My Halloween display with cheery origami bats Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
I have a confession to make. Halloween is my favourite festival. It is slightly anarchic; involves dressing up and offers unlimited sweeties. What’s not to like? In addition, you can have all this fun without stressing over gifts or cards or special meals. In other words, it’s perfect!
When I was a little girl, I remember donning a costume to go to the Caledonian Society’s Halloween party. There was bobbing for apples and other games and I’m sure they snuck in a little Scottish country dancing. Which is fair enough, because Halloween is really a Celtic tradition.
Origins
Though there are festivals to celebrate the dead throughout the world and across all cultures, ours is based on the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked summer’s end and the beginning of the New Year. Like Beltane, it’s summer twin, this period is seen as a liminal one, where the barriers between our world and that of the spirits is thinnest and for this brief window, the dead might travel back home.
For those who had enemies who had died, this might lead to an unpleasant interaction, so it was best to disguise oneself by donning a costume. For the majority though, such visitations were not seen as some terrible, fearful haunting, but an opportunity to welcome back loved ones. Places were set at table and food laid out; candles lit to guide them home. Children and the poor would venture abroad to receive soul cakes. These treats were given in exchange for prayers for the departed. This practice continues in some churches, though for most of us it has transformed into the American tradition of trick-or -treating.
A tradition transformed by affluence. Image: Haley Phelps on Unsplash
Facing our fears
Halloween is a bizarre mixture of what scares us and the joyous recklessness of a party. We watch terrifying horror movies and decorate our homes with creatures that in real life appal. We dress in costumes pretending to be skeletons or phantoms or witches. We scare each other witless with terrifying, ghostly tales. (Though, interestingly, ghost stories were most popular at Christmas during Victorian times. I always thought the Victorians a bit strange.)
This simulation of danger and facing death is, for me, the most important aspect of Halloween. I’ve spent days puzzling over the question. What is Halloween for exactly? And the only satisfactory answer I could come up with is what the Stoics were talking about millennia ago. Epictetus said:
I cannot escape death, but at least I can escape the fear of it.
Epictetus
For our ancient ancestors, the advent of winter must have been a terrifying time: cold, short, dark days with little food except what you have stored from harvest. Seeing the coming spring would have been more hope than certainty, which is perhaps why Halloween is also a time when people try to predict the future. It would be nice to know.
Yet, for all this, they made it a time of celebration. Communities came together and stood by bonfires in a sort of defiant act against the encroaching darkness. Our own fears have a very different feel – yet we are united in our mortality. So I suggest that like our ancestors, we embrace our fears, mock them even and live our lives with joy. It is the only way to navigate the dark.
Happy Halloween!
Moonlight on pumpkins, Boston Image: Greg Costello-McFeat
Over the last few weeks, I have spoken to numerous friends who are all saying the same thing. How do we find joy when the world is so full of chaos and life so uncertain? How do we find joy in these cold, dark days? For many, the answer would be to curl up on the sofa with a glass of wine and binge watch television or lose yourself on social media. But, luckily for me, my friends are much more creative. Drawing on their suggestions and a few of my own, I hope we can find some strategies not to endure these grey days but to thrive in them.
Partioning the day
My good friend Jenny came up with this phrase and I love it. By making our day into a sort of ornate Lego creation compiled of numerous brightly coloured blocks, we are setting ourselves up for success.
What do you plan to do today? Image: Ashley Edwards on Unsplash
When we are feeling down, it becomes increasingly difficult to motivate ourselves to do anything. So, the best thing to do is to pre-empt this by filling in our diary.
Your own schedule
Wise ones throughout time have emphasised the need for order and structure in our lives. This is not a binding but a liberation. Without borders we flail helplessly. This may not be a particularly popular view at the moment, when ‘I don’t want any restrictions’ seems to be the predominant attitude, but like an undisciplined child, such an approach usually ends up with tantrums and tears.
My daily schedule goes something like this:
6.45 – 7.30 Time to wake up! Yoga stretches, mini meditation, (cold) shower. Time to get ready
7.30 – 9.30 Breakfast, clean and tidy, puppy play. Qi Gong in garden.
9.30-12 Work time! Writing, emails, letters and calls
12 -1 Lunch for all! Mini play in garden for Hermione
1-2 Post lunch nap and walk with Hermione
2-5 Work time! Meetings, calls and volunteering assignments. Ideally with a short break for afternoon tea and a garden trip with the dog.
5-6.30 Making dinner and washing up etc.
6.30-8 Swedish practice, news update and finishing anything left undone.
8-10 Relax – television, reading and hanging out
10 Time for bed! Yoga stretches, breathing exercises and organising for the next day.
This is all highly flexible and subject to change, but the essential structure is the same throughout the week. My day is always bookended with gentle exercise and quiet times. Due to having a very hungry husband and a peculiar diet, I need to do more cooking from scratch than most. This is amply recompensed by the pleasure of a shared meal – and even more so when my husband does the cooking!
Fresh air and exercise
The twin source of health and happiness. This is something that definitely wants to go into your daily schedule. And this is not a penance. Almost everyone I spoke to put some form of exercise as the thing that brings them joy. The activities ranged from running to riding, swimming to sailing, walking to yoga. Many of the folks I spoke to are in my MS circle and are considerably less physically able than they were. What was so inspiring, however, was that they were finding ways to accommodate their limitations and to continue to enjoy the things they love. What matters, it seems, is that you give it a go for how ever long as you are able.
Exercising outside seems to have additional benefits. This summer, I began doing my yoga in the garden and it felt, well, different – and better. Was it the cool breeze, the magnificent skies, the background song of birds? Perhaps it is all these and more. Piedmont Healthcare came up with seven good reasons to exercise outside (https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/7-health-benefits-of-outdoor-exercise) and these included the natural anti-depressant qualities of sunshine and the extra challenges variable conditions offer. For those of us with MS, it also adds a valuable vitamin D boost.
With the high risk of infection in confined spaces like gyms and swimming pools, now might be the time to venture outside. And if exercise is not possible, the benefits of simply enjoying the outdoors are amply documented. When physically restricted, the expansiveness of the outdoors becomes even more essential.
Even if it is snowing, the dog still needs her walk Image: Bonnie Kittle on Unsplash
Enjoy the garden
Even though this is no longer the weather for sitting in deckchairs, it is still a wonderful time to appreciate the garden. Every day, Hermione and I take a stroll around the perimeter; checking to see if the plague of caterpillars have finally stopped eating my broccoli and kale (they haven’t), if any of my giant sunflowers have survived (they have) and to observe the subtle daily changes. There are always surprising flashes of colour from hardier plants and turning leaves. The birds are ever entertaining and the skies a daily masterpiece.
Now is an opportunity to step back and enjoy all that the garden has brought you and plan for next year’s incarnation. It is the time to plant bulbs in anticipation of the spring to come; the time to plan next year’s crops and order seed and plants. For once, the weeds have lost their exuberance and we, and the garden, can rest.
Hot lips and Japanese anemones add autumn colour Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Cosy up
Enjoying being inside while the wind rages without can be especially pleasing. We can make the cocoon of our homes a cosy nest protected from the elements and filled with light and joy. It is not difficult nor expensive to indulge in beautiful candles, to make a special hot drink, to bake a few cookies, to find some lovely music or a radio play. These are all pleasures that well outweigh their cost. We just need to remember to do it.
In these relaxed atmospheres, we are more likely to take up a creative task than simply turn on the television. My two friends who started this discussion have, in the intervening week, finished a gorgeous quilt and made a delicate embroidery. These are gifts that will, in turn, lend a sense of well-being to their recipients.
Knitting and other handicrafts are excellent for our mental health – reducing stress and anxiety and bringing the participant into a calm, flow state similar to that achieved in meditation. Having something to show for your time is simply a bonus.
Into the light
These are indeed dark times. Many of us are removed from those we love and concerned for their well-being. Simple activities become complex when we figure in avoiding infection. Fears for the future may threaten to overwhelm us. Yet, if we can take each day as the gift that it is, fill it with meaningful tasks and accept the challenge of making our homes a sanctuary, I believe that we bring our own light.
When the boys were teenagers, I began making bread – badly. Fortunately, no-one seemed to mind, because it went a little way towards appeasing their endless appetites. I persevered and gradually became competent. Time passed – they left home, I got sick, and breadmaking was abandoned. Then came lock-down and those rusty bread making skills, like dried yeast, were reactivated.
We couldn’t buy bread, so once again I started making my own. I had much to relearn, but gradually I got there. When bread was once again available in the shops, I wasn’t interested. Homemade bread is so superior in every way (even an imperfect loaf) that I’ve figured it in to my weekly to-do list.
The process of making bread is simple, but learning how to judge if it is right at each stage is not. If you don’t have an experienced bread maker at hand to show you, there may be a bit trial and error here. But the challenge is part of the fun. And what do you have to lose? The making part only takes perhaps half and hour, the ingredients cost pennies and if the result is even half-way good, your family will love you! Few things elicit the warm fuzzy feelings of a loaf hot from the oven. So have a go. If I can do it, anyone can.
Amazing adventures in breadmaking
During lock-down, sourcing ingredients was hard, so we all had to get a bit imaginative. Some of the braver sort ventured into sourdough and the less ambitious, like me, tried beer as a raising agent. Finding a lone bottle of Corona (ah, the irony) left over from a distant party and using my son’s sweet girlfriend’s recipe, I had a go at beer bread. Suffice to say, beer is an excellent yeast substitute.
My Corona loaf Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat
Unable to get spelt flour, I tried Einkorn. It is a tasty grain and makes a beautiful loaf, but unlike almost all breads is allergic to kneading. I even had a go with gluten free flour, though unless you are celiac, it is not something I would recommend!
Quick breads
A good place to start if you are feeling a little nervous about bread making is with quick breads. These take literally minutes to prepare and not much longer to bake. They do not require yeast and instead use some variation on baking powder as a raising agent. My husband is now pretty adept at flat breads and I love making them too, as well as corn and soda bread. Like all breads, they freeze well, so make a big batch and freeze any left-over.
Walnut and rosemary soda bread Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat
A word about flour
Flour, like everything, has a sell-by date. For the best baking, make sure that your flour is as fresh as possible (also the yeast). We all have things at the back of the cupboard that we are sure we’ll use some day, but if it is out of date, throw it away and save yourself the bother of an unsuccessful bake.
As we grow older, our ability to digest is often compromised. MS unfortunately exacerbates this too, so I use spelt as an alternative to wheat flour and if you are finding wheat a little heavy (and have no allergies), this can be a perfect alternative. Whenever possible, try to add fibre. Adding a cup of rye or half white and half brown flour will result in a lovely light loaf. Of course, fully whole grain is nutritionally the best. And be adventurous! The range of flours available is staggering. Just remember to consult the packet for any quirks they have when it comes to bread making.
Flour power! Image: Karen Costello- McFeat
Getting started
For those of you who are not already in the bread making groove, here’s a simple recipe to get you started. It makes two small loaves or 12 dinner rolls.
Ingredients
5 cups (600g) of flour. (I use 4 cups of spelt and 1 of rye)
1 heaped teaspoon of dried active yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
400 ml of warm water (200 ml of boiling and 200 ml cold)
Oil for greasing (I use olive oil)
Method
In a warm bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. (I use a mixer with a dough hook, but you can easily do all this bit by hand.) Very slowly add the water with the mixer on 1. Knead for about 5 minutes. You have the right amount of water when the dough comes away cleanly from the bowl. Don’t worry if you add a bit too much, you can add flour when you knead it in the next part.
Place the dough on a well-floured surface and knead for a further five minutes by hand. When it feels smooth and springy to the touch and has the texture of your earlobe, it is ready for its rise. Pour a tablespoon of oil into a bowl, add the dough and swirl to coat. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes. (A sunny window ledge is ideal or a draught-free room. Draughts are the enemy of all things dough.)
When the dough has doubled in size, give it a good punch to remove all the gases created by the yeast. (What we call yeast farts in my uncouth family!) This will ensure your bread has no bitter aftertaste.
Return to the well-floured surface and knead again for 5-10 minutes. Kneading is a great tool for anger management.
Grease the tins you are using very generously with oil using a pastry brush. Muffin tins make great flower pot rolls; sandwich tins even round ones; loaf tins makes bread perfect for slicing and baking trays for the rustic dome.
Add the dough, cover and leave again in a warm place to double in size.
Think about heating your oven at this point. It needs to be really hot when you add the dough. Mine takes about 15 minutes.
When the dough is lovely and plump and the oven hot, it’s time to bake the bread. If you like a crusty top, add a deep baking tin about 1/3 full of water and place in the bottom of the oven. (Take care of steam when opening oven.) Bake rolls for 20 minutes and larger loaves for 30 minutes at 220C. They are ready when the tops are golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
Tip out the bread on a cooling rack and when room temperature, enjoy! Only keep out what you are going to use that day. Bread freezes brilliantly, so pop the rest away for when you will use it.
A standard loaf – in which I discovered that food wraps stick to dough Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Just the beginning
Once you get started on your bread journey, you will find that it becomes addictive. There are so many options for bread making and all of them delicious. It is very easy to add seeds and dried fruits, herbs and spices. (I do this after the first rise.) Breads can be sweet or savoury, plain rounds or elaborate designs. If you want inspiration, I’d recommend The Great British Bake Off where the contestants take simple bread making to dizzying heights. Paul Hollywood won’t be giving me prizes any time soon, but I’m enjoying the learning process. I’m feeling the urge to make focaccia, and bagels and crisp bread and … well, the list is almost endless.
My last post looked at a social response to the current situation, this will take a more individual one. No matter what the circumstances, there are always things that we can do to improve or at least modify a negative state of affairs.
Often, when we hear about coping with challenges, we are told about the ‘fight or flight’ response. In truth, there is a third, and much more common reaction and that is ‘freeze’. In the natural world, this is a good one. Many predators respond to movement, so standing still is a perfect camouflage. However, in our highly developed world where the predators are most often invisible, the freeze response is the least effective option. Like the ostrich sticking its head in the sand, we will not make ourselves a smaller target only blind to our options. (And for those who are interested, ostriches do not stick their heads in the sand out of fear but rather to bury and turn their eggs!)
The much maligned ostrich! Shannon Litt on Unsplash
Taking the right actions
The first suggestion I would make comes from the scouting movement: Be prepared. Here it is all about having the right kit in your metaphorical backpack. As a living embodiment of Murphy’s law, I have only managed to stay sane(ish) through the help of preparing myself for the next catastrophe. They have come thick and fast over the last few years, but despite the fact that I’d rather they’d stop, they have a diminishing impact. Why? Because I live my life with a firm commitment to building my resilience. I cannot change the vagaries of fortune, but I can equip myself to withstand their assaults. That said, I do not always succeed and am no stranger to despair; however, without these preparations, I know things would have been much worse.
There is another scouting phrase that I used to find a little silly, but post dog ownership (the first) realised was very wise. It goes: ‘There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.’ This applies in both the literal and metaphorical sense, and as the storm clouds gather, I would like to share my foul weather wardrobe.
Never mind the weather Image: Chris Whitehead on Unsplash
Headgear
Since our minds are most vulnerable in times of stress, let’s start here. There are any number of ways that we can strengthen our mental resilience and I shall mention those that have worked for me. Essentially, practice those things which uplift you.
Bibliotherapy – Reading books where the protagonist triumphs over adversity helps us do the same. These can be fiction or non- fiction; it really doesn’t matter. Though bibliotherapy may be a new form of mental health treatment, it is as old as story-telling itself. Myths, fairy-tales and ancient tragedies all give the same message: life is not easy or necessarily just, but if we behave with honour and courage, whatever the outcome, we have lived life well.
Meditation/Prayer – There is now an enormous body of evidence supporting the idea that a spiritual life can increase resilience and promote mental well-being. From the companionship of church attendance to the calm acceptance of Buddhism, each promotes discipline (you need to go there/do it) and a more positive view of life. Most religions are based on love and hope – two very good emotions to get you through dark times.
And if you do not feel comfortable with an organised spiritual practice, quiet contemplation focusing on loving-kindness or gratitude will bring similar benefits.
Breathing – The simplest and quickest way to rebalance the mind is through conscious breathing. This is used in meditative practices, but it can work in a much less formal way. Here are two methods that are easy to adopt whenever you feel your anxiety rising. The first involves taking a deep breath and counting to six (or more) and then breathing out and counting to eight (or more). Keep doing this until you feel your mind coming back into balance. The second is a Wim Hof tip. Whenever you feel stressed, hum! (Quietly if you are in a meeting.) Through concentrating on the breath involved in humming and reducing the number of breaths you take in a minute, you will immediately feel better.
Building mental fortitude is essential in times of uncertainty and change. We cannot possibly hope to survive and thrive unless we have a clear head to steer us.
Take a deep breath Image: Victor Garcia on Unsplash
Body protectors
Reducing exposure – Since there is currently no cure for the Coronavirus, our best course is to avoid it. Reducing exposure is the first and most important tactic -protecting both ourselves and those we care about. None of us can remove ourselves from any contact with the outside world, though, so here are a few suggestions for this disease and better general health.
Strengthening the lungs. The most vulnerable part of our body when under attack from Covid -19 is our lungs and it would be wise to strengthen them as much as possible. I have already mentioned the Wim Hof method, but if you don’t fancy that, there are several other options. Rush University Medical centre came up with some top tips for optimal lung health and these include: deep breathing, developing good posture, laughing and singing. For the full list, please visit: rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/8-tips-healthy-lungs
Hydrotherapy – There is some evidence to suggest that hot and cold treatments can boost the immune system. Cold immersion certainly brings numerous benefits and I’ve found it helpful in many ways.
Vitamin D – The sunshine vitamin. The jury seems to be out on this one in terms of the Coronavirus, although many believe it boosts the immune system. It certainly helps ensure healthy bones, teeth and muscles. If you are finding yourself stuck inside this winter, it may well be worth having your vitamin D levels checked. Ensuring your body has the right amount will only do you good.
A healthy body is the best defence against all illnesses. And the surest route to a healthy body is through exercise. The NHS recommends that we try to be as active as possible every day; with strengthening exercises twice a week and a total of 150 mins of moderate intensity exercise/ 75 vigorous intensity exercise every week. Ultimately, we want to do as much as we are able and then a little bit more! My exercise is very low level intensity, but it always makes me feel better!
Exercise such as walking and cycling gets you where you want to be! Image: Max Berger on Unsplash
History lessons
One of the most popular phrases at the moment is, ‘In these unprecedented times.’ I’ve even used it myself. Yet, on reflection, these are only unprecedented for those living today – go back just a century, and things will look eerily familiar.
The Spanish ‘flu, coming directly after WWI, must have felt apocalyptic. And going back further in time, outbursts of plague and other serious illness was commonplace. And my point is this: We survived.
Human beings are quite remarkably resilient. People may speak of end-times and of unprecedented difficulties, as if this were the worst thing that has ever happened. (It isn’t.) I am not so naive as to imagine that when the Covid element of this settles, all will be well. We are already witnessing the economic impact that may unravel for years to come. The US is in turmoil politically and socially and our own country rent with division over Brexit and inequality.
None of us can predict the future. However, what we do know is that storm clouds form, the rain comes and is replaced by sunshine. Let us equip ourselves – body and soul – to be able to cope with any kind of weather. And like the scouts, be prepared.
Sometimes it feels as if the very air is crackling with static electricity bred from the endless stream of negative news. We are on the brink of a storm of epic proportions: a lethal pandemic, a messy exit from the EU, an upcoming American presidential election filled with rancour and hate. There are many who claim that it is a sort of end times, but I would disagree. These are difficult times, certainly; however, they are not something we cannot manage and if we are wise, redirect from the cliff-edge of catastrophe.
Brooding clouds over Beachy Head Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
This post will look at the social element of all of this and part two will deal with the practical. It will not be political, but it will, I hope, encourage each of us to consider how we can work towards the common good.
Shock! Horror!
The most depressing thing that I ever learned, from someone who worked in the industry, was that newspapers are not about delivering news, but about gaining advertising revenue. It took me a while to filter the information, but of course, he was right. Newspapers are businesses and their income does not come from the very small contribution of the cover price, but from the adverts on the pages.
Understanding this helps us realise why newspapers often exaggerate or focus on inflammatory information. The old adage, ‘If it bleeds, it leads,’ exemplifies this. A story of a gruesome murder, a riot or a political scandal interests far more readers than the even the most noble act.
Headline news. Image: Rishabh Sharma on Unsplash
Social media
Most social media platforms would argue that their purpose is to connect. And generally, this is true. I would be lost without email, WhatsApp and Skype. They provide the most amazing opportunity to keep in touch with those far away or those close, but who I can’t see due to isolation. Used well, they bring us together as few other things do. However, recently, the same platforms have been used to spread hate, to condemn individuals and stifle free speech. This is in part because the way these platforms are designed. Their algorithms are set to send viewers to ever more extreme material. Most worrying is the fact that for many younger people, this is their source of news.
It seems that like driving in the car, the anonymity these platforms bring encourages the worst behaviours. There are no filters and no fact checkers, so you can say whatever you wish. Contradict someone and expect to be unfriended; make an ‘inappropriate’ remark and expect to be pilloried. I am fortunate in that the vast majority of what I read is a joyful sharing of life’s experiences, but I am surprised and saddened by those posts that wish to incite anger or which simply assume that you agree.
Poison pens
If we believe in the power of the written word, as I do, I feel we should take great care about what we read. Consuming a diet of angry diatribes is like taking a sip of poison each morning with our cup of tea.
If you find your blood pressure rising with each article or post or tweet you read, perhaps consider weening yourself from that source. I would not recommend removing yourself entirely from the virtual or print world. There are still plenty of sources of balanced and informed reporting to choose from – though you may have to search a little harder. I would also encourage, wherever possible, to go to the source. On any aspect of government, the GOV.UK site will inform you without any editorialising or bias at all. They will simply give you the current government policy. What you make of it, is up to you.
Danger! These words may poison your mind. Image: Matthew T Rader on Unsplash
Friend or foe?
Lastly, I think we need to be a little selective about who we spend time with. There are friends who lift us up and friends who bring us down. There are friends who seek healing and those who seek division. I love the words in Max Ehrmann’s ‘Desiderata’, where he says, ‘Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.’ We all know those who fall into this category and we probably love them all the same. What I am suggesting is simply that we are aware of the effects they have upon us and if necessary, to keep that to acceptable limits.
Yet, what concerns me most about all the inflammatory talk is that it so often misses the real issue. In its intoxicating and alluring demands on our emotions, we somehow feel that talking about it brings a result. Of course, it does nothing of the sort – except perhaps raising rage.
Changing the narrative
If we want to see improvements in whatever sector of society that we feels needs it, we need to embark upon a course of action. This first means looking at our own lives and considering to what extent our behaviours further or hinder our cause.
Gandhi puts this beautifully when he says:
We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.
Mahatma Gandhi, 1913
Taking it further
The next step is even harder. If we hope to make real change, to alter policy or people’s beliefs and behaviours, we will need to dedicate a great deal of time and effort. Liking something on Facebook or even joining a protest has limited impact. (One million people marched in opposition to the war in Iraq and the Government blithely ignored it.)
Instead we need to research, plan and campaign. And this takes time – weeks or months or even years. We will need to talk to people of all persuasions including those whose positions seem to be in direct opposition to our own. And here’s the interesting bit. People do not always behave in ways we would expect. Our Tory MP was the one who helped secure a Marine Conservation zone around Beachy Head. The local temporary accommodation provider was instrumental in improving their provision and in working to help those finding themselves homeless – even though it would involve higher costs and effort on their part.
It is so much easier to brand individuals and organisations than to engage with them. If we really want long-term, successful solutions to the world’s many problems, we need to open our ears and our hearts to the views of others. Only through understanding their objections and concerns will we have any hope of discovering a solution.
The Quakers have a saying: ‘Look for that of God/good in every person’, because if you do, you’ll usually find it.
With the effects of the pandemic starting to make a real economic impact, I thought it a good time to write about how to make the best of life with more limited means. Thrift has gone out of fashion somewhat, but I believe it is time for a revival. Saving money by avoiding waste benefits us all. Even if you are financially secure, the planet will thank you for taking steps to reduce your demands upon it.
Though many of our outgoings, like the mortgage, are fixed, many are much more flexible. Since food is one of our greatest expenses, it seemed a good place to start.
Thrift – a maritime plant that once appeared on the thruppenny bit. Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Waste not, want not
As you have probably noticed, I love food. Making savings on our food bill should not in any way impact on our ability to eat well. Ironically, making the most of our food and thinking carefully about how we use it is likely to lead to more imaginative dishes and healthier meals.
In the UK, the average family throws away £700 of food per year. (BBC) More shocking still is the environmental impact of all this, since all that food represents growing resources, food miles and packaging.
There are numerous ways to avoid wasting food, and just a few are suggested here. The key methods are to shop carefully using a list for planned meals, avoiding specials on items you cannot consume on time and reusing left-overs in imaginative ways. Stale bread made into croutons or bread and butter pudding is delicious; extra pasta can happily be eaten cold in a salad; those slightly limp vegetables in the bottom of the fridge will make an excellent soup. For oodles of ideas, I’ll refer you to the BBC Food website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/could_you_cut_your_food_bill_by_a_third
A more unusual way to use ‘waste food’ was something I found on a YouTube cooking site. Here, left-over scraps were turned into fruit vinegars. My early apple windfalls were just chopped up and fermented into a delicious cider vinegar. I thought her strawberry tops idea especially good, so here’s the video!
The same site showed how to revive vegetables and I had great success with my lettuce. Simply by placing the bottom part of a little gem in water (leave about an inch or so) it will develop roots and can be replanted. This applies to an astonishing number of vegetables. It’s a fun exercise with kids if nothing else. Here’s mine.
Little gems – but not as we know them! Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Grow your own
The most economical way to cut food costs is to grow your own. A packet of seeds seldom cost more that £3 and they are often given away with newspapers and magazines. My husband is hoping to economise even on this by drying the last beans we grew to replant. The cost of it is really your time, and it is time consuming; however, it is a great source of exercise and you save on gym fees!
I appreciate that not everyone has access to a vegetable plot or the ability to garden it, (my role is more supervisory than anything), but we can all enjoy what I call micro gardening. Seeds and sprouts can be grown in an old ice-cream carton; potted herbs from the supermarket can last for months if watered carefully and enough of the plant left to thrive. (A friend managed to divide her Greek basil into three lovely plants – one of which I sacrificed for pesto). Salad, one of the most wasted of foods, can easily be grown in small containers or in a grow-bag on the porch. Just pick the leaves you need and let it regrow. This can also be done through much of winter by choosing hardier varieties or leaving them under glass or even a giant plastic storage box!
The head gardener – aka my husband Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Food for free
When I was rather more fit, I took some courses on wild foods. They were probably the most fun classes I have ever taken and I urge you, if you are interested, to do the same. The amount of foods available to us on our doorsteps is rather mind-boggling, but a word of caution here. Foraging for lesser known foods should only be attempted with an excellent food guide and ideally an experienced forager. Some rather innocuous looking plants can be deadly.
That said, even the most urban of us can recognise a blackberry and no autumn is complete without a bramble expedition. Where I live, damsons, sloes, elder flowers and berries, hawthorn berries, and rose hips are abundant. I’ve picked and frozen my sloes ready to make sloe gin and plan on harvesting a crop of rose hips for cordial. I’ve dried elder flowers for tea, but sadly missed the berries – though my friends all impressed me with their cordials and jams.
Books such as Food For Free is a classic and readily available. When on a country walk, pack a small plastic bag in your pocket. You may well return home with a feast!
Preserving
Our grannies certainly knew how to use food wisely. They would buy in season when prices were low or pick from the garden and preserve. In an age of microwave dinners, I fear that some of these skills will be lost and hope to encourage everyone to restore them.
Preserving can take a number of forms, with some considerably easier than others. Freezing is by far the simplest, so if you find you have too much of something fresh, put the extra in the freezer for another time.
Though some vegetables require blanching (briefly boiling then plunging in cold water), many do not. I didn’t do this with my beans and they were perfect. I even found a way to freeze summer squash!
I routinely dry herbs and that requires binding the stems and hanging them upside down in a paper bag. When they are completely dry, remove from stems and store in a jar. Some herbs, such as parsley can be successfully dried in the oven on a cooling rack. Either way, you will have much fresher and more delicious herbs than you would ever get in the supermarket. Drying fruits as fruit leathers is both tasty and an effective way to store perishable fruits.
Pickling is a little more complicated (but not much). I was able to pickle my rainbow beetroots and plan to be much more adventurous next year! Making my own vinegars for salad dressings gave me hours of entertainment and something unique to eat.
I confess that canning is beyond me, but I decided to make jams again. Sugar is so ridiculously inexpensive that a lovely jar of homemade jam is unlikely to cost more than 50p. Using my windfall apples and frozen fruits, I made endless batches of jam to last us the year.
Jam for tea! Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Food gifts
All these make lovely gifts. If money is short, this is the perfect way to show your love by what you have made rather than what you have spent. Taking a little time to add personalised labels adds another unique and thoughtful touch.
Care with imaginative packaging can make the humblest of gifts something special. Since so few of us actually need anything, I urge you to give a scrumptious consumable instead.
With the abundance of food so readily available to us in the West, it is easy to forget how precious access to food really is. (When you’ve tried foraging for it and grinding acorns, you soon have greater appreciation for the supermarket.) By enjoying our food, sharing it and avoiding waste, we are honouring those who have given their time and energy to produce it. So let us give thanks for all the food we enjoy and bon appetit!
If I could introduce you to a method that would decrease stress, improve your sleep and increase your resilience and all that it required was water, air and a yoga mat (optional), would you be interested?
Attentive readers will be aware that the last few posts have made reference to Wim Hof. And it is to his method that I refer.
My husband had told me about this ultra-athlete some time ago, marvelling at his feats of endurance – swimming under ice, marathons in extreme conditions and climbing a significant part of Everest in his shorts! They were amusing anecdotes and the sort of thing that makes you marvel at human capabilities, but that was all.
Beautiful, yes, but not somewhere I would go for a hike, or a swim! Image: Image: Stefan Ulrich on Unsplash
A nudge
Then, a few months ago at my OMS virtual meet up, Wim’s name was mentioned again. It seemed that he was someone who was good at teaching resilience and might just be helpful for those with MS. The universe, it seemed, was trying to tell me something.
After the call, I do what I always do when faced with an unknown: research. There is plenty of information out there on the web (though I strongly suggest that you refer only to the official sites) and yes, it seemed that his method could aid those with autoimmune disorders such as my own.
There is no cure for my condition, only ways to mitigate it. Surely, this was worth a try. So I began with the breathing exercise that I found on-line for two weeks to see if I could manage it and if it seemed to do any good. It did. My sleep, which is always interrupted and sketchy at best, improved dramatically. If I woke with a dead limb, or a spastic pain in my legs, I simply acknowledged it, did a bit wiggling and fell back to sleep.
Inspiration
This word is derived from the Latin, inspirare, meaning to breathe, so it works on both counts. By practising a form of controlled breathing, one can literally become inspired. Filling the body and brain with oxygen enables it to function at its very best. It is also likely to increase your spiritual well-being, as the practice is a form of meditation.
I am not going to attempt to describe or explain the method here. It is vital that you follow the instructions carefully and do not jump ahead of your abilities. This is heady stuff! Instead, I shall give you a taster led by Wim.
Yes, he is a bit of a hippy, and yes, some of it may seem a little ‘far out’, but for me, this simply added to the entertainment.
Taking the plunge
Since the breathing had worked well, I decided to go a little further. With Covid-19 swirling about, anything that might increase my lung strength and help my rather weedy immune system was worth investing in.
My husband was still on furlough at the time and is always up for a challenge, so we decided to do the on-line course of ten weeks.
One of the key components of the method is exposure to the cold, and again, this must be done very gradually and carefully (or you risk hypothermia). Thirty seconds of cold shower after a warm one didn’t seem bad at all, but sadly, this was the easy bit. As the course progressed, the time spent in the cold increased from thirty seconds to five minutes with no warm bit at all. Ideally, we should have taken an ice-bath, but since our house doesn’t have a tub, we sadly had to pass on that one.
Because this is done incrementally, it is surprisingly manageable. I find singing (very loudly) helps distract me from the initial sting of the cold and also helps me keep to the allocated time. Now, much to my disgust, I find a hot shower quite unpleasant and only have a luke warm one on days I wash my hair, followed by cold. (I have my limits!)
A much better and more enjoyable way to gain the benefits of cold immersion, is to swim in open water. And for the weeks before we gained our puppy, Hermione, we did.
The sea! The sea! Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Since we can’t leave the wee mite, just yet, we have reverted to the shower for our daily cold dose, but it really isn’t the same.
Research on cold/wild water swimming has shown that it can bring considerable benefits by creating resilience to stress, better mental health and a more active immune system. One of the most significant benefits for me is that it decreases inflammation – the cause of so much MS/autoimmune chaos.
If you wish to read further about the benefits of cold immersion, I recommend the BBC science magazine: https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/cold-water-swimming-why-an-icy-dip-is-good-for-your-mental-and-physical-health/
Though I cannot say that I exactly enjoy cold showers, they do serve their purpose. Since doing them regularly, my stress levels and anxiety are definitely reduced. I sleep better and I have a much greater sense of my capabilities. Managing a difficult, if small, challenge each morning, sets me up in a positive way. Most significantly, I have much more energy – needing less rest in the day and being alert for more of it.
Yoga
For the course, yoga was the exercise component of the programme. Great! I thought to myself. I practise yoga often and this is something even I can do. Well, I was right and I was wrong. With my own meditation yoga, I do it lying down and am always very impressed with myself when I can get up again. It is extraordinarily gently and slow. Wim’s yoga, taught by an excellent instructor, was anything but. I was up and down like a yo-yo and every new lesson involved increasingly difficult poses.
As with all the above, it was taught in a way that allowed you to go at your own pace and honouring your own limits. Amazingly, I managed nearly everything, if only in their easier versions and was once again surprised at what was possible.
Can’t do that one – but I can dream! Image: MaryJoy Caballero on Unsplash
Commitment
The third pillar of Wim Hof’s method is commitment. And I can see why. It is only through constant repetition of activities that we gain strength and resilience; it is only through stretching ourselves that we grow.
Even with these excellent tools, there is a limit to where I can go. MS is peculiar in that one can train and train and get fitter, only to slide back . But I reason that if this training takes me a little further, that the slide back does not go all the way, I will still be better off. And any progression with a degenerative disease is definitely a plus.
I once wrote a quote for the children and stuck it on the fridge. It read: ‘Commitment is the key to happiness’. And I would stand by it today. Whatever path you take to improve or maintain your well-being, commitment is key. The plus side is that once a helpful action becomes habit, it becomes easier. The downside is that I shall be taking cold showers for a very long time.
This post was recommended by a friend who thought a retrospective was in order. It also seemed a good twist on the ‘What I did on my summer holidays’ theme that children up and down the land are asked to write in the first week of school.
Summer 2020 has proven to be a strange one for all of us. For me, it has been especially bizarre – living simultaneously in isolation from society and yet with more of my husband’s company than I have enjoyed in thirty odd years of marriage. Before you ask, the latter helped make up for the former and we both agree that these have been surprisingly happy times.
What to do?
Connection Image: Quino Al on Unsplash
With all normal activities barred to us, we were left with the conundrum of what to do with the vast expanse of time now available. My niece wrote the first draft of a novel; my husband started a YouTube business lecture series and the rest of us discovered or rediscovered slow pleasures: making bread, reading novels, enjoying a leisurely telephone conversation. (When we received a £350 phone bill, we realised that I’d been indulging in that luxury a little too much! We now have a much better BT plan.)
A Good Book
In the days BH (Before Hermione), I devoured books. I have no idea how many I read, but here are the five that stood out: The Well-Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith, Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult, The Mobster’s Lament by Ray Celestin, Weather by Jenny Offill and Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. I like an eclectic mix! And, of course, I am always looking for more. Suggestions in the comments section please!
This summer, I also completed a life-long desire to read the complete works of Shakespeare. I started some time ago, stopped, started again and this time made it to the end. Aspiring authors take heart! Even Shakespeare had to learn his craft; even Shakespeare had off days.
The history plays, when read in order, were a joy and intelligible. At last, all those knotty family trees made sense. There were some duds: ‘Titus Andronicus’,’Timon of Athens’ (zzzz) but some gems too. I’ve read, often several times, all the greats, but it was wonderful to discover some that are seldom taught like ‘Pericles’ and the lesser known sonnets. Perhaps one day, I shall read them again – but selectively!
Another thing ticked off the bucket list! Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Swedish lessons
Another challenge I have set myself is to read Pippy Longstocking in the original. Like my reading of Shakespeare, learning Swedish has been a stop/ start affair – but now I had no excuse. I increased the time I was spending on my Swedish lessons and committed to a daily session of twenty to thirty minutes. This more committed approach is starting to show real progress. I am delighted to inform you that I can now say: The bear sleeps from November to April (Bjornen sover fran november till april); I only buy yellow cars (Jag koper bara gula bilar) and my favourite: There is a princess in a long, green dress behind the door (Det finns en prinsessa med en lang, gron klanning bakom dorren.) I’m not quite sure when I will be able to show off these skills, but then, I’m not sure when I will ever get to Sweden.
Virtual outings
This summer has had a serious impact on the arts, so many wonderful theatres and opera houses have offered up their productions for free on YouTube.
One thing that my husband and I have always wished to enjoy was Glyndebourne Opera. Though this is only down the road from us, the tickets are prohibitively expensive and more than a little difficult to procure. So when they offered a season on YouTube, we decided to take advantage.
They were showing a delightful production of The Marriage of Figaro, so we prepared our picnic, put on our best outfits and enjoyed the show.
All dressed up with nowhere to go! Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat
Food glorious food!
Rather to the detriment of my waistline, this summer has been all about food : growing it, harvesting it, cooking it and preserving it. At the beginning, when my husband was furloughed with nothing to do, we introduced morning coffee – with cake and afternoon tea – with cake. It certainly cheered us up, but I’m rather relieved that he is at least partially back to work.
Being the competitive types we are, we also thought we’d add a little spice to our culinary adventures and started a competition for the best entree of the day. A dear friend was hauled in to guess who made it, but we didn’t ask her to say who won. My husband, who until recently was adept at making frozen pizza and big breakfast, is now very good at a number of exotic dishes. He is currently making flat bread in the kitchen. Having proven his capabilities, there is no way he will be allowed to slide back once the crisis ends, though I may allow him the weekdays off!
From frozen pizza to chocolate cake – lock-down’s surprising gift. Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat
A new challenge
With MS, it is always difficult to find ways to increase fitness and stamina. The disease works against you in the most frustrating ways. So I was delighted to find a fitness/life-style programme that could help me and perhaps even lesson my symptoms. It is called the Wim Hof method and involves cold treatments, breathing exercises and yoga. During the pandemic, they were offering reduced price courses on-line and with any number of weeks stretching ahead of us, we decided to give it a go. For ten weeks, we dutifully followed the programme. I confess that around the six week mark, I felt like giving up. I was hard. I’ll write about it fully next time, but let’s just say it was worth all the effort. The downside is that, course over, we need to carry on with it anyway.
Puppy love
Our leisurely, civilised life came to an abrupt halt with the arrival of Hermione. Picking up the umpteenth poo and waiting in the garden while she has five more minutes play, I sometimes wonder if it was an act of insanity getting a dog. (My husband, no doubt, has these thoughts at 3am when he gets up to let her out.) I’ve been through this all before with my old dog (and I got up that time) but just like childbirth, one forgets! And just like having children, the sea of tiredness, stress and frustration (puppies are like insane toddlers) disappears when they lie down quietly or give an adoring look.
We are gradually regaining a semblance of normal life, creating routines and filling quiet moments with human tasks. We are learning to accommodate each other’s needs and relax a little our desire to be in control of our days (and nights!) She requires immense amounts of time, attention and love, but of all the things we did last summer – this was the best.
As I get older and myself enter my autumn years, I’ve found my affection for this season increasing. It is a subtle time full of muted colour, mellow sunlight and crisp, dry days.
It is tempting to think of autumn as summer’s swan song; a last performance before the chill of winter sets in. Yet, autumn is not an addendum to summer, a nostalgic nod to former, warmer days, but a season in its own right filled with the matured glories of the ending year.
Harvest
Pumpkins and plenty Image: Timothy Eberly on Unsplash
Until the 16th century and our gradual move from an agrarian to industrial society, autumn was known as harvest. Indeed, in some Germanic languages, it still is.
I think it a more fitting name, for this is the period when the crops are brought in; a time of plenty, even glut. Keats describes it as:
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run
John Keats ‘To Autumn’
Looked at in this way, it is no longer summer’s poor relation, but a period of joyous abundance. Though my garden is less colourful than before, there are still apples and pears to be picked, raspberries on their canes and a second wave of squashes flowering. My black kale is now large enough to crop and my giant sunflowers are growing apace. Across the land, there is a profusion of wild and cultivated crops. Hedgerows are laced with elderberries, blackberries and sloes. The last perfectly timed for making special Christmas gin.
Autumn crocus Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Celebrating autumn
Though autumn technically begins on 22 September with the autumn equinox, I like to think of it as beginning on the 1 September. Though few people decorate to celebrate autumn, I have always liked to – not least because it also marks the beginning of a school year and my students enjoyed the changing environment of my home classroom.
Though I have few students now and need to teach on-line, there is nothing to stop me creating my own autumn display and I encourage you to do the same. There is an abundance of beautiful foliage, seed heads and hardy fruits and vegetables that you can decorate with and of course, those rare, delightful autumn blooms.
Floral tribute to the season Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Bringing nature inside (whatever the season) invariably uplifts us. We do not need to have floristry skills to arrange a bouquet- only a vase. And if our display ends up like a primary school nature table, so what? I like those.
A dear friend in the States always honours every season with elaborate decorations (even when travelling with her job). What appeared, at first, as an adorable idiosyncracy has become a model for living. Making the effort to mark the season in and of itself makes it special. Selecting, picking and arranging flowers and objects makes us focus on their meaning. These little tableaus offer perfect life lessons that we absorb almost unconsciously – and the pleasure of our finished work brings us (and others) joy.
The dying leaf has a poignant beauty Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
I confess that I now follow her lead shamelessly and look forward to the challenge that each new display brings.
Quiet times
The occasional riotous assemblies of Halloween and Bonfire Night aside, autumn is a quiet time, ripe for reflection and contemplation. The gentle melancholy that accompanies the end of summer is more to be enjoyed than shunned. Just as a picture without shadow has no depth, so a year.
And I like the stillness of the season. We have no great expectations. We require nothing of autumn. If it gifts us with a balmy day, we greet it with gratitude. If we are given rain and drear skies, we try not to complain. Autumn helps teach us acceptance – and we are all the better for it.
The last week has passed in something of a blur. It has been dominated by two things: apples and puppy training. The apples, are reaching the end of their life cycle; Hermione is just beginning hers.
Under the apple tree. Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Apples, apples everywhere
The high winds we have been experiencing all week have certainly made apple picking easier. Instead of reaching up, I just reach down to the ground. We now have an absolute glut of fruit and despite my best efforts, the trug never diminishes.
But there is joy in plenty, not least because there is enough to share. Friends and neighbours have all been enjoying the fruits of my tree. And for those neighbours who are also keeping productive gardens, we get to swap our surplus for theirs.
My only sadness is that I can’t bake cake to share. That will have to wait till next year.
50 ways to cook your apples
I admit that I am exaggerating a little bit, but I have been learning all sorts of new ways to eat and preserve this most versatile fruit. So far, I’ve made apple vinegar, apple berry jam, apple rings, spiced apple compot, apples for the freezer, baked apples, apple puree (which is perfect for vegan baking) and my favourite so far: toffee apple fruit leather. I’ve been meaning to make fruit leather (fruit roll-ups) for years and now have finally done it. If you have surplus fruits, I highly recommend it. It’s perfect for little snacks. And if you have a brilliant apple recipe you’d like to share, please post it in the comments section.
How do you like your apples? Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Distractions
Of course, whilst doing all this, I’ve had a little helper. Well, helper might not be quite the right word. Companion would be more appropriate. Hermione is very happy to sit in the kitchen and watch, but needs numerous breaks to run about the garden and relieve herself.
So every forty minutes or so, my husband or I don our rain jackets and run outside. The apple tree serves a purpose here too, as Hermione loves to eat the fallen fruit – though sadly only the most rotten and revolting looking. The capacity of a dog’s stomach to consume the most disgusting food, never fails to amaze me. She neglects, of course, any of the more edible windfalls.
Who needs a ball when you can have an apple? Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Training
With her jabs complete, Hermione is now free to run wild in the garden. Her breed is naturally intelligent and requires a great deal of stimulation and challenge. Having mastered the art of sit, paw and recall within days, we thought we better add some more difficult tasks. So now our garden has become a sort of mini adventure playground. The gardening stool makes for an excellent ‘tunnel’ to run under or, when tipped upside down, to jump over. We have a raised path with steps that she rather alarmingly runs up and down and low wall from which she takes terrifying leaps.
Like children, she most enjoys toys that are not toys at all: an empty plastic bottle, a plastic flower pot, a stick and a hose attachment are all kept in the toy box outside. The advantage of this is that as soon as one of these is gnawed to pieces, another can be found. We are working on her retrieval skills (she is a bird dog after all) and she once managed to bring an apple. This dog might come in useful after all.
Hermione with her favourite toy: a rotating hose pipe attachment. Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Puppy lessons
While we have been teaching Hermione, she of course, has been teaching us. When you spend time outside with a child or a puppy, you realise that the world is an infinitely fascinating place. Every leaf, branch and insect is something to be explored and this sense of wonder is something that we should all nurture – not least if we are to have any hope of healing our damaged world.
The apple tree, to me, epitomises the generosity of nature. She gives and gives. The humble cooking apple may not be the most exotic of fruits, but with it I have been able to make endless treats that will remind us of summer even in the depth of winter. And I try not to take any for granted. My apples are hardly supermarket perfect, but a little effort on my end means that very few are wasted. It has taken a year for this fruit to be produced. Surely I can take a few minutes to remove a bruise or insect damage.
For me, living with wild things (and Hermione is certainly wild sometimes) helps ground me. Living as we do in the world of the mind or the cyber world of internet and social media, it is easy to become detached from what actually is.
In the virtual world, our desires are but a thought or a click away. In the real world, we need patience and hard work to get what we want. And paradoxically, it is the latter that brings a more lasting joy.
So, like a doting grandparent, I shall leave you with one last picture of Hermione with her new best friend – a snail.
