esther Rutter
I’ve been in a knitting phase since about February last year. And one book I read devoured over one of the lockdowns was This Golden Fleece. A well-researched, beautifully documented journey across Britain through knitting. The prose reads like a cashmere jumper – gentle, enveloping and luxurious. Esther does a brilliant job of weaving her year’s worth of knitted projects with the woollen history of the British Isles, giving you a strong sense of travel and of place. Highly recommended.
Listening → Hot Take by Mary Annïse Heglar and Amy Westervelt
Podcasts were a regular fixture on commutes and travels before. I’ve got a handful I regularly listen to but it’s been a lot harder to keep up over the last year. One that has been added to my list though is Hot Take. A deep dive into the conversation on the climate crisis. Mary and Amy talk about the patterns and themes dominating environmental journalism – what’s good, what’s not and more. Episodes can be long so I tend to dip in, but they’re usually informative, intersectional and interesting.
Delighting → Dolphins in Wales
I was lucky to have a short getaway to New Quay in Wales last summer. Sea air, walks, honey ice cream, rolling hills… and dolphin watching! I’m blaming my landlocked hometown for this – I had no idea about the dolphin population in British seas. The Welsh and Scottish coasts are the two places to see them. You can spot them from the harbour in New Quay if they come close, or go on a short boat trip to see them. It’s not guaranteed you’ll see them on the boat, but we lucked out and I managed to capture this one photo as they were jumping out the water. A magical sight!
Learning → Polly Barks
Another environmental one. I’ve been really enjoying Polly’s blog over the last year. It’s no-nonsense and practical, offering lots of approachable ways to live more sustainably. Polly has tips for things to do in your community as well as in your daily life. And I love that they’re almost always things you can do whatever your budget. Her blog is a super resource if you’re just dipping your toe into sustainability, or if you’re a bit further along that journey.
Growing → New shoots
The final thing I’m loving right now are the plants coming up. I was lucky to get a plot share on a nearby allotment last February and it was really a saviour for me last year. I grew lettuce, squash, so many courgettes, chard, sweet peas and more. This year, I’ve got some garlic and shallots going, and am planning shorter things for the coming months. The green finger bug has caught me so much that a garden was high on the wishlist when we started house hunting in the Autumn. We’ll be moving in a month or so.
Lately details what I’ve been up to recently. It’s a mix of recommendations, highlights and things I’ve noticed in this big ol’ world. It also holds past Now page updates. Dig into the Lately archives.