Journey through the Seasons

Edited by: Adam BaileyMusic Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)Podcast artwork: Karen IngallOpening words: Sue reads "May" by Donna Ash worthBlossoming 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-earlySeasonal 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_98845Self-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=iosWhat'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: 0.58Blossom Chat: 2.10Seasonal Living: 17.46Recipes: 22.47Self Care: 28.02Seasonal words: 37.52What's on our Bookshelf: 43.28Tasks: 50.59Blessings Card: 56.02Farewell: 57.02

Edited by: Adam BaileyMusic Credit: Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/home)Podcast artwork: Karen IngallOpening words: Sue reads words from LR KnostSeasonal Living: Sue references to Lia Leendertz's The AlmanacRecipes: 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.comSue 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: 1.00Emerge Chat: 2.56Seasonal Living: 17.01Recipes: 22.52Self Care: 32.54Seasonal words: 41.15What's on our Bookshelf: 47.38 Tasks: 58.18Blessings Card: 1.02.30Farewell: 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 DickinsonIn 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/panchakarmaSeasonal Living: Sue refers to Lia Leendertz's The AlmanacRecipes: 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 YetWhat'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: 0.58Awaken Chat: 2.08Seasonal Living: 14.54Self-Care: 17.44Recipes: 21.58Seasonal words: 28.40 What's on our Bookshelf: 32.30Tasks: 38.26Blessings 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 OliverIn their gratitude chat, Sue mentions Beth Kempton (dowhatyouloveforlife.com) as an inspiration Wassailing - Emma mentions Kate Rusby's song Cornish WassailingRecipes: 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 AlmanacSeasonal words - Emma reads David Whyte's words from his book Consolations, on gratitude, which she found on the website Grateful.orgWhat'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 boxSue shares a card from Pippa Best's Sea Soul Blessings pack of oracle cards.Timings:Opening words: 0.57Gratitude chat:2.09Seasonal Living:13.50Recipes: 21.46Self-Care:26.37Seasonal words: 34.53What's on our Bookshelf:41.25Tasks: 46.52Blessings Card: 51.49Farewell:52.41

Edited by Dan LangeMusic - Reiki Healing from Purple Planet Music: https://www.purple-planet.com/homeOpening words: Sue reads Winter's Cloak by Joyce RuppSeasonal 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