The Lady Magazine

28 August 2015

Dear Readers, Aside from the seagulls that may have ruined your English seaside holiday this year, most of us would identify ourselves as bird lovers, but who among us would know that over 200 species are currently facing extinction? Thankfully, writer Ceri Levy and illustrator Ralph Steadman have taken it upon themselves to highlight this disaster without being, well, too serious about it – as a look at Ralph’s irresistible caricatures reveal. Although for ‘aah’ factor, they face stiff competition from Julian Clary’s ‘furry babies’. For those of us old enough to remember his early stand-up act, The Joan Collins Fan Club, there can be no forgetting his late, lamented sidekick, Fanny the Wonderdog. Julian now has Valerie and Albert and, as he tells us, he is still on good terms with Joan, especially after he saved her from drowning this summer. But for anyone who prefers not to get their feet wet, I suggest a late summer break in the Lake District with a leisurely stroll around Beatrix Potter’s childhood haunts. Take along this week’s archive recipe for rice pudding and make yourself very popular with the other guests. Or just put your feet up and take comfort in the glorious Prue Leith admission that she’s ‘not much of a cook’… Until next week, very best wishes, Sam Taylor, Editor PS The solutions to The Ladygram Challenge in our 24 July 2015 summer issue, will be printed next week. The name of the winner will appear in the 11 September issue. Good luck to everyone.