Slow Living Focus 2012

A little while ago I came across a blog called Slow Living Essentials and I was inspired by her monthly updates on how she was documenting and focusing on changes towards a slower and more meaningful.  Here's the link to her original post so head over there first to have a quick read.  You'll see all about the reasons why she created a set of goals and in fact it's more like a set of values that she consciously lives by. I love the words she chose and their descriptions.

I'm not expecting to post in a month's time that I have done something in all these categories however it's a starting point for Slow Living and I'm going to be slower at starting.  To me, they all represent values to live by and will ultimately benefit my family as I want to nourish them with healthy home grown and home cooked food.  I'm still picking up a cheap packet of biscuits with preseratives from the supermarket than spending 20 minutes making Anzac biscuits.  This is just a habit, of course time can factor into it depending upon what's going on in our lives. Sometimes the quick way is the easy way however it may not necessarily be the best way for my family.  The quick way is the lazy way and I am guilty of that.


I have started this blog to focus and document these changes and to be more conscious to NOURISH, PREPARE, REDUCE, GREEN, GROW, CREATE, DISCOVER, ENHANCE AND ENJOY.  I'm hoping to make a start on all of these areas which are to the benefit of my family and of course the environment as well.


So while I'm at it, here's a picture of some foccacia bread I made about three weeks ago and using home grown Rosemary picked off the bush.  My veggie garden has been neglected during the past 6 months and now it is all planted out we should be right.  I still got a thrill to pop outside to collect the Rosemary to put on the bread rather than scooting off to the supermarket to pay $3 for a couple of tablespoons and probably throw the rest in the bin.  It's exciting to grow your own food and nothing tastes as good as home grown food.  I look forward to focusing on these set of values and reporting on what we have been up to.

Below are the main areas of interest taken directly from her blog.

SLOW LIVING - Month by Month 2012


NOURISH: Make and bake as much as possible from scratch. Ditch over packaged, over processed convenience foods and opt for 'real' food instead. Share favourite links/recipes/tips from the month here.

PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve. Freeze extra meals or excess garden/market produce. Bottle/can, dehydrate or pickle foods to enjoy when they are not in season. Aim to reduce dependency on store bought items especially those known to contain BPA and other suspect additives. Stocking up on dry goods when prices are low counts too.

REDUCE: Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing. A ladder into a strawberry planter? A sheet into a dress? Share ideas and project links here, allowing others to be inspired.

GREEN: up our lives. Start (or continue!) using homemade cleaners, body products and basic herbal remedies. The options are endless, the savings huge and the health benefits enormous.

GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month? What's being eaten from the garden? Herbs in a pot, sprouts on a windowsill or and entire fruit/vegetable garden -opt for what fits space and time constraints. Don't have a backyard? Ask a friendly neighbour or relative for a small patch of theirs in return for some home grown produce, they may surprise you!

CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others. Create something as simple as a handmade gift tag or something as extravagant as a fine knit shawl. Share project details and any new skills learnt here.

DISCOVER: Feed the mind by reading texts relevant to current interests. Trawl libraries, second hand shops or local book shops to find titles that fill the need. Share titles/authors of what is being read this month.

ENHANCE: community: Possibilities include supporting local growers & producers, help out at a local school/kindergarten, barter or food swap, joining a playgroup or forming a walking or craft group. Car pooling where possible and biking/walking instead of driving. Even start up a blog if you haven't already - online communities count too! Or maybe just help out someone trying to cross the street! The rewards for your time are often returned tenfold.

ENJOY: Life! Embrace moments with friends and family. Marking the seasons, celebrations and new arrivals are all cause for enjoyment. Share a moment to be remembered from the month here.