Slow Living Essentials Monthly 9 Linkup .....

March has been a month of re-evaluation for me.  Losing a very close friend has been difficult for everyone concerned.  It's a reminder to make every day matter, enjoy life and prepare the space that you live in with love and creativity. I'm joining in slow living essentials to share a bit of my space.

Nourish: I currently use organic and what I thought were chemical free skin products, it turns out that most of them still use Phenoxyethanol and Ceteareth-20, both of which we would be better off without!  I am going to try making my own nourishing skin care product using this recipe from WellnessMama.  I've bought the organic beeswax chips on line...will give you an update on how I go .

Organic Bees Wax chips...smell amazing...these have not been purified so still smell like honey.



Prepare: I am keeping my eye on the baby capsicums that I am growing.  Am going to have a go at making  Preserved baby bell with feta.  Just need all the little capsicums to ripen. I think these will be a great gift idea.  More next month on this project. Fingers crossed.

Can see  few have gone a gorgeous ripe red.....still waiting on the others....

Reduce:  I run a small business from home and am constantly getting stacks of mail which leads to a very untidy amount of waste paper.  I use only recycled paper products in the office, but what to do with all this excess paper.  Am keeping anything reusable that is not printed on the back to make up scratch pads for scribbling notes in the office. 


Not all of this will find it's way to the worm farm...most would have to go in recycle bin

Made whole sheets and envelopes not printed on both sides into scratch pads....

Green:   How Dirty is Dirty:  "Over the entire lifecycle of clothes, the biggest environmental impact is from the 'use' phase: washing, drying and ironing". (Green Lifestyle Magazine) This article raised my awareness to the fact that when my man and I wore something we put it in the wash....not any more...nothing into the wash until it actually needs to be washed...jeans are fabulous for multiple wears before washing !!...Reducing your weekly washing loads is great for the environment....I don't own a clothes dryer but if you do, try to avoid using it.

Grow:  It's autumn and time for the pumpkins !!  I love pumpkin and a pot of pumpkin soup on a cold day warms the body and soul. Have started to harvest and their are still about 10 more on the vines....leaving these outside under shelter to dry out for about a week.

The pumpkin Harvest....Qld Blue and butternuts.

Create:  As always working on too many projects at the same time...I am doing a block of the month quilt....have had it for a while but March is the target to finish this first block, will then try to stay on track as there are 9 blocks in total...hand stitching takes a long time...




Still a few hours worth of hand stitching before this panel is completed....each panel measures 50cm x 50cm



Discover:  There is always so much to  see and do and find out about.  We had a weekend down at our holiday spot and I love the beautiful native plants that are growing wildly there...  I also discovered that Life is short  and we should all take the time to enjoy beautiful surroundings.

 

Cute native plants in amongst all of the  beachside scrub.....along with the wombats and native birds.

 

Enhance:  I love to look for beautiful ways to make life more joyful.....my sister-in-law who passed away 12 years ago always made the most amazing sponge cakes for family birthdays and I sadly thought the recipe was lost, but my brother tells me he found it....can't wait to get that recipe....would love to try this:

  

Found this amazing cake decoration on pinterest.....sliced almonds with raspberry & blueberry centres..

Would also love to have a go at knitting this gorgeous cushion.....free download from Yarnspirations.

This cable knitted cushion in boucle....I have some boucle wool I pulled down from a half knitted
jumper.....long story...wool bought from US on line...$45 postage for one more ball...didn't happen.

Enjoy:  I do try and enjoy simple things everyday.  A walk along the beach with my two fluffy girls....they love to run and chase birds and paddle at the water's edge....trying to take their photo is always difficult...after several failed attempts, the magic word was smacko...they looked at the camera with big smiles on their faces....shame about my man's hairy legs in the photo !!

After a long walk on the beach......happy snap....enjoy !!

Small Steps to Sustainability.......



 I  get so tired of hearing people discount everything I do to try and reduce my impact on the environment and the wellbeing of the planet. I'm told that one person can't make a difference, I'm told that there is no proof that the food I am buying is organic....that I am wasting my time and my money...I'm told we will all pay more for everything if there is a carbon tax....the list goes on.  Yes we will pay more for stuff if there is a carbon tax...and so we should if it makes us consciously reduce what we do.... I have no guarantee that the fruit and vegies I buy are organic but the imperfections on pesticide free fruit and vegies is a dead giveaway....organic food is not as pretty as the chemically treated variety...Do I believe one person can make a difference....possibly not...I know that everything I do can be easily undone by someone else....but if everyone did at least a few simple things...then yes it would make a great difference....we need to reduce our consumption ...the planet cannot continue to sustain our existence if we don't.


Rinsed out zip lock bags ready to re-use....


Is it a bit weird to rinse out zip lock bags to re-use them....I hate buying anything made of plastic but I use them in the freezer.  If I can use them again and again it reduces the need for more plastic.  It's not hard to do and I think every little bit helps.  Everyone can do things to live more sustainably .

1. Eat Less Meat , have meat free meals as often as possible
2. Refuse plastic bags, reusable shopping bags are cheap , no excuses
3. Recycling , have a separate bin for recyclables
4. Composting, have a scrap bucket in the kitchen for scraps for the compost
5. Don't use takeaway cups, plastic cutlery or paper napkins
6. Avoid over- packaged foods
7. Use hankies not tissues, cloth napkins not paper
8. Don't buy bottled water in plastic bottles, carry water from home in eco bottles
9. Don't replace mobiles, I-pods, I-pads and gadgets just to update
10. Use recycled toilet paper, printing paper, paper towels (if you have to use them)

These suggestions are nothing new and they are not hard.  You just have to want to make a difference.  Your grandchildren will thank you someday.



Fresh organic apple, orange, carrot and ginger juice.....this afternoon's pick me up



I'll continue to buy my organic fruit and vegies.  I don't buy chemicals to clean the house, I use eco products but I may decide to make my own in the future.  I use organic face and hair products where possible.  I'll continue to reuse, recycle and reduce at every opportunity and try to encourage others to do the same.  I don't want my grandson's generation left to deal with the mess we have made.

Friday's Feast.....

 

It's been a long hard week...to top it off my computer died and I had to get a new one and have all of my old data and software reloaded.....I can hear you all groaning and feeling my pain as this process is never straight forward....things go missing...programs don't load...everything looks different because I now run on Windows 7....my old computer was in desperate need of an update but the process is quite daunting.....thankfully the guy loaded a remote access to my computer and he can fix it up from his place in Brighton....amazing.....I've been to my writing group today and now I have no excuses not to get back to work on "the book".......if I ever finish it.....it may wind up in the Guinness Book of Records as the slowest book to ever be written....this project of mine has been going on for quite a few years and I only have a few chapters done.....Have re-evaluated my procrastination....I don't want to have so many unfinished things on the go at one time...need to finish up several of my projects....the book, the mosaic, the quilt, the paintings I have on the go and my knitting...thankfully the vegie garden keeps producing even though it has been somewhat neglected this week.....

 

The beautiful colours of the vegies picked today from the garden



A quick trip around the garden this morning produced this lovely little selection of goodies.....I sound like a broken record but it is so satisfying to be able to grow food when you have no experience at all.....just the internet and a couple of organic gardening books......I never thought is would be as simple as this....but then that's what people did in the past....if they didn't grow it they went without....and they did it without the internet....just on the process being passed down the generations.....why did most people stop doing that....what else have we lost that hasn't been passed down to this generation.

Life is a Patchwork..........

Tuesday we farewelled our beautiful friend.....the funeral was a celebration of her life attended by around a thousand people...amazing...her handmade quilts and artwork were displayed........My family and I shed loads of tears, but also shared laughter......home movies and photo montage........her courageous children spoke of their love for their mother and her husband spoke lovingly of the life he shared with her.....they made us laugh and broke our hearts.....live music, cello and violin.....a close friend sang a very beautiful song for her...her wicker coffin, which I had never seen before, was so Heather.....she would have loved everything that her family prepared so carefully for her.....She had packed so much into her 46 years...She was vivacious with  a beautiful smile and infectious laugh....she loved life and adored her family, and I was so lucky to have her as my friend.....She left us way too soon and the patchwork of my life is missing a piece....time will heal the pain, but the memories will last forever....rest in peace my friend.



 

The beautiful handout from the service....a patchwork of some of  her creations....she was inspiring...

Slow Living Essentials Monthly 9 linkup......

I am joining in for the first time to Christine at slow living essentials with the monthly 9 for February.  It's been a busy time: -

Nourish :- I always try to eat organic food where possible.....fruit and vegies from the Kallista organic store.  I prefer my fruit to have blemishes and marks on them...if the insects and birds are happy to eat them...then so am I. 

Organic apples.....complete with blemishes and imperfections....just like me really...

Prepare :- The garden is producing a really good amount of produce considering the weather we have been experiencing...that heat has not been too good for the garden....as always zucchinis have flourished...they are excellent growers in all conditions....instead of giving away the surplus I have blanched and frozen them ..ready to go.

The blanched and bagged up zucchinis ready for the freezer......

Reduce :- Am avidly trying to reduce spending...I totally admire all of the frugal webpages...I don't seem to be going all that well...things continually pop up...broken tap, had to buy new tap and pay the plumber...Daisy got sick...after hours trip to the vet on Saturday night....Yikes !!...the list is neverending...am trying to reduce the cost of my grocery bill each week....it's not easy.

Green : - I read an article last month on "taking the hard line on soft plastic" in Green Lifestyle magazine.  Flexible or scunchable plastic waste is considered difficult to recycle and if placed in the normal recycle bin will still go to the rubbish tip..... A recycling initiative by non-for-profit organisation RED  Group have introduced plastic waste collection points at Coles supermarkets and the plastic is recylced into benches and donated to schools....I have been collecting my soft plastics....this is one months worth.  If you'd like to join in and help go to http://redgroup.net.au .

Flexible plastic for recycling....it's amazing how much amasses in just 4 weeks.

Grow :- I have grown lots this month....I love the summer planting season....tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, lettuce, herbs, strawberries, pumpkin, zucchini, silverbeet, beans, potatoes, beetroot and corn...I get great satisfaction from the garden...and love picking fresh food whenever I can.

The buttenut pumpkin vines have spread themselves out amongst the other vegies.....



I am happy with the growth in the garden considering the difficult weather we have been experiencing.

Some of the tomatoes...not as good a season as last year but plenty of tomatoes to go around.

I have 12 of these lovely Qld blue on the vines.....also have 20 or so butternut pumpkins coming soon

Create :- I had a go at making my own candles this month....using recycled candle jars that I have saved up over time....the process was messy but easy...although I think there is a trick to making candles that burn well...mine seem to have burnt a hole down the centre of the jars and not used up the sides...will need to investigate that one.

Tricky part getting the wicks to stay in the right place.. added rose geranium essential oil...

A couple of the finished products....hopefully a bit of research will resolve the burning issue..

Discover :- My birthday was in February and I turned 55....I discovered that there are worse things than getting older.

Enhance :- The book for February with my bookclub is 'My fathers daughter" by Sheila Fitzpatrick....really struggling with this one.Sheila's father Brian was a journalist and radical historian and the book covers her relationship with her father..haven't got very far into the book so will have to get a move on before the next meeting..

Enjoy :- A group of friends have organised monthly dinners at each others homes where we can try recipes that we have not cooked before....I love the concept and will need to get organised for our turn which is in May.....The lovely Janine & Michael prepared a delicious meal with Chicken and asian salad...we had a great afternoon.

Janine & Michael's yummy chicken dinner..

I'll sneak this one in which was actually on 1st March....but he is so cute.  He wanted a blue and green birthday party...his favourite colours...Enjoy special times with your family as they are so precious and the memories will last a lifetime.... 

Our very own baby batman celebrating his 3rd birthday....big cake cooked by his adoring mummy...

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

My weekend had the worst of times.   Our dear friend H lost her battle with cancer.  Her courage and determination was an inspiration to all who knew her.  A truly beautiful person who fought so hard to stay.  To know her was to love her....and I thank her wonderful husband for allowing us to see her in hospital to say goodbye....it broke our hearts but she looked very peaceful...sending our love to all her family and many many friends....  Life will not be the same without you in it. I will think of you often and always with memories of the wonderful times we shared. Farewell my beautiful friend.

Our beautiful friend H in happier times...she was undergoing chemotherapy at the time but
still came to celebrate my daughters 30th birthday....she was so courageous

Our gorgeous Gbaby on his new bike....Happy Birthday precious boy.

The weekend was also my Gbaby's 3rd birthday...very hard to keep a smile on our face...our friend was losing her battle with cancer.  It reaffirmed for me that the circle of life continues.  Deep sadness and heartache can be momentarily replaced with joy as you watch your beautiful grandson ride his new bike.  It is comforting in it's own way that the human spirit can process your grief and still allow you to do find joy. Life is precious...enjoy every moment.

What The .......Are People Actually Eating This?

Just when you think people are actually starting to be aware of good health and nutrition, considering what is in their food before they eat it, avoiding chemicals and GM foods....the list goes on.  Just when you think there is not much more that the food producers and supermarkets have left up their sleeves to surprise you with....I mean pre boiled potatoes packaged for you to just reheat, avocado in a tube and pre packed whatever.....they still have the power to shock and outrage you.....today I saw these two shockers in the refrigerated section....scrambled egg in a carton and if that isn't horrible enough a pre boiled and peeled egg!!!....seriously I know people are time poor and convenience foods seem to be a solution for a selection of the population but really, they can't boil or scramble an egg !!  The use by date on these products is up to five weeks......who wants to eat month old scrambled eggs ???.......Food producers and supermarkets need to take a good long look at themselves........This type of food is outrageous and possibly dangerous to people's health.....it makes me sad to think that people out there consider this to be a good idea....even sadder to think that there are people out there who will eat this garbage.....this is not a convenience food, this is six dollars for scambled egg that I wouldn't feed to my dogs......Wake up people, don't eat this rubbish....nothing beats a fresh egg and it takes three minutes to scramble them.

Unbelievable.....scambled eggs in a carton.......Yuck !!

I pity the person who thinks a pre boiled and peeled egg wrapped in plastic is a good idea !

How Does Your Garden Grow.......

Have been reading a lot of books on self sufficiency and also reading several blogs about saving money and being frugal.  While I am keen to save money and become debt free...who isn't.... I do think it is more important to spend money wisely while at the same time ensuring it is in the best interest of my health and the planet..organic food, local produce, supporting your local traders does not come cheap....I think my money will best be saved by not buying things I don't need...reusing where possible..although I have struggled in the second hand clothes arena...I think that must take lots of practice...Easiest money saver for me so far has been growing my own vegies...although the initial set up is quite costly...I do intend to grow my own seedlings in the future, this would save quite a bit of the outlay to get delicious fresh veggies...this mornings selection...first ever cucumber (burpless...see how that goes), spring onions, beans, capsicum, lettuce, basil....I think I see a frittata and salad coming up !!

This mornings pickings from the garden...........

In the interest of saving money I have started a christmas club...first time ever...so December is taken care of....also have a holiday account on the go....if we ever get the chance to take a holiday....Am going to try and do a NO SPEND MARCH ....have seen a lot of blogs where others are trying this...I will give it a go....meanwhile the garden is providing lots of goodies...if you aren't growing your own food....give it a try !!

If We Knew Then What We Know Now.........

The connundrum of aging parents who are facing ill health is certainly something that brings you crashing back down to earth when things are going rosy in your own life.....My father's health has been poor for many years now and we may be entering the last phase of his life...my advice to any one out there is NEVER SMOKE....I have never had a cigarette in my life after being raised hearing my father's smoking cough hacking out every morning.  While he hasn't smoked for 30 years the damage was already done and at 84 he may be losing the battle. My helplessness has never been more pronounced.  My inability to fix this problem leaves a control freak like myself with no where to turn. He is still fiercely independent and while I want to allow him to be in control of his own destiny, I wish he was more agreeable to any suggestions to improve his quality of life. It is so painful to watch his suffering....life can be cruel and it appears that old age  is not the graceful transition I always hoped it would be.  The old adage to "grow old gracefully" appears to be a misconception.  Life is finite and I wish there was an easier transition from this world to the next.

My garden gives me great comfort during this difficult phase of my parents lives. It is like balm to my soul to harvest what I have sown in the garden. It reassures me that life goes on and the sun will come up tomorrow.  There is so much life in the vegie garden ...the pumpkin vine grows a couple of inches overnight...the zucchinis will turn into marrows in a day or so if you don't watch them, the beetroot actually popped out of the ground demanding to be picked..the tomatoes are plumping up and more appear every day...it's true , you reap what you sow..in all aspects...take care of your health and avoid anything that will give you health concerns in the future. 

This beetroot was so ready to be picked they had started to pop out of the ground !!

The zucchini's are going gang busters....I think I can hear them growing they grow so fast !!

Bottled the Beetroot and made zucchini relish.....all in a days work !

There is a lot going on in my life in relation to taking care of my aging parents.....but still the plants grow and need to be bottled, garden needs to be watered....things need my attention....chickens need to be taken care of.....I think I will head outside with a glass of wine and let the girls free range among the fruit trees..

Wonderful Way with Water.......

Have you ever wondered about the quality of your tap water.....while Australia has some of the best quality water in the world (so I've been told)....they still add chlorine and flouride to our water supply.....this along with whatever else finds its way into reservoirs is being consumed by people every day.......I spend a lot of time and effort avoiding the use of chemicals, pesticides and pollutants......water quality is an important thing to be aware of...we drink a lot of it.....I have had a reverse osmosis water filter installed in my kitchen....the water quality is so good......doesn't taste like anything....which is how it should be....no smell either....tastes great......I think they are  a great investment for your health.

Undersink unit comprises water filters and the holding tank.....stays pretty cool under there...!!

The tap is installed on the kitchen sink........no more water in plastic bottles for me....
I fill my own eco container and take it with me....

 Having my own ready supply of filtered water removes the need to buy bottled/cask water saving the planet and saving my pocket.....just need to remember to take my refillable bottle with me...

It's the Little Things.....

I really think it is the little things that we do in life that make it so more enjoyable.....my youngest daughter has a busy life which includes nightshift work and we love to catch up over brunch at Cafe's in the hills...it is such a simple thing but so nice......

Took the time on the weekend (now that the weather has settled down) to plant some fruit trees.......The girls helped clear up the ground so that I could plant the Avocado tree....not sure how this will go but have been told by experts that there should be no problem......hopefully in a few years will have some avo's....yum..
  

The girls got very busy preparing the garden bed for the Avocado tree.....

Plenty of mulch and a bit of protection....apparently the experts (Pete the Permie)
tells me you need to protect the roots from nosy chooks scratching around.....
Hopefully one day I will have avocado's......YUM



Also planted a couple of apple trees....this is a blenheim orange....apparently
perfect for growing in our area....should see lovely apples in May...not sure what year !!

This apple tree is an Arkane...should produce apples in February...once again...
could be a bit of a wait....but how exciting when we do get an apple !!!

Also planted a Damson Plum tree....perfect for jam making.....this should bear fruit in
the next 12 months I have been told...hhhmmmm will wait and see... love plum jam !!

It is such a buzz for me to plant these fruit trees and see what happens....the thought of being able to pick apples, avocado, plums, apricots, lemons and figs from my own yard is something that I really would love....it has been a dream that may come to fruition....see how they go...simple things but loads of pleasure.

How much fun can you get from a bag of your own potatoes....you wouldn't believe me !!

I just love, love, love picking vegies from the garden....our ancestors had it right...you should grow anything you can, with whatever space you have....still in discussion with my man about digging up the front lawn...he's not that keen on me planting edibles in the yard....we may compromise and I will plant flowers that I can cut and bring into the house....love flowers....I think I am a simple soul at heart...

Heat Waves and Eco Guilt ......

Wow...summer has hit us with a bang......the heatwave this week has been exhausting....I have read blogs were those who care as much as I do about the environment haven't used their air cons because of the electricity usage....made me rethink my committment to the planet....bit of a conundrum really...I have used our evaportive cooling every day without a thought to the environmental impact....I'm feeling a little guilty but have had to weight it up ....family members stayed with us as they didn't have cooling at their home....is this a justification....my only solution to this dilema is get the solar panels on the roof as soon as possible....that way the power I use will be renewable and not increasing my carbon footprint....these type of issues will always be cause to reconsider what we do and how it impacts everything around us....I have also used plenty of water in the vegie gardens....cooled off the chooks with a quick hose....I don't have water tanks in place as yet...they are also on the list....weighing up water usage and sustainability of plants and animals......more food for thought...,..I have a serious case of Eco Guilt......am I practicing what I preach......am I green when it suits me....I have nothing but admiration for those who are so committed they don't use their air con when the temperature is over 40 deg.....the rest of us should still continue to do everything that they can....install solar and water tanks....that is my project for this year.

Pumpkins have survived the heatwave so far....a couple of pumpkins on it..



Tomatoes have had a big growth spurt during the heat....managed to keep them alive...

Zucchinis and beetroot all going well...beetroot needs to be picked and bottled...maybe
when the weather cools down next week.

Hopefully we have all survived the heat and risk of bushfire....the planet is warming and we can expect more episodes like this in the future....we all need to do our bit..I think every bit , no matter how small, if it contributes to the health  of the planet , is important....do what you can.

Beautiful Day....Simple Things.....

First success with broccoli.....didn't think there was anything left after the pests had been at it
but found these lovely heads today......will be delicious with tonight's chicken kiev....

Potatoes are available each day now from the garden.....and these two beetroots had popped
themselves out of the soil.....time to take them inside and eat them.

A beautiful summer's day today....not before time....was beginning to think we wouldn't see much sunshine this year.....spent some time outside in the vegie patch....it all looks good......a few baby pumpkins on the vine....tomatoes have a lot of flowers......and the zucchini's are popping up also....birds have nicked most of my blueberries....need to do more than just cover with bird netting...cheeky things have eaten them regardless of the net....A lovely day for reflection and thinking of other ways to keep life simple and help the environment....a friend is trying to organise a deal with a solar power company to get a better price if a group of us put in solar panels.....would love to get this up and going....Been out turning over the compost....one of the bins looks like it is almost ready...Have two empty vegie beds...just need to decide what to plant in them...not sure what is good to plant in January....will have to do a bit of research....It's a fabulous time of year....so much I plan to do...just hope procrastination doesn't get in my way......!!

Daisy still with the remnants of last nights spaghetti bolognaise on her chin........oh dear !!

Daphne managed to somehow clean her own chin (almost)....not much eveidence there....

Managed to fit in a walk with the dogs this afternoon....part of the get fit campaign .....they loved it but they looked a bit shabby I have to say....time for a bath I think....!!  Remember to keep your pet's cool and watered in the warmer weather....I filled the bird bath in the front garden today....have seen a few little birds flitting around in it....they must have been thirsty....not much water around here.

The Have's and The Have Nots..............

The Christmas lunch aftermath.......quite a clean up required when the vistors left..

As always Christmas was quite an eye opener.....we have new neighbours who are renting the house next door...a lovely lady and her three children...all with disabilities...not a lot of money to go around...lots of unpaid bills and not much left over to spend at Christmas....was very happy to send them a couple of things for the kids and lots of christmas cheer........The same day we attended a function in the evening where money was no object....waiters handing around expensive champagne and exotic canapes...heritage listed home in an exclusive suburb of Melbourne....excess everywhere I turned.....it really highlighted to me the different lifestyle of the Have's and Havenots'........happily we are somewhere in the middle....enough to go around ...plenty of love to share with family and friends...Christmas Day was spent outdoors eating good food and celebrating the time we have to spend together....wouldn't have it any other way .

Portrait I have painted of a friend who recently celebrated his 60th birthday...gave it as a gift to him
...first time I have ever given a painting as a gift.....hope they like it.

Yesterday's offering from the garden....leeks, rhubarb., lettuce and the first of the potatoes..
....as always the girls provided eggs...

Mum celebrated her 81st birthday on New Years Day....my gorgeous G Baby complete
with superman costume helped with the candles........memories to treasure !!

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year....hopefully the promise of fantastic things to come ....I love the beginning of the new year and am definitely a maker of resolutions....this year is all about health, wellbeing and hopefully trying to get fit.....good health is a precious gift.....treasure it.