Slow Living – February

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Posted on March 3, 2013

This is my second month of joining in the monthly round-up at Slow Living Essentials and already I seem to be struggling with what to write. A couple of things seems to have conspired against me – it is a short month – is it really the end of the month already? and the weather! Since the dry spell broke on the Australia Day weekend (26th January) it has rained almost constantly which limits our activities somewhat

Here are the Slow Living categories:

{Nourish} With the onset of some cooler weather with the rain it was an ideal time to pull out the slow cooker.

I made a batch of pumpkin soup and and beef casserole.

{Prepare} We had an excellent crop of figs.

As well as eating lots of them fresh from the tree, I was able to dry some. This was very successful so I am hoping to have enough to do again next year.

{Reduce} This is always a hard one as we do this each and every day. I turned a singlet of mine that was too short into one for Miss O.

{Green} The weather has brought out the mould but I am keeping things clean and smelling fresh with the use of clove oil. You can read a previous post here.

{Grow} The warm, dry beginning to the summer meant that we had about 8 mangoes on our small tree. We planted it about 4 years ago and this is the first time it has fruited. I suspect that it is generally too cool for them here but this year’s crop has made it worthwhile. They are some of the best mangoes I have tasted and the flesh is as smooth as anything with no sign of stringiness.

Last weekend we had a rare fine day so we bought and planted some vegetable seedlings. They have more than doubled in size in a week.

{Create} Since my sewing machine has returned from being serviced I have got quite a bit of sewing done. I am working through my stash of fabric as well as some pieces I have been given. Here are some of the results.

Winter and summer pyjama bottoms.

A new lining in my skirt.

{Discover} I don’t think I have read anything this month but in a different vein I did discover some fabric to be used when I was sorting out my stash.

{Enhance} We gave away the used fencing wire via Freecycle. I also shared some of the many self-sown cucumber seedlings with neighbours, work colleagues, blogging friends and also on Freecycle.

It is a shame that I did not take some photos of them. Not so much for the seedlings but the innovative packaging. I used some excess egg cartons that I had been given and each seedling and its soil was packed in a space in the carton.

An internet friend sent me some fabric and I used some of it to make a dress suitable for an 18 month old. I will send it to her for her granddaughter who was born last week.

{Enjoy} We travelled to Melbourne and spent a weekend with our daughter who moved there recently. We saw her new home, sampled food at some local establishments and shopped.

I bought this dress to wear to a wedding in a few weeks. I just need to finalise accessories.

The slow living this month has been heavily weighted towards sewing and I guess that is not entirely unexpected with being stuck indoors due to the weather.

Now I am off to check out some of the slow living blogs.

Til next month………..

Building Resilience

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Posted on February 28, 2013

I have said it before and will say it again. Life is fragile. It can be snuffed out in a moment. Cherish what you have and live for today.

As you can probably guess, I have found out that an ex-work colleague was killed in tragic circumstances last week. He was younger than me with a loving wife and 4 children. This is the point where people often say (or write), “he didn’t deserve to die”. I find that statement offensive because it implies that some other people do deserve to die.

Death is inevitable and we all face it. There are close family and friends, acquaintances, connections through friends as well as those we ‘know’ only through the media. It is important to acknowledge the passing of anyone but it must be appropriate to the level of connection or we will find ourselves overwhelmed and consumed by grief.

This also applies to people who are gravely ill or facing a diagnosis which provides an uncertain future at best.

A friend’s elderly mother is hovering between life and death after a nasty fall. A well-known media personality is said to be gravely ill with possibly only days to live. Another friend’s mother has received a diagnosis of cancer. Each of these impacts on me and I am saddened but I need to process the information appropriately. I have not met any of these people directly but I can support my friends with messages and perhaps phone calls.

Life and death goes on every day and it is possible to receive almost instantaneous updates on everything via Facebook, email, Twitter and so on. In order to maintain your strength and resilience you need to take some time-out and recharge your emotional batteries. In the current time of being constantly connected it can be difficult to step away from the never-ending bombardment of information.

Your emotional well is not infinite. Top it up. Take care of yourself and you will be able to provide an appropriate level of support to those you care for when they need it most.

Memories

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Posted on February 22, 2013

Today is my father’s 84^th birthday, however, we are unable to celebrate it with him as he died nearly 12 years ago. While his death was sudden and unexpected, we are thankful that he did not suffer.

I miss my Dad but have many wonderful memories of him and cherish those today and every day.

Where do memories come from? How do you create them? What memories will your children and grandchildren have of you?

The shared experiences and activities of today are the memories of tomorrow.

Minimalism and Multipurpose

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Posted on February 20, 2013

While the nature of some tasks require a specific tool or space to complete the job, many things do not.

The first thing that comes to mind are the plethora of single-task appliances which seem to take up residence in many kitchens. You know the ones – waffle makers, ice-cream makers, popcorn makers, juicers, breadmakers and so on. I admit to having a breadmaker – The Duke makes all of our bread and has done for many years, although he is playing with the idea of artisan-style bread baked in the oven and successfully made a loaf the other day. We also have a juicer which could be used more.

However, today I want to take the concept of multipurpose away from appliances. When we had our kitchen re-modelled a few years ago we created a large amount of bench space, including this breakfast bar.

We use this space for eating meals, serving food and general food preparation so it does not always look like this. Once I have finished using the bench, it is cleared and we try not to use it as a ‘dumping ground’.

By having a clean, clear bench I am able to use it for other purposes.

I can pull the chairs back out of the way and I have a cutting table and workbench for when I am sewing. It is the perfect height and totally stable. I am also able to access it from almost any direction. My sewing machine is in the closest bedroom (a few steps along the hallway) but this is the perfect solution for me.

So, which comes first minimalism or multipurposing? If I had more stuff the bench would probably not be clear to use. If I could not use the bench would I acquire a suitable table and contribute to more stuff?

This is a winning solution whichever way I look at it.

Stop the Sabotage

15 Comments

Posted on February 13, 2013

It occurred to me recently that many people are constantly sabotaging their own decluttering efforts.

They are hauling garbags of ‘stuff’ to the op shop, filling the rubbish bin each week and trying to find time list items on eBay in a vain attempt to claw back some of the money they have spent on unwanted items. Yet, these same people are often using every strategy possible to score a good deal on clothes, shoes, bedding, magazines, cosmetics and anything else that comes their way. It is only a bargain if you truly need it.

I feel that cheap or bargain-priced items are the nemesis of decluttering and minimalism. If you need to outlay a significant amount of money on an item you are more likely to stop and think twice about whether it is really worthy of a place in your home.

So, how do you resist the plethora of bargains?

Unsubscribe from all of the emails from shops and shopping sites – this is a continuous process and you need to be vigilant
Make sure you have a ‘No Junk Mail’ sticker on your letterbox
Do not buy magazines
Do not buy newspapers
Limit viewing of commercial television
Deactivate your eBay account
Set financial goals that require you to limit your discretionary spending in order to achieve them
Remember that shopping malls are not entertainment venues
Take things to the op shop – do not bring more stuff home
Shop with a list (and stick to it)
Send someone else to do your essential shopping
Buy 1 or 2 good quality items instead of 10 cheap versions – t-shirts are a perfect example

Do you have any other ideas for keeping the clutter at bay and the money in the wallet?

The Important Stuff

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Posted on February 12, 2013

A decluttered house? Meals planned? Clothes washed?

Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of what is really important in our lives. While it is great to be able to meet physical achievements the things that matter most to me are relationships – my friends and family. This has been brought to the forefront of my consciousness recently.

We were able to spend the weekend with Missy in Melbourne which was wonderful. Yesterday I listened while Micky shared some of the challenges she is facing at work. ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’ or so the saying goes.

Finally, tonight the telephone rang as I was about to begin preparing dinner. The sound of the voice of an old friend ensured that dinner was the last thing on my mind for the next 30 minutes while we chatted and the time spent apart just fell away. When I hung up and walked back to the kitchen I realised how refreshed I felt.

I am thankful for the close and meaningful relationships I have with friends and family and cherish them everyday.

Slow Living – January

11 Comments

Posted on February 1, 2013

Today I have decided to dip my toe in and join the monthly diary started by Christine over at Slow Living Essentials. The idea is to post a round up of the slow living activities for the month based on nine categories. I have watched with interest and think that this idea will link in nicely with many of my own ideals and goals. Although Christine lives in Victoria, Australia I actually discovered her blog through Heidi’s slow living posts over at Lightly Crunchy. Heidi is in Ontario, Canada – what a small world our online community is!

Here are the Slow Living categories:

{Nourish} We eat largely unprocessed foods. I eat a gluten and grain-free diet for my health. I have been doing this for 6 months and am reaping the benefits. Here is my ‘cereal’ recipe.

{Prepare} A bumper tomato crop from several varieties gave me ample opportunity to save for later.

I made tomato sauce and tomato paste.

In the dying days of the month, I decided that I couldn’t bear to lose the 4kg of tomatoes that had been frozen and were rapidly thawing due to loss of power for 2 days. Using the gas cooktop, I boiled them up and reduced the liquid then bottled and preserved them using a hot water bath.

I needed to be a little inventive as I normally sterilise my bottling jars and lids in the oven at 140C. This time I boiled the jars and utensils. Finally, I used the same water for the hot water bath. Remember, I had to haul the water in a bucket from the tank at the back of our block.

We also prepared for, and survived, the wild weather from ex Tropical Cyclone Oswald (hurricane).

{Reduce} We repainted the old star pickets to re-use in the fencing project. You can’t see them here – the timber corner and bracing posts are new.

{Green} The timber chairs and table are sparkling after being polished. I use some vegetable oil with a little lemon essential oil on a soft rag to dust and polish all of the timber furniture.

{Grow} The tomatoes grew in abundance as did cucumbers. Due to a warm, dry summer (until the last week) we managed to successfully grow cantaloupe and capsicums (red peppers). The next month will be clearing and resting the beds ready for sowing again in March, weather permitting.

{Create} My sewing machine has been out of action (and, boy have I missed it)! I have been doing some hand sewing – mending a couple of items for Missy.

{Discover} I have indulged in some fiction this month. I bought the entire ‘Anne of Green Gables’ series for my Kindle. It was only a couple of dollars and will provide hours of reading. I did not read the books when I was young, although I did watch the videos when my daughters had them.

{Enhance} We swapped a cantaloupe for 2 small pumpkins with a neighbour. Also, checked to see how neighbours were going during the storms and flooding.

I also gave away 75 novels on Freecycle. The recipient was a co-ordinator for the Lifeline Bookfest so that is where they will be going. I feel like that is giving several times over. 🙂 They were ones that we now also have on our Kindles. We are enjoying the space, too.

{Enjoy} I introduced my granddaughters to live theatre.

Miss O and I went to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in Sydney and I took Izz to see Hairy McLary, based on the books by Lynley Dodd.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my first month of slow living as much as I have writing it. Looking back back over a whole month and what you have done is really worthwhile. I plan to continue this segment for the entire year. There are lots more blogs participating so it would be great if you check them out as well.

A Big Kid Now

2 Comments

Posted on January 30, 2013

Most Australian students start the school year this week. Miss O is now included in that number.

Good luck with school this week, this year, this life. Study hard. Do your very best. What you put in now, will be repaid later in your life. You might not see the point of it all (I didn’t!) but trust me, it’s all important. Be nice to your friends, respectful to your hard-working teachers, and be kind to your mother and father. Now off you go and have an adventure. Education. No one can ever take it away from you.

Acknowledgment: Thank you, Patty for the wise words.

Australia Day

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Posted on January 26, 2013

Firstly, I would like to say to my overseas readers that although this post is directed to local readers, I do hope you will read it and perhaps gain a small appreciation of Australia and its people.

Today, January 26th is Australia Day. It is the official national day of our country and is the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet which landed at Sydney Cove in 1788.

I am not going to indulge in a debate but suffice to say that there is much angst about the relevance of the day. The selection of the date does not acknowledge the long, proud history of the indigenous people who had lived here for many thousands of years and were displaced by the ‘marauding hordes’.

The occasion is marked by citizenship ceremonies and other official events but for many it is an opportunity to celebrate summer and our outdoor lifestyle rather than any particular allegiance to our nation.

In the light of the extreme weather being endured around the country over the past couple of months perhaps it is time to stop and really think about the words of the iconic poem penned by Dorothea Mackellar. The second verse is the most well-known and oft quoted but to read and absorb the words of the entire poem really sums up how I feel about my home. What better day than Australia Day to stop and remind ourselves of what it means to be Australian?

You can listen to the poem being read by the author in this video and the full text of the poem is below.

My Country by Dorothea Mackellar – 1885-1968, written in 1904

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die –
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold –
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land –
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand –
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

This is another video titled “Celebration of a Nation” which was released for the Bicentenary in 1988. It is a 15 minute potted history of the first 200 years of non-indigenous settlement and contains some interesting insights.

I hope you have a wonderful day wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

Why Simplify?

8 Comments

Posted on January 16, 2013

Everywhere I have turned in the past week there seem to be messages about simplifying your life. Some of it has been on other blogs as well as robust discussions both online and in real life. I am not sure whether it is the start of the new year, the planets aligning or just coincidence.

As part of the process of acknowledging that simplicity is at least part of my core values I have changed the byline of this blog to “A simple, sustainable life”.

This post from Sho-Me Simplicity is well worth reading. It is quite long but take your time and try to really understand the points she makes. It is not just possessions that clutter our lives. It can be too many commitments as discussed here at Living Simplyfree or people whose very presence drains your energy and vitality.

Perhaps the final word should come from my mother, who would say “stop the world, I want to get off” when everything got too much. I do not know the origin of this comment but I think it sums up how many people are feeling at the moment.