EDIT: I'd just like to say thanks to the readers who have stuck around while blogging has been a bit patchy and haphazard, who continue to write encouraging messages and wish us well! It means as much as ever to have you all here plodding along the simple living path with me. I have lost a huge stack of readers just recently (like 300-500 in about 5 days - ouch!) I must admit I was a little dis-heartened at first. I wondered if I accidentally offended a bunch of people. Perhaps it was a technical glitch, perhaps my content has been repetative. I'm not sure to be honest, I am simply me. Nothing more and nothing less. But then I remembered I do this for us, for our family. To record our story. I don't pretend to know everything, in fact the more I learn the less I know. But we love trying to diy, to live simply, to be present. To put first what truly matters.
I love feeling connected to you all out there. We little home bloggers, blog for the love of it as life allows, there is no money for many of our efforts, and that's just fine. So Thankyou for those who continue to pop over to our sometimes chaotic, sometimes messy but always honest and filled with love in our little corner of the world! Xx
When we hop on line and look around the internet there are so many people simplifying their lives. Its so interesting to see how everyone is doing it. Some are living on large properties and living self sustainably, some are renting, some are in the city and some are in the country. Some people have children, some don't. Some craft, some garden, some are minimalists, some op-shop, renovate and cook.
Its amazing really isn't it? That so many of us are all working towards similar life goals but all doing it all so differently.
Sometimes we can look at all the advertising in the world and become cynical. We can think that everyone in the world is obsessed with more.
But when I see preserving jars in mainstream shops, I get excited. It means that there is a demand for them, that preserving is hitting the main stream. Cool huh?
Henry checking out the fresh picked daffodils from the garden.
We can get cynical of big fancy appliances like the thermomix, and all in one cookers. Taking over the old skills, technology blah, blah. But you know what I see? A generation of people embracing home made foods. They don't want to put preservatives in their food, they want to cook from scratch for their families. They may well be the generation that missed out on being taught how to do it our grandmothers way, but they are forging their own path forward despite that! They are looking for a way that makes sense to them, to cook the kinds of foods our grandmothers cooked, but doing it their way. These are often families with two working parents, deciding that investing in home made foods is of upmost importance to them. The savings then prove them selves, the health benefits become apparent, they begin to look around at what else in their house is chemical laden and they are already half way down the simple living rabbit hole!
I remember an old high school teacher of mine. Mrs Lill, she was a wonderful science teacher, quirky, kind and passionate. She wore blue eye shadow and was just the loveliest lady. She was the epitome of what a science teacher should be, there was something kind of wonderfully mad about her! She loved a good story and would tell us all kinds of interesting things about history, science and everything in between. Often starting with "in the good old days, which weren't really the good old days at all.." It's a phrase that has stuck with me deeply ever since.
A quiet (rare) school morning. Will is writing poetry, the little ones drawing.
And you know what? She was right. I wouldn't go back. Modern medicine has saved millions of lives, especially that of women and children. I would most likely have lost at least one child by now and possibly died myself in labour if it was not for modern medicine. That alone is enough for me. But lets look at women and education. Even in my parents generation the fields at which women are now in has grown considerably, and is continuing to do so. We have not reached equality, but we are slowly moving in the right direction.
I have the privilege of having a profession under my belt. Because of it, I know I can provide for my family if need be. But due to our life choices and a whole lot of luck, I have the choice to stay at home and care for my children. That's why there is freedom in it. When we romanticise the "good old days" we forget the brave, strong women that have paved the path for us today. We belittle the amazing contributions they have made in politics, science, arts, education, religion, health and business.
I love being at home, but I give thanks to the strong, hardworking, spunky women who have walked before me. Because of them, I can go back to Uni and study theology. Because of the battles they fought, I can both be at home, work and study. Because of them I'm allowed to speak in church, fancy that! ;)
It is easy to sit in our modern thrones of privledge and look around and say things were better then, but there was still problems. Serious problems that existed within society then, just as there are now. Let's not look at the past with rose coloured glasses. Thinking this generation is all doom and gloom. It's boring and we should know better by now.
I am forever greatful for the "good old days". But I am greatful for the choices, for the pendulum making a gentle swing back there with a modern twist.
I love that corperate companies don't know how to appeal to younger generations. That they don't want fancy, formal furniture. Eat in kitchens are a big thing, stiff formal dining rooms are disappearing. "Vintage" is cool, so is op-shopping, the Internet is filled with cool patterns, people seeing and spreading creative ideas. It is easier to buy fair trade then it ever has been! I love that being environmentally friendly is a major branding thing now, and they best back their claims or they will be found out and dragged through the ringer if they claim falsely. That people are demanding fair trade, co-ops are growing, farmers markets are cool. In my state, it has become clear that the self serve checkouts are a failure. Turns out most people don't like them here. Ha! If that's not a gentle protest to the bigger, faster, flasher movement I don't know what is. People crave connection. As much today as ever.
So I encourage you to look around and see the good things going on. The primary schools putting in veggie gardens, and bringing in chooks, re-introducing cooking programs with the kids. The parents searching for home made recipies, investing in their home kitchens so they can teach themselves how to cook from scratch, people getting chooks, baking and using green cleaners, churches helping the needing, caring for our mothers and children, Lets use the global connection we have to teach the importance of simplifying, show people how we are all connected, that our waste is all connected.
Little puss sleeping in a hand made wooden toy. The Internet has been wonderful for allowing people all over the world having little home based businesses. Allowing people to persue their hobbies, passions and creativity.
Everytime we see someone trying to move towards a simple life, weather it be eating less processed foods, putting in some herbs or veggies, getting a worm farm or building a compost heap. Weather they are walking to school or work, making their own cleaners. We need to high five them! Not look back in time and say things were better "back in the old days", or point out the way they could do it "more simply" (groan) or point out what they are doing wrong. Lets celebrate them, like their posts on social media, cheer them on and share the love. Lets use the checkouts with people to send the message we want them to focus on employment rather then speed.
Its amazing really isn't it? That so many of us are all working towards similar life goals but all doing it all so differently.
Sometimes we can look at all the advertising in the world and become cynical. We can think that everyone in the world is obsessed with more.
But when I see preserving jars in mainstream shops, I get excited. It means that there is a demand for them, that preserving is hitting the main stream. Cool huh?
We can get cynical of big fancy appliances like the thermomix, and all in one cookers. Taking over the old skills, technology blah, blah. But you know what I see? A generation of people embracing home made foods. They don't want to put preservatives in their food, they want to cook from scratch for their families. They may well be the generation that missed out on being taught how to do it our grandmothers way, but they are forging their own path forward despite that! They are looking for a way that makes sense to them, to cook the kinds of foods our grandmothers cooked, but doing it their way. These are often families with two working parents, deciding that investing in home made foods is of upmost importance to them. The savings then prove them selves, the health benefits become apparent, they begin to look around at what else in their house is chemical laden and they are already half way down the simple living rabbit hole!
I remember an old high school teacher of mine. Mrs Lill, she was a wonderful science teacher, quirky, kind and passionate. She wore blue eye shadow and was just the loveliest lady. She was the epitome of what a science teacher should be, there was something kind of wonderfully mad about her! She loved a good story and would tell us all kinds of interesting things about history, science and everything in between. Often starting with "in the good old days, which weren't really the good old days at all.." It's a phrase that has stuck with me deeply ever since.
And you know what? She was right. I wouldn't go back. Modern medicine has saved millions of lives, especially that of women and children. I would most likely have lost at least one child by now and possibly died myself in labour if it was not for modern medicine. That alone is enough for me. But lets look at women and education. Even in my parents generation the fields at which women are now in has grown considerably, and is continuing to do so. We have not reached equality, but we are slowly moving in the right direction.
I have the privilege of having a profession under my belt. Because of it, I know I can provide for my family if need be. But due to our life choices and a whole lot of luck, I have the choice to stay at home and care for my children. That's why there is freedom in it. When we romanticise the "good old days" we forget the brave, strong women that have paved the path for us today. We belittle the amazing contributions they have made in politics, science, arts, education, religion, health and business.
I love being at home, but I give thanks to the strong, hardworking, spunky women who have walked before me. Because of them, I can go back to Uni and study theology. Because of the battles they fought, I can both be at home, work and study. Because of them I'm allowed to speak in church, fancy that! ;)
It is easy to sit in our modern thrones of privledge and look around and say things were better then, but there was still problems. Serious problems that existed within society then, just as there are now. Let's not look at the past with rose coloured glasses. Thinking this generation is all doom and gloom. It's boring and we should know better by now.
I am forever greatful for the "good old days". But I am greatful for the choices, for the pendulum making a gentle swing back there with a modern twist.
I love that corperate companies don't know how to appeal to younger generations. That they don't want fancy, formal furniture. Eat in kitchens are a big thing, stiff formal dining rooms are disappearing. "Vintage" is cool, so is op-shopping, the Internet is filled with cool patterns, people seeing and spreading creative ideas. It is easier to buy fair trade then it ever has been! I love that being environmentally friendly is a major branding thing now, and they best back their claims or they will be found out and dragged through the ringer if they claim falsely. That people are demanding fair trade, co-ops are growing, farmers markets are cool. In my state, it has become clear that the self serve checkouts are a failure. Turns out most people don't like them here. Ha! If that's not a gentle protest to the bigger, faster, flasher movement I don't know what is. People crave connection. As much today as ever.
So I encourage you to look around and see the good things going on. The primary schools putting in veggie gardens, and bringing in chooks, re-introducing cooking programs with the kids. The parents searching for home made recipies, investing in their home kitchens so they can teach themselves how to cook from scratch, people getting chooks, baking and using green cleaners, churches helping the needing, caring for our mothers and children, Lets use the global connection we have to teach the importance of simplifying, show people how we are all connected, that our waste is all connected.
Everytime we see someone trying to move towards a simple life, weather it be eating less processed foods, putting in some herbs or veggies, getting a worm farm or building a compost heap. Weather they are walking to school or work, making their own cleaners. We need to high five them! Not look back in time and say things were better "back in the old days", or point out the way they could do it "more simply" (groan) or point out what they are doing wrong. Lets celebrate them, like their posts on social media, cheer them on and share the love. Lets use the checkouts with people to send the message we want them to focus on employment rather then speed.
Let's not look at the past with rose coloured glasses, instead let's look forward. Armed with everything we know, and move forward togeather in support of eachother. Let's give thanks for the past, and for the wonderful oppertunities it has paved the way for us today.
How else can we celebrate the simple living community I wonder?
Much love,
Emma
xx
Much love,
Emma
xx
