Category: Features

“Why did the chicken cross the road, roll in the mud, come back across the road, and then cross the road again and roll in the mud again?” asks one half of The Hairy Bikers, Dave Myers, eyes glinting. “Cos he was a dirty double crosser!”

Bringing up children can be emotionally-charged, with parents sometimes losing their temper or simply feeling overwhelmed. The ideal reaction to family flashpoints would be to take a step back and calm yourself, before acting in a positive manner. And though that may sound unrealistic, believe it or not, it’s possible – through mindfulness.

Of all the bulbs, tulips are probably the most varied in size and colour, ranging from dainty dwarf specimens to frilly, feathery forms and stand-up-straight majestic types. They don’t need planting as early as narcissi or snowdrops. In fact, tulips shouldn’t be planted before the end of October, as early planting will result in soft… Continue reading Tulip tips

RAVISHING RESTYLE – BaByliss Diamond Heated Smoothing Brush

The modern world may have us convinced that speed and instantaneousness are everything, but it’s when we slow down that we usually find the greatest rewards. And walking, with its long list of boons – whether it’s simply an active and cheap way to get from A to B, being immersed in nature and the… Continue reading Walk the walk – hero of low impact exercise

Caring for others often comes naturally than caring for ourselves, doesn’t it? Whether it’s putting far more effort into cooking a meal for two than one, or the great joy of wrapping up a generous gift for a loved one – despite the fact you’d feel bad spending that cash on you. How many times… Continue reading Time to put you first? Why being selfish can be best for everybody

If you develop chest pains, there are a wealth of tests you could be sent for to identify whether you have a heart problem. And now NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) is supporting a new high-tech weapon in the diagnostic armoury, in the form of clever new medical software, HeartFlow.

“I think it’ll be safer for you – and me – if we use a peeler,” says Monica Galetti, as my hands fumble between a baby artichoke and a serrated knife. Formerly Michel Roux Jr.’s senior sous-chef at the two-Michelin starred Le Gavroche in London, Galetti is best known as a presenter on MasterChef: The… Continue reading Masterchef's Monica Galetti has all the skills

As Lord Sugar’s henchman on The Apprentice, Claude Littner is the toughest interviewer of them all. But there’s a softer side to the man once described as a ‘Rottweiler in human form’. On TV, the mercilessly tough interrogator leaves candidates quaking, ripping their CVs and business plans to shreds, curtly dismissing those he feels are… Continue reading Claude can be a Littner softer in real life

Are your borders looking overgrown and overcrowded? If some of your stalwart shrubs and perennials have outgrown their space or simply aren’t thriving in their current position, it may be time to move them. The best time to transplant shrubs is while they are dormant, between late autumn and early spring. Choose a day when… Continue reading A moving experience – time to rearrange your garden