I am only one, but still I am one, I cannot doing everything, but I can still do something. – E Everett Yes, it is probably true, on some level that the idea of giving your time and energy to a cause without financial reward may seem an impossible task and you may even wonder …
May the candlelight always remind us of the sun that is soon going to return. The winter solstice has been seen as a significant time of year in many cultures and marks the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun. So, the winter solstice, or the shortest day of the year, happens when the …
Over 30 years ago I enjoyed my first ostereierbaum. A small tree with bare branches decorated with hanging Easter egg ornaments. An ostereierbaum can be kept inside, all you need is a branch which can either be found in nature or these days bought at many crafts store and stand it in a pot or …
As I write this, we can travel again, borders are opening up( and closing down) , venues increasing capacity and people are speaking of ‘freedom’. But it is only another step on the long and ever-changing path of attaining a new normal. So, after being home for months except for trips to Ballarat for essentials, …
Books are important for the mind, heart, and soul and along our life journey, we have collected shelves of books that have really helped or inspired. These are some of the books we continually refer back to when needing clarification or motivation along our simple living journey. Yes, I know you can Google etc. these …
I have long maintained that if I had invested all the money I have spent on books into shares, I’d be sitting on a pretty healthy retirement fund by now. But I chose to invest in books, in knowledge; in a resource that, while it might not see me cruising the Carribean in my Autumn …
It’s a fact of modern life that our economy is dependent on either actual or potential income, work hours, and spending levels. The pandemic we are living through has certainly brought that home. Many of us have lost jobs or are now underemployed and have had to re-assess and re-prioritise our spending decisions. There’s no …
Life can be simple, so why do we insist on making it complicated? Read More »
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow” Audrey Hepburn Gardening is therapeutic on so many levels – Mind, Body and Soul. Just being around nature can improve your mood, making you feel more at peace, and the act of digging, planting, and watering can help take your mind off the stresses of daily …
Our lives as individuals, families and communities has taken on a new normal in 2020 with the Covid19 pandemic. A century ago, our ancestors were dealing with another pandemic; the Spanish Influenza. In 1919, Australians had just lived through 4 years of war. Back then, it was not just the unknown of when social distancing may …
There are so many people, so many ‘experts’ saying so much at the moment that at times the ‘noise’ they make seems worse than COVID -19 pandemic itself! If there is one thing that I know, is that the noise comes from the TV ‘news ‘and social media. Yes, it is important to stay informed, …
If you didn’t already realise, we aim to live a simple life, but one full of abundance, which lately from the garden means zucchini, tomatoes and eggs. So, what do to with this abundance, well there is zucchini slice, cake, soup and tomatoes on sandwiches & crackers and soon passata and tomato sauce to make …
In Spring I began exploring and learning about our native bees, beneficial insects, nature spirits as a way of bringing a positive energy to the garden and to help our environment. Although bees look ethereal in the morning light, like little fairies flitting in and out of the hive, sometimes covered with the pixie dust …
It’s nearly Christmas, a time of year when there are so many expectations put on us, mainly by the consumerist society we live in, to create the most perfect day for our loved ones. Did you know that this holiday season Aussies will use 150,391 km of wrapping paper- enough to go around the world …
What a learning curve we have been on! A little while back, Transition Streets Geelong invited us to run a series of workshops for them, under the title Made It Myself – Sharing With Others. Skills based workshops where participants learn a skill, practice it, then pass it on to others. Since then, we have …
I love to grow herbs; I love their flowers colour, shape and of course their smell. My garden here in Meredith is slowly taking shape and herbs are planted everywhere, as they are so important for our health and wellbeing, but did you know that they are very useful in the chicken house?The great news …
This particular question popped into my head last night and has refused to leave until I have given it some attention; mulled it over for a bit. Whither shall I wander? Where will I go? Is it my subconscious trying to tell me I need a holiday? I don’t think so. Living this life we’ve …
The other day I met a man, who with his partner had recently moved into our district. They had both grown up in Melbourne and had lived most of their married life living in inner Melbourne, in an apartment.Firstly, they were just going to stay on weekends and mini breaks, but very quickly became enamored …
Oh, my wasn’t it a wet and cold July? We have a lake in the yard, the ducks are happy, the dogs are muddy, the goat is not impressed and the chooks well they just avoid that wet stuff the best they can! …
Lemons, Strawberries and Community Food Swapping Read More »
Someone asked me recently, “Why do you live the way you do?” It is a lifestyle choice. It is what we feel is important; being our own bosses, being free to juggle our days our way, not to be controlled by 9 to 5, with 4 weeks holidays at the boss’s convenience. It is about …
Winter comes but just one season a year and I try to embrace the chilly weather and what it brings to us. The spirit of winter is rest, relax, reboot and rejuvenate for the coming busy seasons. There’s nothing you can do about the weather. Are in touch with winter season? Do you actually take …
