LandLove Magazine November 2017 Edizione posteriore

For me, November is a very special time of year, when misty mornings and icy frosts give the landscape a sparkly new makeover. As the cold sets in we can dig out warm jumpers and look forward to cosy nights in front of the fire, comfort food suppers and preparing for my favourite time of year, Christmas! To help you get ahead, we’ve got some striking festive decoration ideas inspired by Mother Nature on p.36, crafted from eye-catching woodland finds. Whilst on your forest foray be sure to collect plenty of nuts, seeds and conkers for our autumnal projects on p.68 – the pine cone vase and leafy tablecloth ideas are gorgeous! If you enjoy being outside then you’ll love our round-up of wildlife watching experiences (p.84), from catching sight of a baby seal to taking cover below a huge flock of pink-footed geese. After a day spent exploring the countryside, come home to a hearty soup made using our recipes on p.50, or, if you’re planning a Bonfire Night get together, then turn to p.54 to get the fifth of November off to a bang with our tempting array of dishes to enjoy beneath the fireworks. On p.60 we also meet Neil and Pat Boustead, owners of The Toffee Shop in Penrith, whose sticky bonfire toffee keeps the tills ringing at this time of year. This issue we’ve also packed in plenty of heritage crafts, from our talented stone carver, Caitriona Cartwright, on p.104, to our feature on endangered crafts on p.100, where we go behind the scenes of the Heritage Crafts Association to find out more about the precious traditional skills that are in danger of dying out, some dating back for centuries. One place rife in history is North Essex, where we’re heading for this month’s regional focus (p.116) to discover fascinating producers, including Wilkin & Sons and Maldon Salt, pretty villages, a wealth of islands and rich Roman ruins – this county has it all.