Just a minute in October

 

The sun rose quite grandly one morning and my room, with its white walls and white curtains, was temporarily dyed pink and purple and blue, like a seventies nightclub. I am collecting cacti, and photos of outdoor-y things. I am loving autumn. Woodburners and dusky skies and checked scarves and coffee.

R e a d i n g
I've just finished Zadie Smith's NW, which was so good. She was on Desert Island Discs recently and I still haven't gotten around to listening. I must. Now I'm reading a biography of Bruce Springsteen (of course) and Miranda July's No One Belongs Here More Than You. 

L i s t e n i n g  t o
I usually have Radio 4 on when I'm shuffling around at home. It's a desperate attempt to imbibe some knowledge into my dormant brain. The other day I listened to a programme about marriages between Jews and Muslims and the consequential problems and prejudices that can arise. It kind of made me think about religion and how stupid it is that there are so many wars won and lives lost over religion and which is the 'right' religion to follow. When I guess the important thing is not which religion you're part of, but that you have faith and belief in God in the first place. Then I wondered what it must feel like to be religious. Maybe like a warm blanket on a rainy afternoon, or when your tea is stronger and sweeter than normal. Yeah, anyway. Deep thoughts over morning porridge.
Right now I'm listening to Kenneth Williams' Desert Island Discs, because Eva Wiseman told me to.

W a t c h i n g
Homeland, half-heartedly, and GBBO, of course. I like Kimberley best.

B u y i n g
I accidentally spent quite a lot of money on some winter boots, but they are sheepskin lined (not Uggs!!) and waterproof and stompy and warm.
I also keep buying beautiful magazines, because I can't resist magazines which don't contain '101 sex tips' and aren't obsessed with body weight and lip gloss.

L o v i n g
There is an unexplainable joy in running down empty streets in the pouring rain with Wrecking Ball (Springsteen, not Cyrus, god) in my ears. And I have been loving autumn in the park.

February

There's only a few hours left of February.

I will miss the muted colours, the greys and browns and whites. I will miss the Seville oranges.

I won't miss the penetrating chill that doesn't seem to leave. I'm so tired of feeling cold. I'm so tired of taking ages to layer up before I can leave the house. I need sunshine!


Shivering aside, in February I've been...


Reading...
Heidi. I hadn't read this since I was a child and now I just want to experience summer in the Swiss alps. Rambling among wildflowers every day, a diet of fresh bread & cheese, sleeping on hay. It sounds dreamy.

Listening to...
Noah and the Whale, Fleet Foxes, the usual suspects really. All making me think of spring. The song 'Emmylou' by First Aid Kit is absolutely beautiful.

Watching...
I was gripped by the recent Poliakoff, Dancing on the Edge. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Matthew Goode are two very gorgeous human beings. The production was stunning, and sinister. I also can't get through the week without a dose of Call the Midwife. I love it, I don't care.

Buying...
Bits and bobs for my camera. There's always just one more piece of kit that I want. On the list now is a 50mm prime lens, oh and Adobe CS6. Ha. When I'm rich.

Loving...
My hot water bottle.

Just a minute... in September

Reading
I've just finished The Fortnight in September by RC Sherriff - very timely! Really loved this book, it was such an honest and unpatronising portrayal of ordinary people, touching and funny in its simplicity. One of those books where not much happens, but all the more brilliant for that.
Next up: The New Moon With The Old by Dodie Smith. High hopes for the author of my all-time favourite book.


Listening to
My autumn playlist which I recently compiled and will post up soon. Also, the new Killers album! The Killers have been a favourite of mine since they first started out when I was about twelve. I'm still not sure about their new one though - it's a shame a lot the album's inspiration is drawn from the eighties, i.e. worst decade in music ever.


Watching
Suddenly there is so much good stuff on telly! Completely obsessed with The Great British Bake Off (and James' jumpers), spend Monday nights feeling stupid in front of University Challenge, have been plunged back into the glory that is Downton Abbey (best accompanied with a bowl of apple crumble), need to catch up on the new series of Grand Designs, and was glued to Parade's End. Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall are two very beautiful human beings.

Buying
My bank account is hating me at the moment. I'm desperately in need of new autumn/winter staples so treated myself to some of the beautiful Orla Kiely dresses at Uniqlo, as well as a pair of leather Urban Outfitters Chelsea boots. I also found a Laura Ashley cardigan in a local charity shop for £5! There seems to be a lot of stuff I 'need' at the moment...hurry up Christmas!

Loving
Seeing the trees start to change, remembering how nice roasted butternut squash is.

Just a minute in July

Reading
One day during the heatwave I sat under the shade of the apple tree and read the whole of Alice Walker's The Color Purple. I read a section of it as background material for A level English and was put off by the dialect it's written in, but this time around I fell in love with it. Such an empowering, heartwarming book, with all the atmosphere of a hot American summer.  

Listening to
Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball album - firmly in the honeymoon period with this one, I have to listen to songs from it every day - and Paul Simon's Graceland.

Watching
Some of the Olympics coverage - mainly tennis (not sure why it's an Olympic sport but it's basically like Wimbledon again so I'm not complaining), and a bit of track, swimming and gymnastics.

Buying
I'm trying to watch the pennies at the moment due to a reduction in work hours, but I did find lots of good secondhand books for 50p each - summer holiday reading sorted. I also bought some chocolate flavoured tea which I'm pretty excited about trying!

Loving
Phoebe Wahl's illustrations, all the bees and butterflies enjoying the lavender outside, writing lists, and almond milk.

 

These three images belong to the gorgeously talented Phoebe Wahl. 

Just a minute in... June

Reading...
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I can't decide if I like her prose or not...there are some wonderful long descriptive sentences, but I find her stream-of-consciousness style really annoying at times - not to mention I'm halfway through the book and only about half an hour of time seems to have passed in the story.

Listening to...
Jake Bugg, who sounds like a young Bob Dylan for my generation. His song Lightning Bolt is catchy.

Watching...
Not much, apart from the tennis - excited for Wimbledon! The football is now dominating our telly, not that it matters because there's hardly anything worth watching on. Quite intrigued by the programmes about the history of London's streets though; I'm a sucker for sentimental old footage. And have heard rumours that the next series of The Hour and The Great British Bake Off are soon on their way...yippee!

Buying...
Vintage delights after a day spent around Brick Lane. And Nigel Slater's Tender vol. I. An all-time favourite writer of mine. His arrival on Twitter is just joyful.

Loving...
All the gorgeous vintage packaging released for the jubilee.
Spending time in the kitchen. Lamb stew with cannelini beans, turnips, green beans and rosemary. Giant salt and pepper breadsticks.Turkey, leek and parsley puff pastry pie. Spaghetti with roasted vegetables and basil. Marmalade. Lemon and pepper crusted white fish. Summer berry bakewell tart.
Sunday morning routines - fetching the papers, smell of toast, coffee percolator gurgling, pottering around the garden.
O and I can't stop using instagram. Follow me - my username is @katemortmain.

Just a moment in... April

Reading...
Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee. Honestly one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. Lovely, funny descriptions of country life.

Listening to...
(I always listen to the same music, it never really changes...) Bob Dylan, Noah and the Whale, Michael Kiwanuka

Watching...
Nurse Jackie season 3 boxset (a brilliant, underrated show), Homeland (starting to lose interest...) and Michael Portillo's Great British Railway Journeys (he is my embarrassing crush). But there's hardly anything good on telly at the moment.

Buying...
My provisional driving license. Eek.

Loving...
The rain, controversially. It's made everything look so much healthier, and I forgot how much I missed the smell and sound of it.
Also: all the flowers that are starting to come out, the Easter chocolate we've still got lurking in the cupboards, and that fizzy elderflower drink you can find in Sainsburys for something ridiculous like 50p!

Just a minute in March

Reading...
I just finished The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins which was annoyingly gripping and resulted in several late nights because I didn't want to put it down! Next on the list are Lark Rise by Flora Thompson and Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee. Two lovely countryside books!

Listening to...
Michael Kiwanuka, The Black Keys, The Rolling Stones and Simon & Garfunkel

Watching...
Homeland (also annoyingly gripping), White Heat and the University Challenge final (come on Manchester!)

Buying...
Pink lipstick and a Miffy calendar on sale. I want to get some new jeans and a new pair of Converse, both much needed, and some moringa body butter

Loving...
Rose tea, the sunny mornings, and taking lots of blossom photos

(Hopefully I'll remember to do this each month - I found this idea on Peas and Needles, originally from Daydream Lily, and it looked fun.)