Author: The Guardian

The first thing you notice in the Copenhagen home of designer Thilde Maria Haukohl Kristensen are flowers. They are everywhere, sometimes emerging from corners, sometimes dominating a room, but always present.Thilde’s passion for flowers came from her grandmother, who introduced her to the world of flora. Now it is her job as well as her passion. “Flowers create joy,” she says. “They connect us to the nature we are a part of and which you can often forget about when you live in the middle of a city. At home, I use flowers to enhance the atmosphere in each room.…

Gabby Logan says the Paris Olympics will provide a moment to celebrate modern Britain and unite the country.Ahead of the opening of the 33rd Summer Olympics in Paris on Friday, presenters said the Games could be a moment to appreciate the “more stable” nature of British politics, which does not have to face the far right as France does in elections. Held every week.”This election has shown us that we are going in a different direction than many countries in Europe. I think for all of us [in the UK, it’s] It’s a moment where we say, ‘Well, we’re probably…

Is it true that British people get nicer the farther north you go? Victoria Miller, HullSend new questions to nq@theguardian.com.Readers replyDepends on your definition of nice. If you want to chat with strangers in a cafe or at a bus stop, your chances are directly proportional to the distance from London. If you want privacy and toleration of difference, London is pretty good for that. The rudest anyone has ever been to me was a bus driver in Devon, but perhaps it had been a long summer. CardinocrinumWhen my daughter, who lives in London, came to visit us for the…

‘WLondon 2012 Olympic gold medalist Etienne Stott recalled being arrested and briefly imprisoned for her environmental activities: . “Every time I use my platform to communicate, I sit in my cell and think: ‘What if everyone hates me and thinks what I do is so disgusting that they don’t want to talk to me?’ This is a terrible thing.”But you keep the faith and say: ‘You’re doing the right thing. You have to follow through. It’s like Olympic training. You’ve been through hard times, in jail cells, in the media, and are the other half of my job. . Thousands…

“I’m not in pain, which is unusual!” laughs ultra-distance cyclist Lael Wilcox over a patchy WhatsApp call from somewhere in rural Serbia. She is almost a month into an attempt to be the fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe on a bicycle and, despite being able to follow her mile-by-mile progress online, it’s surprisingly hard to track down and actually talk to the 36-year-old Alaskan.When we finally do speak, I expect her to call from a hotel, or between mouthfuls of porridge at a roadside café. But when she comes on the line, a little out of breath, with the…

My two-year-old daughter only has one joke, but it’s a banger. She usually deploys it when I’m at my wit’s end – an alarmingly frequent condition – and it catches me off guard every time. I’ll be pouring pasta from pot to colander, or scrubbing Weetabix from a wall, and will look over to see her ambling towards me wearing my giant shoes on her absurdly small feet. In fact, since they’re high-tops, they come up well past her knees, causing both of us to laugh ourselves senseless.It’s good she’s mastered comedy, because it leavens the more irascible aspects of…

JOsh Kerr is one of the fastest middle-distance runners in history. He is the 1500m world champion, indoor two-mile world record holder and Britain’s fastest man over the mile – ahead of Steve Cram, Sebastian Coe Coe ) and Steve Ovett. But perhaps Kerr’s ultimate superpower is his ability to discover more at the end of a game, when his lungs are burning and his limbs are screaming.Kerr’s highly regarded coach Danny McGee said that ability comes not only from physical training, but also from his mental strength and ability to prioritize what’s really important.”Physically, he responds very well to…

Thoughts on a Sunday? It’s my favourite day of the week, always centred on lunch. As a traditional northern girl, it has to be a roast, even in midsummer. I am a connoisseur. I’ve probably done a recce of every Sunday lunch spot in the country.What’s your criteria? It’s a real mix. Obviously, the food has to be very good. The atmosphere: relaxed and cosy. My favourite spots are No Fifty Cheyne in Chelsea, the Chequers in Churchill and the Bull in Charlbury.When you’re not eating? I like to have a relaxing morning and go for a long walk or…

HTen years ago he left the UK for forward-thinking Scandinavia on a mission to reduce the sailing world’s carbon footprint; 18 months later, dwindling financial reserves prompted him to move his entire life into In the back of his van, Sam Sills found himself shivering by a lake in the Swiss countryside.With an altitude of nearly 2,000 m, Silvaplana is a popular destination for skiers throughout the winter. Even at the height of summer, temperatures barely affect the mercury, with night temperatures ranging from chilly to freezing. For participants in the 2021 iQFoil World Championship, not even the picturesque backdrop…

The question I am a woman in my 50s and I have recently fallen deeply in love with someone I’ve known for many years. Beyond the strong physical attraction between us, we seem to have in common several emotional and intellectual attributes and, for the first time, I feel I am perfectly compatible with a man and we both feel the same.At times I feel terrified. Do I deserve to be happy? Beyond some very close friendships, and strong family ties, particularly with my parents who have both died, I have not found this kind of emotional closeness in any…