Slow Living Essentials - May 2013

I originally started this blog in July 2012 after being inspired by Christine at Slow Living Essentials where she wrote about "Slow Living". One thing lead to another and life got in the way and I didn't get around to posting any monthly updates and neglected the blog after four posts.  Then in April this year I felt inspired again and I picked up where I left off and started posting pictures and stories about Simple Living.  I created this blog separate to my normal kids and life blog Our Everyday Life in Pictures so I could focus and record those things related to simple living.  So here you have it nearly a year after I started this blog here is my first recorded "Slow Living" month that is going on the blog.  I'm a huge reader of everyone else's stories so made sure I blog hopped and it's always so inspiring.

NOURISH: Make and bake as much as possible from scratch.

I tried out Rhonda's biscuits this month which were fantastic and I wrote about them in this post here.  

I made stock for the very first time using the slow cooker and also made Rhonda's Down to Earth Chicken.

We made this bread a few times this month for our breakfast toast and I wrote about it here.

PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve.

I made chicken stock for the first time and froze it in containers.  I continue to make spaghetti bolognese in the slow cooker using this recipe and freeze 3 portions for future meals.

 I also made enough pumpkin soup for a few days worth of lunches as it has been rather cold and wet lately.

 

REDUCE: Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing.

Passed on some toys and a couple of kids DVD's to the neighbours little girl.

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.

I continue to use vinegar in my bucket of water to wash the floor tiles and this has been working well.

GROW: plant/harvest. 

Planted garlic, sugar snap peas and bok choy in our third veggie patch and we have been eating lettuce from the garden every day on school lunches and some dinners.

CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul.

I purchased the first edition of "The Art of Crochet" on sale for $2.95 which came with a crochet hook and two balls of wool a DVD and the Week 1 instructions.  We (my 7 year old and myself) watched the DVD on how to get started.

DISCOVER: Feed the mind by reading texts relevant to current interests.

This month have discovered lots of interesting websites linked through links on creative simple living.

ENHANCE: community:

Helped out in James' class for literacy rotations and also assisted with their class excursion to the Rural Discovery Day which was held at the Exhibition Grounds and was a really interesting day.

 

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.

I went out to dinner to our local tavern with my two girlfriends for a meal and some laughs.

I also make a monthly Baking Day in the Country with my friend Karin where we try out recipes from the "The Homemade Pantry" .  You can read about it here and here.