On the plus side however, we can join our months together and share double the news! If you happened to be more organised than me, please do share your link here from last month so others can enjoy visiting your space...
To read more about this blog link-up and for further insight into each category, please see here. New readers are most welcome to join in, too!
Alrighty then!
July/August 2013
{nourish} Lets see, what has been in our kitchen of late? Probably more things that shouldn't be than should, if I were to be completely honest. I am trying really hard to remove most of the sugar from my diet, but those girls of mine on the other hand seem to be addicted to it. No matter how many savoury delights I try to throw their way, they still sneak into the kitchen and create shockingly good treats. What to do..what to do? Any advice beside the obvious of refusing to buy any sugar at all?
Not to appear completely wicked, we have been loving our curries lately and that pressure cooker of ours is still worth it's weight in gold. With a change around of routines in the house, I have also been relying on the old standby favourites to satisfy the hungry mob each evening. All the better if it is cooked in one pot/wok!
{prepare}With little produce coming from the garden to preserve/stockpile I have been looking at this category in reverse. Anticipating the summer garden offerings to come, I've been emptying out the cupboard by using up preserved fruit, jam and the odd jar of relish. Suddenly I have my jars back again and a blank canvas to start planning the coming season's preserves! In doing so, I've discovered that I am the only person in the family that enjoys bottled apricots. How can this be??
{green} The biggest achievement for me to list here has been that we have been through our first winter in this house in 6 years without turning the floor heating on. It uses up an enormous amount of energy (at an enormous cost!) and I feel really proud that we have proved to ourselves that we can live without it. A second fire did help see us through the coldest parts of winter, but overall it was just one fireplace that steadily cranked away. I'm looking forward to the warmer weather too so we can finally hang our clothes outside to dry again. Hanging them inside is friendly on the environment but not so good to maneuver around on a regular basis!
{grow} In the garden I am harvesting rocket, kale, broccoli (the florets after removing the central head), the odd cauliflower, parsley and perennial leeks. During winter my turn for hosting veggie group came around again and we were treated to a rare sunny day for the group to pull weeds and mulch garlic. These jobs are always so much more enjoyable when done in good company. ;)
Eggs are still steadily coming inside and the time is coming to plan summer crops..
{reduce} Old jeans were given a new lease on life after a wardrobe clear out. What a great feeling it is not having to buy a pair of those poor excuses that are sold as jeans in shops. Whatever happened to real denim? Ahh, yes, that's right, it's lurking at the back of our wardrobes!
I also treated myself this winter to a yarn swift that I've been absolutely longing for. Choosing to wait until a suitable used one came my way I was over the moon when a spinning friend offered me one of hers that she no longer used for an unbelievably reasonable price!! (Photo soon). There is really something to be said for patience here..and not settling for second best. Often, used is so much better in quality!! Amazing but true.
{create} I can feel things winding down on the knitting front. I have an exciting project to share soon - a cabled vest that I've been wearing just about everywhere! What's more, the yarn was re-purposed from another top that I had made but just wasn't happy with...if you are contemplating such a project my only advice is to DO IT! Wearing this newly knitted piece from an unravelled project brings forth a great feeling of satisfaction and joy when wearing it. I have also had the briefest of moments to squeeze in a little baby knitting for someone I know. It's quite sneaky and fun to share the gift making with another person too..but shhh, more details on that later, when the gift has been gifted!
{enhance} What I loved most recently was taking some time to repair a friend's jumper/sweater that had enormous sentimental value to her. I was so pleased to be able to help her in this way and her appreciation touched me deeply as it was completely unexpected. Very humbling.
If I were to add something else under this category, I could perhaps note the big decision I made recently to return to study. I always knew there was something lacking in this category of my monthly updates and choosing to study aged care has me certain that I am on the right path. :)
Thus far, the study goes well.
{discover} Stepping away from this space for a time allowed me to discover much about myself. Connecting with myself, my values and my goals has been completely wonderful! There is still so much more to discover, but I am comforted to have a solid feeling of who I am, my purpose in life and the direction I'm heading in.
If you'd like to talk books, I have been guided by pre-teen girl recommendations of late! I recently read The Hunger Games trilogy and Animal Farm (Animal Farm is being read in their classroom). Burial Rights, The Awakening and The Notebook were some others that I was pleased to read recently.
{enjoy} I loved taking time out to enjoy life this month. I learned that when I work hard, I play hard and it's so much more fun than merely waiting for life's enjoyments to come my way. The message? Go out there and squeeze life for all it's worth!
How was your month/s?
(A Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there and a special acknowledgment to those who are no longer with us. xx)
