Howdy..so very glad you could come! I don't know about you..but my pants are still complaining loudly to me this week. So....I thought I would offer us another scrumptious, light offering today. How about some fruit smoothies today/rich with fruit..low on calories. Let's see there are strawberries and blue berries, bananas, melon, mango, pineapple, apple, grape and peach juice, oranges and orange juice. There is skim milk and vanilla yogurt, protein powder if you would like. I have put out some low fat, but delicious apple cinnamon, banana or blueberry muffins. We also have Kona coffee and and several teas. The fire is going and I have put out some foot and hand warmers for those of you that are chilly coming in the door! I have racked a quilt full of simple pleasures today.So glad you came!! Welcome and please pull up a chair.
I was thinking about our financial health this week. I will start working on our taxes this week..ackkk...but I am the tax person in the family. With the economy the way is has been I think most of us are tightening our belts in big ways. The idea of living more simply appeals to me..not so easy to do. I guess I was thinking about what that really means.."to live simply"?
For several years we lived in the mountains here in Idaho. It wasn't and still is not uncommon to know folks here who homestead. I mean real homesteading..well water, no electric and wood burning cook stoves. Many of these families home school. Many raise critters, do 4H and are very active in the communities. Let me say something else..they are not militant crazies. We have done a bit of this ourselves. We ran a horse ranch for several months. Twenty acres of fences to fix, foals to birth and imprint, dogs, horses and children to feed daily. Midnight cougar emergencies etc.. We had minor electricity..enough to run the coffee pot or the heater..but not both. Water was hauled daily and I learned to cook anything on an open flame! We also had an outhouse..I kid you not. Thank goodness it was Summer!! We moved to a small cabin on 40 acres that fall and had well water and wood heat. But..we had a bathroom and a shower..heaven!! There was a simple beauty there...a peace you don't get in the city. We had critters and woods to walk in, wild apples to pick and our lives revolved around the seasons. Planting, harvesting, putting up and resting. I miss that, I do.
So I am trying to find a way to bring some of that peaceful seasonal type of living here to my little cottage in the middle of town. I am trying to find ways to live more simply and be more organized than I have been. What came with us when we moved to town was the constant opportunity to spend and go places..whether walking or now more so driving. I would like to make fewer trips and make them mean more when we go. I do love the thrift stores..oh I do..but having them readily accessible all the time..I mean down the block almost..is creating huge clutter in our house. We have too much STUFF! So I am downsizing this year. We will be shedding and selling unneeded items. We will be keeping the clothes that fit and the rest will go. I am actively looking for ways to save money on food. Netflix is a must and of course the computer is needed. I am on cooking blogs these days like Suzie Ridler's blog and trying to become a less boring cook!! I need help!! I am trying..mind you I say trying..to stay home and shop less..spend less. I am not sure I am making huge progress here! I hope to plant a real garden this year..not just pumpkins LOL! I need help there too. But I am trying to get back to those "simple" roots we had in the mountains..that peaceful movement from season to season. I really want some simple back in my life.
So if you would like to, please share your feelings about this subject. Are you yearning for more simple in your life, more seasonal living? What are you doing or want to be doing to create that in your life??
I think I will have a banana/strawberry smoothie with peach juice and a bit of protein powder..I will skip the coffee and the muffin this week!! Ooo I feel better already! What would you like??
Thank you for joining me this week..I so love it when you come and pull up a chair!! Have a wonderful week all. Hugs and Namaste, Sarah
11 comments:
Thank you for having me over :)
I understand the longing you feel there, ironically I had the same strong urges to do the same at about tax season time last year. The ending of last year and the beginning of this have been difficult though so I haven't been thinking about it with the same fervor. Ironically as well, all we had in our garden last year was pumpkins, and that because they popped up when we tilled the ground. Hopefully you and I will be able to do better in all respects... :)
Thanks for the smoothie, goes well with that hand warmers :)
I need to declutter too. It's amazing how stuff just accumulates until one day it's like you're drowning in it. We don't need half of what we think we do!
Keeping things simple for us anyway does mean spending less. We don't go out much, only to library and get groceries. It helps to not be out and about because there are things like thrift stores that pull us in.
Ahh the beauty of simplicity..I ached for it during the holidays and now it returning in it's own classy way :)
Great post Sarah it is so hard to raise a family especially in difficult economic times.
I love you.
I brought my picture in to get block mounted yesterday. Can't wait to see it.
Love Renee xoxoxo
I have been longing for simplicity too. January is just naturally a good month for decluttering, simplifying and dreaming of the future. Last summer my garden had tomatoes and collard greens and this year I will be expanding it with more greens and more vegetables that I can store for winter. I'm sorely missing my local vegetables right now.
I would like to have it more simple. But at the same time also have the convenience of modern things and life. But I think that these things can be combined, but definitely buying stuff on habit is not something which I think helps simplicity.
I feel the same. We have too much stuff. I'd like to have my studio in our basement. This is the year I'm going to work on it.
We have many in our area that farm and garden. It really does cut down on costs plus you know what you're eating since you raised it or grew it. I have an organic garden and grow my own veggies. I haven't gotten into canning but I'd love too. Even in small yards and containers evere little bit helps and the taste is so much better. It's my other passion. :)
Way too much stuff -- yep! So, I started *gifting* the *stuff*. For instance, one of my nieces is newly married and I send her kitchen things she doesn't have (that I have too many of). A glass pitcher went to a friend who LOVES glass (she doesn't have cats!!!!). At her house, it can be out, used and admired. There isn't much we *need* ... food, shelter, heat, light ... but stuff -- nope. Although, Mr. D does have his golf and I have YARN! That's ok -- both of those are for sanity!!!!!
I am pondering the very thing...Have been for months.. Going to plant a garden this year have it all mapped out and going to start getting the seeds started asap. Found a few websites been looking at http://henandharvest.com/
http://www.cooksgarden.com/herbs-seeds-plants/
http://www.herbcompanion.com/
http://sharonastyk.com/
xoxoxoxoxo
Simple is happy for me. Clutter or stuff seems to really rock my world. Then I have my seven day rule to buy something. If after seven days of waiting to buy it, OK. What I have found is that by the 7th day, I no longer have the need to buy whatever it is. Love working my garden and the sense of accomplishment at growing our food. Bartering is also great!
(((HUGS)))
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