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
