Towards Simplicity

 

It has been raining off and on for the past few days. This meant I stayed close to home and putzed around the house. 

Today while the rain stopped, Harvey and I went shopping for a few plants. I have managed to pick up a few, but really nothing at all like I am used to purchasing. Planting is going to be a breeze I think. 

A very few new perennials were picked up and I am hoping to be able to fill in a few of the empty spaces. Concentrating on that for the next few years I think and once I have it set, I will be surrounding the plants with bark mulch. Hopefully that will keep the weeds down a bit. 

I will only be planting my herbs and a few annual flowers this year. If it turns out well, I will perhaps cut down things a bit further. However simplicity plant wise is really hard for me, I love riots of colour in the summer. 

One saving grace is that flowers seem to grow very well under the grow lights. So I should be able to manage to inexpensively grow more next year.

While looking at the plants I did walk down the fruit tree area. Plums and apricots as well as a few apple bearing trees already had some fruit on them. Lots of the cherry had fruit as well. I did try to talk Harvey into an apricot tree, but he didn't bite. 

Working on projects and slowly making progress. Today I worked on the last sewing project for this month. With any luck I will finish off the project tomorrow and one more small area will be cleared beside my chair. 

I spent some time walking around the yard and down the street. I will be heading out one of these mornings and plucking some pretty yellow dandelion flowers to wash and dry enough to infuse oil and make some salve. I should really forage for some plantain as well. Pretty sure 

Sunday after planting and weeding I plan on sitting on the deck while Harvey BBQ's and enjoy the warmer weather and sunshine. 

The clothing is slowly getting removed and either donated or set aside to try and refashion or make into new pieces of fabric. I try something on and if I don't like the fit or feel that it is no longer flattering the article is removed after wearing and washing. I am now leaning more towards skirts and dresses unless it is cold/cool out. 

I am also making my way through embroidery thread, yarn and fabric. Clearing things out will definitely make it simpler to see what I have and what I need and I am loving the fact that I am getting to work on projects I inherited from my Mom. 

Simple also means I get more time for myself, something that has sometimes been in short supply while the sons were growing up and Harvey working. I am loving that.

Life is going to be wonderfully simple as things continue to be used, refashioned, planned and completed.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Moving Towards A Simpler Life

 I tried some of my homemade cleaners this week, and I must say the window/glass cleaner is wonderful. I am still holding back on the soap scum one, but if that works half as well, I will be extremely happy. Simple ingredients that make wonderful cleaners that cut my carbon footprint, and save us a bit of cash.

My movement towards simplicity this week has been cleaning and organizing my desk drawers, as well as removing some items we haven't used in years from the kitchen drawers as well. This is making it so much easier to find what I am looking for. Next up will be the dining room hutch. Pretty sure I will be removing things from there. Thus giving me less to dust, and clean. 

I am enjoying my days putzing around the house and getting little things completed. Those little things have been put off for too long. But perhaps I am procrastinating in not getting the larger and more complex tasks done. However I have come to a conclusion that actually surprises me. There is always tomorrow at least for the foreseeable future. And getting things done is not quite as important as enjoying the day.

Everybody have a great day. Take care.

This Will Suit Me Perfectly

 

Thanks for posting this Juhli. I am a mystery/true crime nut for novels and this challenge will be loads of fun. I can actually get into this one.

The day has passed by and I am not even tired. Can it be that whatever virus or bacteria I managed to pick up has worked its way through my system? I certainly hope so. I do not like feeling so exhausted by midafternoon that I just can not function properly. 

Once again my movement towards simplicity has been one of decluttering and organizing. Perhaps more decluttering than organizing, and perhaps more using up than decluttering. 

One thing I am beginning to realize is that we collect more "stuff" then we really need or in fact want. Or perhaps that is the problem, at the time the items appeared in our homes we actually wanted them, but didn't need them. 

In a way I didn't realize at the time, we were actually trying to keep up with the neighbours... At times I believe we fall back into that mindset. Not as often now, but the urge is still there. One needs to remember that nothing is simple if it adds "stuff" to your life.

Harvey informed me today that he ordered grow lights and I wondered why..... Turns out he was thinking that we could possibly grow our own lettuce, radish and onion during the winter months and save a bit of cash doing so. Kris does this every year and in fact his set up even grows tomatoes and peppers. He says the cost of running the lights is minimal really, so perhaps things will work out and we will manage to save on produce over the those cold winter months. I don't think that is moving towards a simpler life, but perhaps towards a more frugal life. And having Harvey even thinking in a frugal manner is perhaps a big plus. I really think taking him shopping was a major eye opener for him. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Moving Towards Simplicity

 

Part of my movement towards simplicity is to use what I have and only replace things when absolutely necessary. 

One of the items I am replacing is many of the plastic containers I used for freezing. Lots of them were stained, getting to the point where they were extremely brittle and just getting past the best time to be using them. Now I am not getting rid of them all, I will keep those that are still in good form, but my molds will be used a great deal more and really do make storage a bit simpler. 

I will need to replace my 15 year old broom very soon as it is not doing the job it is intended for any longer. I found that out when trying to sweep up the kitty litter. I will hold off on replacing my dirty clothes basket for a bit longer, as it is still functional even though there is a large crack at the top. 

Collecting glass and plastic jars to use for storage, mainly so I can reclaim my canning jars. 

Simplicity to me also means making the most of what I have. So I am hunting down recipes to use beans, lentils, and peas. All are great sources of protein and can be used instead of meat for that purpose. I seem to have lots of beans in storage for some reason. We will never become totally vegan, but having meals that are vegetarian based will help keep our costs down and is a very simple way to do so.  

Simplicity also means knowing what is in my food, so I am cooking more from scratch, using whole ingredients. I don't think I will ever totally remove processed food from the pantry, but by making more with whole ingredients will keep our meals simple and filling. 

Repairing, making and just taking the time to slow down and breathe while doing so enables me to have prayer or meditation time. By organizing my day and routine I am finding life moving just a touch slower. That makes me wonder if getting more organized would be even better.... But would that enable me to stop and watch the birds at the feeder as I tidied the hall, or watch the children come home from school when the buses drop them off. 

Moving towards simplicity is also helping with the budget. Since I have gotten way more involved in working towards this, I am discovering that staying within or under budget is much easier. No longer worrying about keeping up with the neighbours really does simplify and save money, time and effort. 

While our life will never be completely simplified, I am enjoying the journey to where we will actually end up once done. Simplifying has also enabled us to take the trips we do (even though I, in my frugal mindset, sometimes think about replacing the money....).

Everybody have a wonderful, relaxing, and simple evening.

God bless.