The Dorchester Directory - December 2021 by Modern Magazines

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DEC 2021

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THE DORCHESTER Directory

Edition 33

It has been an unusual two years, that is for sure and here we are in December 2021. I have to admit that I have had some difficulty ‘gearing up’ to the festive season, but I think I have finally decided to let my hair down and enjoy some time with family and friends, which is after all what this holiday period is all about for many. Good company, good food, time to laugh and appreciate each other. Our loyal local trades and services certainly appreciate all your calls and bookings. Each and every one of them wants to wish you a Happy Advertise with us Holiday Season and thank you for all Take your business to new heights your support over this particularly with our affordable advertising challenging time. Without you, some of packages! Supply your own artwork or these companies would have struggled use our in-house design and brand much more, so a big appreciation from expert. To chat to Debbie or the sales all of them! team, give us a call: In the new year we are looking to add more local clubs and societies again, so please let us know if you would like some promotion. We are here to help you. If you have a business that would benefit from our thousands of magazines which go out every month, please give me a call or send an email. I would love to help you. Stephen, myself, Julie, Mel, Tracey, Steph, Chris and Jannike wish you a really special Christmas. May you eat, drink and be merry. Very Best Wishes,

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Tech Trends For 2022 Six tech trends that will come to the fore in 2022 – are you ready?! ONE - Affective AI/Affective Computing - Whether you’re aware of its impact on our daily lives or not, Artiﬁcial Intelligence is all around us and in many different forms, from e-commerce to social media, healthcare, wellbeing and consumer habits. Yet Affective AI may be set to take things a few steps further. This leans on emotional or facial data that works its way through deep-learning algorithms to calculate when you are happy or sad. It then delivers media, entertainment and content that can counteract, empathise with or even raise your mood. TWO - 5G - Already one of the most talked about advancements ever, rapid connectivity is on its way with 5G allowing much greater data relay due to the frequency of radio waves being higher. For example, an HD movie that previously took seven minutes to download to your device will now take six… seconds! It means the average person is set to save over 24 hours of download time per month. THREE - Internet anywhere on Earth - Even in 2021 there are peculiar streets, alcoves or parts of the house that just won’t pick up adequate internet signal. Well, Elon Musk, Amazon and a few others have a plan to rid the spectre of poor signal

forever, and things are set to accelerate in 2022. Putting additional satellites in space – Musk’s SpaceX is proposing 40,000, Amazon over 3,000, plus 600 from OneWeb – means incredible connectivity for anyone, anywhere. FOUR - Smart Homes/ Connected Homes - We may already be used to our grandparents asking Alexa to tell the next-door neighbour to leave them alone, but this is just

the beginning for algorithms doing our tasks for us in the home. The next step is increased reliance on functionalities from inanimate devices. So that could be, for instance, your home detecting temperatures dropping or rising and adjusting accordingly, whilst simultaneously making coffee and starting up the RoboVac. FIVE - Cryptocurrency We’ve all read a lot about

cryptocurrencies over the last few years, perhaps without fully understanding what it all means. Yet the soft launch of this digital coin mechanism – an intentional gradual process to prove that the technology worked – is now giving way to a more accelerated, mass-market approach, where advancements in 2022 and the growing invitation for ‘everyday folk’ to invest in these markets. SIX - Blockchain - Similar to cryptocurrency and something else people ‘in the know’ are espousing as the next thing that will revolutionise industry and commerce, the main advantage of blockchain is in its utilisation of a digital ledger which stores information in various places, essentially disabling forgery and fakery. Expect to be hearing a lot more about it in 2022.

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QUIRKY FACTS by Mica Bale With the wintry weather well upon us, the thought of going outside to explore our wonderful county may not be quite so welcoming as in the warmer months so why not curl up with a hot cocoa, the ﬁre and delve into the next handful of quirky facts from around Dorset?

For generations, tea and biscuits have been a favourite pick-me-up treat and certainly Dorset families have had easy access to these delightful goodies. Moores Biscuits can boast more than 140 years of biscuit making. Today Moores Biscuits are owned by the same family six generations later and are produced just a stone’s throw away from the original bakery. Very moorish indeed!

Another culinary empire Dorset can boast is Rossi’s ice cream who can trace their roots back to 1930s Weymouth. Having already established an ice cream parlour in Essex, Rossi’s came to Dorset in 1937. A prominent premise was found on The Esplanade where the parlour remains today, featuring original 1930s interiors. And of course, the Rossi family also gave us Status Quo. 8

PHOTO: WELLCOME IMAGES

Did you know that poet Thomas Wyatt died in Dorset? Renowned for his alleged aﬀairs with Anne Boleyn for which he was imprisoned in the Tower for some time and nearly executed, Wyatt was also known for introducing the sonnet into English literature. Indeed Wyatt had had a rather colourful life! Although the circumstances of his death at Clifton Maybank House in 1542, it could be said that there was almost a poetic justice to his end in that the vast majority of his poetry was published only after his passing.

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The Dorset Horn sheep is an endangered breed that has been part of the county’s landscape for centuries. Recognised by the Rare Breeds Trust as a breed that is at risk of being lost altogether, the Dorset Horn is recognised for being the only sheep that can breed all year round. It is thought that they were developed after being mixed with the Spanish Merino sheep and rumour has it that several of this breed had escaped from the Spanish Armada ships oﬀ Portland to create this prized if not endangered sheep.

Did you know that Dorset has its very own Fungus Group? Established in 1995 initially in Purbeck though later expanding throughout the county, the group works to look for and identify the various species of fungi that grow in our county. The group has been able to ﬁnd some very rare fungi including the extremely unusual Ganoderma carnosum which has only been identiﬁed in the UK a handful of times! ENJOY THIS FEATURE IN EVERY ISSUE!

PHOTO: WELLCOME IMAGES

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1. What is the opening line to 'Let it Snow'? 2. Which Christmas carol was originally written in Latin as 'Adeste Fideles'? 3. What type of pudding do the carolers sing about in 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'? 4. Which carol includes the lyrics, 'Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis'? 5. How many types of birds are mentioned in the Twelve Day of Christmas song? 6. In the words of the famous carol 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing', to whom is glory proclaimed? 7. Which Christmas carol is commonly known by the title 'Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire'? 8. Which famous Xmas song sends 'tidings of comfort and joy'? 9. Which Christmas carol was composed by Rector Phillip Brooks following a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he had felt mesmerized by the town in which Jesus was born?

11. Which famous Christmas carol was written as a poem by C. F. Alexander, the same inspirational poet credited with having composed the hymn 'All Things Bright and Beautiful'?

12. The famous song 'White Christmas' originally featured in which 1942 musical ﬁlm starring

Bing Crosby, Fred Astair and Virginia Dale? 13. Which Christmas carol includes the lyrics, 'They looked up and saw a star, Shining in the east beyond them far, And to the earth it gave great light, And so it continued both day and night'? 14. Christina Rossetti wrote a poem that was to become the basis of which famous Christmas Carol? 15. What is the ﬁnal line of the famous 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' song? 16. Which carol was originally composed by James Pierpoint in 1857 for Thanksgiving? 17. In the words of 'Away in a Manger', what was the Lord Jesus asleep on? 18. Which Christmas carol begins with the lyrics, 'Sleigh bells ring are you listening'? 19. What type of tree is mentioned in the Twelve Days of Christmas song? 20. Which Christmas carol includes the lyrics, 'From now on, our troubles will be out of sight'?

10. Which song repeats the catchy lyrics, 'pa rum pum pum pum'?

Find the answers on Page 34

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Reimagining the Matrix Another excellent – if familiar – adventure on the way for Keanu Reeves. Keanu Reeves doesn’t subscribe to cancel culture, and besides, there aren’t too many sins to account for! In fact, if skirting back over past behaviour is a determination of popularity in the years to come, then the 56-year-old Beirutborn star has stored up enough credits to last well beyond retirement. From queuing in the rain outside his own party because he didn’t want to make a fuss to bouncers, to redistributing his movie fees around support staff and special effects workers, through to acts of random kindness to strangers, such as giving up his seat on the New York subway. Add in charitable donations thought to exceed $100m, and the star clearly goes well beyond what is expected of him. “I don’t do things for any other reason than they feel right,” he says. “And that makes me no different to 99% of people out there – good people who give up their time

or their energy for something that doesn’t directly beneﬁt them.” While his behaviour onset is no less community spirited, it’s accurate to say the actor’s feelgood vibes haven’t directly translated into big hits in the past couple of years – his most recent movie being the semi-successful reprisal of Ted ‘Theodore’ Logan in the Bill & Ted franchise last year, and John Wick in 2019. “I think I’ve really taken a new view to it all in the past decade,” he says. “I don’t subscribe to the fanfare and the glamour. You’ve seen the way I live – I like basic things, I love motorbikes; I’d rather be out on a gravelly road getting mud on my boots than sat in the back of a limo. That’s just then person I am now. “Of course, I respect in others a desire to go after the bright lights, but I’d rather have a conscience that is more about people and worthwhile experiences, so I guess that leads me to do a lot of the things that I do. I’m not

doing it for any other reason than I want to.” For all the Speed, 47 Ronin and The Day the Earth Stood Still actor’s protestations, he might well be advised to prepare for a bit more press intrusion very soon with an expected triumphant return to form as the character of cybercriminal-turned apparent superhero Neo in the fourth instalment of The Matrix series of ﬁlms. “I am absolutely happy - I always feel I have to be totally committed to doing a role justice, particularly on a sequel, as you run the risk of sullying everything that went before it unless you get it right.” There seems little danger of that…

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Talking about Wildlife...

Fascinating Fungi Fungi don’t fit into the plant or animal kingdoms but into an entire category of their own. The Fungi kingdom is a large group of organisms that includes yeasts, moulds, and, of course, mushrooms. Found everywhere - in the soil, in water, on and within plants, and even in the human body - fungi are essential to life on earth and they have a fascinating biology.

Fungi play an important role within our ecosystems, helping to recycle nutrients from dead or decaying organic matter releasing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus into the soil and the atmosphere. Without fungi, these recycling activities would be seriously reduced, and we would have a lot more decaying material around our feet. They are important directly as food for us, with many edible mushroom species grown and harvested for sale and some mushrooms and truffles considered as delicacies. While mushrooms aren’t a large proportion of what we eat day to day, fungi are also widely used in the production of many other foods and drinks such as cheeses, beer and wine, and bread.

Crimson Waxcap

Fabulous Fungi

Photo: Nick Tomlinson

Fungi are also vitally important for the good growth of most plants and crops. In 1885, German biologist Albert Bernard Frank coined the word “mycorrhiza” to describe this symbiotic relationship in which fungus grows around plant roots. This gives the plants greater access to water and minerals such as phosphorus and nitrogen and even increases their immunity. In exchange, the plant provides carbohydrates and other nutrients to the fungi. Dorset Wildlife Trust manages many nature reserves to support and benefit all kinds of wildlife, including fungi. In west Dorset, Kingcombe Meadows and Powerstock are some of the best places in England to find fungi species, many of them rare, all of them beautiful. The huge variation in geology and plant life at Kingcombe Meadows Nature Reserve ensures a variety of habitats which allows for a larger variety of fungus species than one would expect in a few hundred acres. By Susannah Lynn, Volunteer

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07/07/2021 12:09

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A Design for Life… The Kevin McCloud Column Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner discusses the beneﬁts of mixing formal and contemporary, to great effect. Where two or more interior design styles meet, it can be for a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s down to ‘making do’ on a budget – there was perhaps never a more popular time for such contrasts of ideas, side by side, than after the Second World War. That necessity to get the country back on its feet in any way possible meant, in design terms, a whole new set of rules were laid down, where the beauty of aesthetics or the complementing of materials and fabrics could, frankly, wait for another day. It was more important to get our spaces back in a liveable condition. On other occasions where very polarised looks are worked in together, it can be because the person with the brief wants

to create something unique, or shock people, or just rip up the rulebook to do something different. In more recent times, I’ve noted that same acceptance to mix things up when it comes to sustainability. Where the environment and eco matters are concerned, there is an understanding that not everything is perfect; not everything needs to, or even should, ﬁt together with precision.

On Grand Designs, we have had both ends of the spectrum - people who are seeking to thatch their roofs, then others looking at solar panels. So when people ask me if there are going to be more futuristic looking buildings in the future, or if the traditional will stay in fashion, for me I think straight away about a whole band of architects who are there trying to evolve a style of architecture that does both. And when you drop in the word sustainability, I think there’s much more leeway, much more margin to perhaps do things that don’t ﬁt as well as we might want them to in the sense of everything matching up to the last piece of fabric.

Mostly, sustainability for me means people are looking both forward, in the sense of caring for and planning for the future, of course. Yet at the same time they are upholding traditional aims, often using an existing template. And that could be anything from the footprint of the house to the setting it is in.

It’s okay to incorporate natural materials with contemporary. It’s okay to mix gothic with country kitchen if what is represented is personal taste and style. And where sustainability is concerned, perhaps we should even be encouraging this new brand of diversity.

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STAR GAZING WRITTEN BY KATE EARL

kateearlastro@gmail.com

Welcome to the December Stargazing Page. Highlights this month include a line of bright planets in the early evening, and the chance of spotting elusive Mercury at the end of 2021. International Space Station The ISS can be spotted in the evening from the 1st - 10th, with the earliest sighting around 4.45pm. Viewing then moves to morning skies from the 18th, and anyone wishing to catch Santa returning home will need to look up at either 4.50am or 6.25am on Christmas morning. To establish exact timings please refer to www.heavens-above.com or a similar webpage for up-to-date information, remembering to set the location to your observing area.

Moon December’s full moon occurs on the 19th and is traditionally known by a variety of rather apt names, such as Cold Moon, Snow Moon, and Moon before Yule Moon. A crescent Moon joins the trio of planets in a line between the 6 – 9th. Object of the Month The recognisable ‘W’ constellation of Cassiopeia lies high in the north around 7pm. To locate it, ﬁnd the Plough asterism low in the north, locate the north star using its two pointers, and Cassiopeia is almost directly opposite on the other side of the pole star (see ﬁgure). Cassiopeia is one of several circumpolar constellations viewed from southern England. Circumpolar constellations never set below the horizon, and are visible throughout the night. Cassiopeia is a great place to scan with a pair of binoculars or small telescope, revealing areas of rich star clusters. Jupiter

Saturn

Events The annual Geminid meteor shower peaks on the night of 13/14th December. A bright gibbous Moon will spoil the show in the evening, so you’ll need to wait until the early hours of the 14th to see any shooting stars. Alternatively, try looking northeast earlier in the week when the Moon is less bright. Unusually, the Geminid meteor shower is caused by Earth passing through the trail of debris left over by asteroid 3200 Phaethon, and not by a comet. The Winter Solstice takes place on the 21st December; marking the shortest day and longest night.

Venus

View SW on 6th December at 5.15pm Cassiopeia

Mercury A diﬃcult planet to spot as it never strays far from the Sun as viewed from Earth, Mercury is visible during the last few days of December. You’ll need a clear, unobstructed view to the southwest (see ﬁgure).

Capella

Venus Venus is still low in the southwest, but by month end it is setting around 5.30pm. If you have a set of large binoculars or a small telescope, Venus will appear as a tiny, beautiful crescent, which due to its dazzling brightness is best viewed in twilight, rather than against a dark sky.

Vega

North/Pole Star

Mars The red planet is currently quite faint and only just visible before dawn. Jupiter and Saturn As the Sun sets both gas giants are visible in the southwest. Saturn sets by 7.30pm, and Jupiter by 9pm. They form a spectacular line of bright planets with Venus this month (see ﬁgure). 22

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Plough Asterism

View of the northern horizon upwards throughout December

Saturn

Venus

View SW on 6th December at 5.15pm Cassiopeia Capella

Vega

North/Pole Star

Plough Asterism

View of the northern horizon upwards throughout December Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

12 Days of Christmas Wordsearch Words to ﬁnd: PARTRIDGE DOVES HENS BIRDS RINGS GEESE SWANS MAIDS LADIES LORDS PIPERS DRUMMERS Can you sing the full song? Here are some hints

10 11 12

FIND THE ANSWERS ON PAGE 34 24

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Green Meanies

Five considerations and potential changes we can make at home, if we’re serious about helping the planet. ONE - What materials are your furnishings made from or containing? You’re redecorating that front room or bedroom, looking to pick up on the latest trends to make it stylish, homely and aesthetically impressive. But wait, are those soft paint colours and shades environmentally friendly, do they promise they are nontoxic, did you select the vegan option? Even consider whether the materials contained in that wicker chair or sideboard are sustainable. Keep a lookout too for the chemicals and treatments applied to furniture. Some items in the home – mainly those imported – are found to have been treated with chemicals that have been linked with endocrinal interruption - this is when chemicals mimic a natural hormone, fooling the body into over-responding to the stimulus. The message is this - be sure to research the materials you are bringing into your home. TWO - What size is your carbon footprint? Our carbon footprint is created by a wide variety of contributing factors, but recent focus has turned to our laundry habits.

Washing and drying laundry releases more than just dirt into the water and the environment: detergent chemicals and synthetic fragrances, genetically modiﬁed enzymes, carbon dioxide and microplastics. As far as the latter goes, it’s estimated that as many as 700,000 microscopic plastic ﬁbres can be released on every wash!

Lowering our wash temperature to 30°C would help reduce the carbon emissions by the equivalent of 400,000 motor vehicles. THREE - How awesome is your air? Are you someone who has your windows open almost all year round? The assumption may be that your air quality is being optimised, though this is only the case if ventilation is good. Purchasing an air quality monitor that quickly and accurately monitors chemicals, dust and allergens, will tell

you exactly how good your air quality really is. FOUR - Are you an energy monster? The world in 2021 is obsessed with technology, yet the efficiency of our gadgets and devices, combined with awareness campaigns over what we use, has actually led to a 20% decrease in energy consumption over the last decade-and-a-half. Yet if you’re the type of person who leaves lights on when we go out, keeps appliances on standby, or simply runs a dishwasher halffull, more can be done. FIVE - The heat is on Although the winter months will necessitate artificial heating in every single home in the UK, the way we heat the space around us can usually be made more efficient. Keeping your home at a constant temperature is more efficient than bursts of heat, while isolating certain rooms that you use infrequently will ensure heat wastage is minimised, as are bills!

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POETRY PAGE

A visit from St. Nicholas 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave a lustre of midday to objects below, When what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer, With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name: "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the housetop the coursers they flew With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too— And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The

prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack. His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight— “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (Random House Inc., 1983)

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Spot the Difference Can you find all 7 differences?

Find the answers on Page 34 28

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Brilliant Books to gift this Christmas Make your Christmas shopping a breeze with these fantastic reads for all your nearest and dearest. For the foodie: Bringing a double Taste: My Life Through Food whammy of by Stanley Tucci festive cheer with You may know him best from a tale that features films such as The Devil Wears both Christmas and Prada or The Hunger Games unicorns, this sparkly franchise, but more recently storybook is designed actor Stanley Tucci has been to wow and delight. making a name for himself as a Published by Ladybird certified gourmand. For the film Recounting his life fan: in food, from nights Will by Will spent around the Smith and bustling dinner Mark Manson table of his Italian Charting his American family transformation as a child, Tucci from a fearful creates a delectable child in a smorgasbord of tense West life that any food Philadelphia obsessive will find home, to one of irresistible. Published the biggest pop by Penguin stars of his era and then one For the romantic: of the biggest White Christmas movie names by Katie Flynn in Hollywood history, Will’s is Sunday Times bestselling not just a story of success, but author Katie Flynn returns with also one of faith and courage. this heart-wrenching historical Published by Century Books fiction which begins in 1938 For the curious: and stretches across Europe. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! It tells the story of a courageous 2022: All True! German girl named Rozalin All Weird! All Sachs who flees her home Wild! as the Nazi revolution rises, Get ready to encountering love, tragedy astound with and adventure on her way to thousands of becoming a woman. Published strange stories, by Arrow Books unusual feats and hair-raising For the little one: oddities from Peppa Pig: Peppa’s Christmas around the world. Unicorn What young child’s stocking Bursting with would be complete without brilliant facts, everyone’s favourite porcine? fantastic stories

and eye-popping photographs, this all-new edition of Ripley’s is sure to be a hit. Published by Century For the history buff: The Story of the World in 100 Moments by Neil Oliver From much-loved historian Neil Oliver comes a whole new insight on our past, told through 100 remarkable, unforgettable stories. In his brilliant and excitingly ambitious new book, the Coast presenter takes us on a whistle-stop tour around the planet and through a million years, to give us a unique and invaluable grasp of how human history pieces together.

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Fascinating, brilliant and mind-bogglingly expansive, The Story of the World in 100 Moments is the gift for anyone curious about the place in which we live. Published by Bantam Press

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Greenfingers… the Alan Titchmarsh column He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist and allround horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about making time for your garden to serve you as a place of creativity and contemplation. It was pointed out to me a few years ago that a lot of my novels contain a sort of yearning for something. That led me to think, maybe I’ve

got a deep in-built craving or hankering. Maybe we all have, and in life we’re all looking for something… something more. I think the lucky ones are those who ﬁnd it and know when they have found it. So where am I going with this? Well, I do sometimes feel a lot of those wants and desires can be arrested by going to a place that gives you quiet contemplation. It was John Lennon who said, “Life is what happens when you’re busy

making other plans”. Well stop being busy, stop making other plans, and for goodness’ sake get out in that garden of yours and enjoy it! You see, a real problem for a number of gardeners is the fact we spend hours, days, weeks and months tending to that glorious bit of land. We shovel, trim, cut, prune and pick until our hands are blistered and our knees are sore, yet omit to actually take a step back, or pull up a chair, or just sit on the blessed grass and soak it all in. Satisfaction in your garden sometimes comes in not gardening; it’s in the ability to stop! So as we get ready for when winter morphs wonderfully into spring, perhaps try to do less, not more.

is all those blemishes and ﬂaws that make nature what it is beautiful. I’ve got two gardens of my own and I’m very proud of them one in Hampshire, and a small coastal plot on the Isle of Wight. They are my achievements, my own little bit of land… but they’re only relevant and special if I remember to spend time in them, enjoying them, and sometimes, you know, doing nothing much at all!

I know that can be easier said than done; there are always jobs to do, and there will be those of us who cannot sit still in the garden - we ﬁnd it difﬁcult to stop, to accept a space how it is, always spotting imperfections here and there. In truth, it

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Let’s Sudoku!

Do you love numbers? Enjoy 2 Sudoku challenges in every issue!

3 9 7 8 1 2 5 3 3 9 7 2 1 6 9 1 2 7 3 1 3 5 9 2 1 5 3 9 7 3 1 5 9 2 5 3

4 1 5 9 2 4 8 1 8 2 2 4 7 9 8 3 2 1 5 4

2 5 1 8 9 4 8 5 9 4 1

9 8 4 2 6

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Handy Person

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Answers Page PUB CHRISTMAS QUIZ 1) Oh the weather outside is frightful, 2) O Come, All Ye Faithful, 3) Figgy pudding, 4) Ding Dong Merrily on High, 5) Six types of birds: Partridge, Turtle Doves, French Hens, Calling Birds, Geese, and Swans 6) Newborn King, 7) The Christmas Song, 8) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 9) O Little Town of Bethlehem, 10) Little Drummer Boy 11) Once in Royal David's City, 12) Holiday Inn, 13) The First Noel, 14) In the Bleak Midwinter, 15) You'll go down in history, 16) Jingle Bells 17) Hay, 18) Winter Wonderland, 19) Pear tree 20) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2 4 3 5 9 7 1 6 8

5 7 6 8 2 1 4 3 9

1 8 9 6 4 3 5 2 7

4 9 8 2 1 5 3 7 6

3 1 5 9 7 6 8 4 2

6 2 7 3 8 4 9 1 5

9 6 2 4 3 8 7 5 1

7 5 4 1 6 9 2 8 3

8 3 1 7 5 2 6 9 4

9 7 2 6 5 3 8 1 4

8 3 4 1 2 9 6 5 7

6 1 5 8 4 7 3 9 2

4 5 8 9 1 6 2 7 3

3 9 1 2 7 4 5 6 8

2 6 7 3 8 5 9 4 1

5 8 3 7 9 1 4 2 6

1 4 6 5 3 2 7 8 9

7 2 9 4 6 8 1 3 5

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Spiced Festive Biscuits Introduction

Rustle up a little festive cheer with these delectable and delicately spiced biscuits, ideal for hanging on your tree or just for brightening up your tea break.

Ingredients

For the biscuits

350g plain ﬂour – plus extra for rolling 200g butter 175g dark brown sugar 1tbsp golden syrup 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 large egg ½tsp ground cinnamon ½tsp ground nutmeg ½tsp ground ginger For the decoration 100g white chocolate (melted) OR 100g icing sugar Sprinkles or silver baubles

Top Tips • Turn your biscuits into tree decorations by making a hole into each one before baking, using a skewer then thread through ribbon once cooled. • This dough can be made ahead by placing in the freezer after having been wrapped in cling ﬁlm to chill. Simply defrost and roll out to bake. • Pre-made icing or chocolate that is ready-to-melt in a tube is a great option for those who feel less conﬁdent using a piping bag.

Method

Top Tip

Decorated biscuits will last several days on a tree or up to a week in an airtight container.

1. Gently warm the butter, sugar and golden syrup over a low heat until it has melted. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl making a well in the centre to pour the wet ingredients into. Mix until a workable dough forms. Once cooled, wrap the dough in cling ﬁlm and place in the fridge for at least one hour to chill. 2. Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas mark 5 and line two baking sheets with baking paper. Meanwhile, roll out the biscuit dough onto a lightly ﬂoured surface to around ½cm thick and cut out your biscuits using festive shapes of choice.

Reroll leftover dough and cut until you have none left. Bake for 10-12 minutes until a golden brown. 3. Once cooled, preferably on wire racks, place either melted chocolate or icing sugar – that has been mixed with water to form a thick paste – into a piping bag and use to decorate the biscuits, adding baubles and other decorations while the icing is still wet. Let dry completely before hanging.

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Advertisers Index

Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your magazine... Aerials

Garage Doors

Plumbers

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Wessex Aerials Ltd 35 ................................................................................................................................................................... Skandoor 5 .............................................................................................. Heatcare UK Limited 3 .............................................................................................. KDL Plumbing and Heating 29 .............................................................................................. NO.1 PHD 2

Blinds, Curtains & Shutters

Garage Services

................................................................................................................................................................... Trickett Welding 16

Residential Care Homes Ashley Blinds ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 .............................................................................................. Care South 39 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Hillarys Blinds 31

Garden Services

Annie's Gardening ................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Solicitors ................................................................................................................................................................... Ironwork of Distinction 7 ................................................................................................................................................................... Sunset Developments 39 .............................................................................................. Hall's Property Lawyers 40 Builders ................................................................................................................................................................... The Fencing & Gate Co. 35 .............................................................................................. Humphries Kirk LLP 19 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Jim Baggley Building Services 37 .............................................................................................. Winterborne Legal Services 25

Cameras

Gifts & Collectibles

Charities

Hearing Services

Trailers ................................................................................................................................................................... Wardon Hill Trading Post 35 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Rocky Rock Cameras 37 .............................................................................................. Wessex Trailers 37

Translation Services ................................................................................................................................................................... The Private Ear Clinic 16 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Age UK 29,33 .............................................................................................. TransBright 13

Mobility Products & Tree Surgeons Services ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Dorset Drain Unblocking 15 Drainage Services

.............................................................................................. Leaks Tree Care 35 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... NO.1 PHD 2 ................................................................................................................................................................... Active Mobility 11

Driveways

Opticians

TV Sales & Servicing

.............................................................................................. Sound & Vision 4 U 5 County Block Paving ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ................................................................................................................................................................... Care Opticians 13 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Oltco Weymouth & Yeovil 20-21 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Southern Counties Resins 31

Pest Control Services

Waste Services

.............................................................................................. Philip Trim Contractors 19 ................................................................................................................................................................... PPCS Pest Control 33

Electricians

Pet Services

Will Writing Services

.............................................................................................. Dorset Wills 17 Natural Balance Dog Training 16 ................................................................................................................................................................... Farm Shops Ltd ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Norden Farm Shop 29

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Family Run Business since 1970

(Formally Phillips Groundworks & Landscapes)

12-14 Gloucester Road Dorchester DT1 2N

In the heart of the Dorchester community

A warm home and a warm welcome Maiden Castle House residential and dementia care – warmly welcoming new residents during the cold winter months and inviting families and friends to share in the food, fun and friendship.

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Hall’s

Property Lawyers

A personal service for all your Conveyancing needs: • Buying or Selling • Freehold or Leasehold • Residential or Commercial

01305 23 66 77 philip@philip-hall.com hallspropertylawyers.co.uk