Cultivating a sense of thankfulness within ordinary days

It's easy be thankful when things are cruising along, there is money in the bank, everyone is healthy and you're in a job that is reliable and pays well.

But what about when things aren't great? 

We all have those times, when we feel like we are facing a mountain of impossible-ness and life is falling down around our ears. Or we might be so damn tired from wrangling small children and doing the same thing day in and day out that we feel like we are loosing ourselves amongst the daily grind. We might be facing economic uncertainty, health challenges or significant life changes. All of which we have experienced ourselves in one form or another, as many long time readers will know. 

How do we cultivate a sense of thankfulness when it seems there is really not a lot to be grateful for? 
I'm afraid I don't have any hard and fast answers, but I do think cultivating a sense of gratitude among our ordinary days can help us keep momentum in the hard times. It can help us to keep moving forward and take the next step.  

Sometimes when we are feeling sad or disheartened, the first thing we can do is to stop and acknowledge those feelings, to give ourselves permission to sit in it a bit, to process our reality and to hopefully shuffle forward, even if it's just a little shuffle.

Thankful for healthy home grown organic veggies and more bought from some friends market garden. 

If you're in the mid-north coast of NSW check out The Vicars Blend Currently they are growing lovely organic veggies, but soon they will be getting started on a boutique winery too. 

As a christian woman, sitting in prayer is important in helping me adjust my focus from my immediate situation and emotions to looking at the bigger picture. I find prayer quietens my mind and heart which then helps to reconnect me to purpose and place. It reminds me I am loved and never alone. Perhaps people who meditate find a similar kind of peace.

Some days, when we are in the thick of a difficult season the idea of finding joyful moments in our days might be too far a stretch. But, often we can still look for small moments of pleasure or peace speckled throughout our days. Below are a few things I find help me to cultivate a sense of thankfulness, even when things are not OK.

Savouring the pleasure of a hot, strong cuppa in a favourite mug.

Chocolate.  

Breathing in the top of Elsies head to fill my body with love endorphins, even when she's not sleeping and I'm completely and utterly exhausted. 

Thankful for an unexpected afternoon nap. I was catching up on Glady's daily NSW COVID update and I think Elsie found it a bit much that day. As did the rest of NSW no doubt.  

Laughing at the silly YouTube clip My teenager has shared with me. Even if I don't think it's particularly funny myself, watching him laugh is lovely. Taking a moment to bask in others happiness can help us remember ours will return.

Holding my family tight after an argument as we talk out how our communication process broke down, or in fact, exploded with loud voices and angry words. We are only human after all.

Touching base with family or friends, even if they are two thousand kms away and I miss them like crazy. I'm thankful for technology that allows me to share photos, videos and hear their voices at the press of a button. Can you imagine going through these covid times without it? 

Giving thanks when folding the never ending pile of clean washing. Stay with me here, I know this one sounds a little bonkers. But I give thanks for having good, warm, comfortable clothes to wear. Though I admit I find it much easier to be grateful for clean washing rather than wet muddy washing....It's not to say I don't ever resent the washing or the chores, but resenting them isn't going to make them any easier to do, so I may as well try to do them with a thankful spirit. The chores reflect that I have a safe secure home to live in and a family to love.  

Giving thanks that I have nourishing food which I can prepare into a tasty meal for my family. And when I'm just too tired, the house is a mess and I have a cranky babe to juggle while trying to connect with the boys, wrangle goats or the multitude of other things that need doing, I'm grateful for pizza that Grant can pick up on the way home from work. Or two minute noodles or baked beans for that matter. I'm thankful that we go to bed each night with full tummies.

Washing to do reminds me we have enough clean, warm comfortable clothing for our family.

I'm thankful for Grant's work where he is treated well and he enjoys being, even if finances often remain stressfully tight.  

I'm thankful for books and the ability to escape to another world. For the warmth from the sun after a stint of cold days or the relief of nightfall in the midst of a scorching Australian summer.

I'm thankful for my little garden and the progress we are making in expanding it. Even if that progress seems painfully slow. There is something about being in nature that is soothing to the most weary soul. Whether it be the bush, the beach, the plains or the forest. Each possess their own kind of beauty. 

It would be nice if life was a smooth as an Instagram reel, but that's just not reality. We all have ups and downs and seasons we don't know if we will be able to bear. But for me, cultivating a sense of thankfulness in the small pockets of peace or pleasure throughout even the hardest days is what keeps me looking forward.     

So dear readers, Id love to hear what do you find helps you when things are tough? 

Much love,
Emma
xx

sadness on the farm

We are struggling with our goats. They are rotated every 1-2 weeks on fresh, rested ground and have a really diverse diet of grasses and woody weeds. They look strong and healthy but a couple of days ago one gave birth prematurely to still born twins. She retained some placenta which we thought had been passed in full and sadly, she died overnight.

We have had 3 goats birth now and have no living babies to show for it which is heart breaking.  The first birthed unexpectedly and we had made the mistake of not separating Hagrid off from the pregnant girls. Being young, it seems he was over excited and licked the baby goat to death after birth. There were no signs of trauma or damage to him and Hagrid was quite distressed when we had to remove the dead baby goat from his flock. He is excellent with the goats generally, it was entirely out fault for not separating him and actively teaching him how to act around baby goats. It was a hard lesson to learn. 

Next was a runty little goat rejected by its mother. I took it in and tried to save it, but sadly it died too. Its mother is not the best frame but we are hoping next time she does better. 

Aggie keeping watch over the sick goat. In this photo we are trying to warm her up in the warmer of the Aga. The warmer is exactly that, warm, but not hot. They have frequently been used on farms as an incubator for cold, sick animals. 

We are researching and doing our best to provide them with everything they need. When we bought them they were weaners and a they were a bit runty and struggling with worms. The farmer had just drenched them with a new drench that seemed to be working better, but they have remained very susceptible to worms since. This wasn't helped by the serious floods we experienced a few months ago. Like much of this region, we had a very difficult outbreak of barbers pole after the floods and the ground was sodden. We couldn't move the goats to higher ground as we couldn't get them across the swollen creeks and they spent a couple of weeks knee deep in mud. They lost condition, perhaps that impart has led to increased difficulties in maintaining healthy, live pregnancies. Perhaps our soil/feed is deficient in a nutrient. We will up their pelleted feed to daily as we have only been giving it as a treat, in the hope of filling any potential dietary gaps. They have apple cider vinegar in their water to help with gut health, are vaccinated and a lick block available. I'm unsure of what else to do. 

As all the issues have been different, perhaps it is just that they are first time mothers and we have had a run of particularly bad luck. Perhaps we need better genetics, or a different breed of goat entirely. Perhaps their next births will be more successful. 

What I do know is that I am finding very disheartening. Since I am home most, it is me finding the dead animals and having to remove them. Grant having extensive livestock experience, is much more matter of fact about these things. He’s confident we work it out in time and all will be fine. He's on the look out for a few proven mothers to add to our small flock at a decent price, which is proving difficult to find at the moment. 

A poor photo of the new garden beds in progress and the sand pit to the right, ready to be filled. 

In happier news, we have two new garden beds nearly built and mostly retained. There is just a small retaining wall along the yurt to finish off. Between them is a pebble path to the caravan and outdoor laundry area. This area will be fenced off with a recycled timber picket style fence like my other little garden and it will become a dog-free play area for Elise with a little sandpit and plenty of sensory plants. The sandpit is built and waiting for a load of sand to fill it. The new garden beds will be a combination of veggies, herbs, flowers and a couple of small shrubby trees. There is a crape myrtle in one bed and there will be an Elderberry in the other, once I can lay my hands on one locally.  

When it comes to planting we are going with a kind of no-dig method which means laying a thick layer of cardboard then bringing in a load of mushroom compost/mulch to plant it out. Though clearly one bed has been built up with the retaining. The cardboard will suppress weeds which is a big struggle in such a warm, wet area. We also have two raised beds to find a place for in the yard. One we brought with us from SA and the other I bought of market place for $20. The kids are in the process of collecting sticks and small logs to turn them into hugelkultur beds. I think I'll be sticking to thrifting second hand raised beds from here on out. Building fences around each garden bed to keep out the dogs is very time consuming and raised beds are a natural deterrent to dogs digging and trampling. Also I can place them and fill them myself which frees up Grant for more important jobs like building the shed and building up his wood roach business. 

We are working on a garden update YouTube clip at the moment, which will show our garden plans. I hope to get it out in the next couple of weeks. You can see the last one Grant and I did HERE

Well, the sun is shining and its a beautiful day so I'm off the pop some washing on, tidy up and enjoy the beautiful day. I hope things are well where you are. 

Much love,
Emma 
xx

What's in a home?

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck all the marrow of life." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden.)

With the world seeming uncertain at the moment, it's a good time to look inwards at our home and how we are living. 

When it comes to the crunch a good house is that which provides us shelter from the elements. A place that is warm and dry when its cold and a place to escape the heat in summer. It should provide a comfortable place to rest, and allow us to prepare food in a hygienic and safe manner. Our home needs to be able to store our belongings and clothing. It's should also be a place to experience community and fellow ship with those around us. To share a meal, for children to play, learn and grow. You know, when COVID restrictions aren't interfering with that. 

These needs can be met in a small and simple home, even a yurt.

But what is it in us that craves more? Why do we desire homes with so many rooms that some of them barely get used? Why do we build homes so big that they fill their block leaving no space for a garden? Why do we hanker after bigger and better televisions, and the latest interior decorations?

Perhaps it is because we envy what we see on TV, magazines and in shop windows. Maybe we look at the beautiful scenes and imagine how lovely it would be to have a home that looked like that, one which is clean and pretty and organised. But when we buy the items to create our own version of that space it ends up feeling wrong. It gets messy, the Instagram perfect white couches get coffee spilled on them, the dogs jump on them and the kids leave their crap everywhere. 

So perhaps the answer is more storage, better storage. So off we head to the shops to buy the ideal storage that will keep everything in order so we can have that beautiful house. Still clutter accumulates, mess happens and we are constantly cleaning to keep the house looking beautiful. 

One might look at this scene and think it is messy. Compared to a magazine image, I guess it is. But the reality is that it's just the ordinary goings on of a family home. It's nothing to hide away nor be frustrated over.  It is the stuff of life.  

Perhaps we have outgrown the house? So off we go to get a bigger house, a newer house and a bigger mortgage. A bigger mortgage means everyone has to work just a little more to pay it off. Of course it will need its own look, items and decorations. 

Eventually we find ourselves tired. The bigger house requires more maintenance, it takes longer to clean and no one has the time because they have to work more to afford the bigger mortgage. The built in wardrobes are bursting with clothes and before we know it, it has all become just a bit too much. Because everyone is so tired and busy working to earn the extra money to afford the lifestyle they have found them selves in, relationships falter. 

Money is a huge stressor on a family. There are many families who live day to day because they simply have no choice. This post isn't referring to them. This post is referring to those of us who have the privilege of choice.

The world is in a season of uncertainty. I feel it is more important than ever to focus inwards at what we have and make the most of it. To find the beauty that exists in the ordinary parts of our lives. To build resilient homes and relationships. To minimise debit if we can and simplify our lives to create a bit of a buffer. Just in case. Many of us have been living just a little bit out of our means for a really long time. 

The warmer of the wood oven acting like an incubator for a rejected kid. Unfortunately she died, but I'm thankful we got to make her last hours warm, safe and comfortable. 

So what can we do to make a small home work rather then upsizing? I'm not going to lie, I would love one extra room. A room for a sewing room/office with a spare single bed would be really helpful. But considering we have only just got a bathroom, which is not yet finished, that is unlikely to happen any time soon. 

Instead we can look at little ways to make our spaces work better for us. The first thing is to de-clutter. Draw by draw, room by room. If you don't use it, look at it or even remember you had it, you really don't need it.  There are stacks of ways to declutter and people who will write about it better than I. But getting rid of clutter and useless crap is really helpful to creating a home that functions well for you.    

Creating a space for Elsie to cultivate reading. This way the books can face outwards so they are more visually appealing and I can rotate them. 

Look at the furniture you have and if it is serving its purpose as well as it could. For example, our couches are too big for our tiny lounge area. I am on the look out for a second hand slim-ish brown leather two seater lounge/chaise combo that I can actually vacuum under. Along with the rocking chair and maybe beanbags for the little kids, this small shift will open up the lounge area hugely. (I actually found one which would be perfect but it's in Sydney and they are locked down...dang it!) Once I sell our couch, the cost involved will be minimal, if anything. There is stacks of amazing furniture available second hand and it is easy to buy and sell items to make the space you have work the very best it can. I can't remember the last time I bought furniture new. 

Is your kitchen too small or is your dining table too big? Do you need as many plates, bowls and cups as you have or can you get rid of those ones jammed right in the back of the cupboard? Do you use all your pots and pans that fall out of your cupboard every time you open it? What about clothes, do you even like all the items taking up space in your bursting wardrobe? 

Historically, homes were much smaller than they are today and families generally bigger. When lamenting the size or mess within my home, my mind often wanders back to this fact. It reminds me to pull up my socks, focus on the present and get on with the task at hand. 

Rather than looking outward for what is going to make our lives better, perhaps it is more helpful to look inwards at what we already have and how we are using it.

Including that precious thing too often over looked. Our time.      

Much love,

Emma

xx

 

Simple self care when caring for young children

Self care. 

We all hear how important it is, right? But who has the money for a massage? And if we did have the money, who would look after the kids? 

When we hear the words "self care" we often imagine luxurious spa days, massages, manicures and fancy hair cuts. This is what media and advertising would like us to think self care was, and for some people who enjoy these kinds of things, it can indeed be a form of self care.  However, I am a woman of simple needs. A home body who is most comfortable in leggings, a soft dress and a cardigan. If, like me, you have a bunch of small children to care for, have mobility problems, or are living with a tight budget these kinds of costly 'self care' experiences are totally unattainable.

 
And to be honest, while it is important we get a chance to step away from the weight of our responsibilities from time to time to breathe deeply and be alone with our thoughts, the kind of self care I find most helpful is in the small daily habits. 

During this seemingly never ending season of COVID self care is incredibly important. Lots of us are tired and the world feels heavy and uncertain. People are facing unemployment, reduced hours and financial hardship. They are trying to work form home while homeschooling/home educating small children, which for any one who is in this position, it is a near impossible task. And then there are those who are most at risk of getting sick or are sick. The burn out and exhaustion people are facing is very real and many people are teetering on the edge.

So what does self care look like in this heavy, time poor, cash poor, uncertain season of life? 

For lots of people, their time is stretched so thin trying to juggle all the balls that self care can only exist in small pockets of time. With this in mind, I thought I would share a few things I find helpful.

 

Actually taking 5 minutes to sit down to drink a nice hot cuppa, preferably somewhere sunny or where you can look out to nature. 

If drinking a cuppa alone isn't an option, create a ritual of 'tea time' and serve the kids sweet camomile tea or warm milk in their own little mug and drink your 'tea' together. It might take a little time to get in routine, but at the very least I have found it has the affect of making me feel like we are vaguely civilised. 

Listen to the essential news and then turn it off. We know COVID is crap and horrible. It's important to keep up to date, but it serves no purpose to us to down our selves in it by listening to the news all day. Popping on some favourite music or an uplifting podcast is much more beneficial.

Breathe. Take 5 slow deep breaths right into your belly. Stop and do it throughout the day when you feel that tension settling in your chest.  

Embrace your inner cat and stretch if you're finding yourself sitting for long periods of time. 

Pack away toys and rotate them so at the end of the day you don't have to clean up an insanely messy area. 

Take a walk around the yard along or with the little person in your life. Take the time to look at your plants and even pulling a few weeds. If you get to clear a little section, perhaps you can plant some cheerful flowers or herbs. 

Take a moment to pop on a podcast while folding the never ending rounds of washing. Or don't fold it and chuck it on the spare bed and make a game of the kids finding their clothes every morning. what ever works. Just don't beat yourself up over it either way. 

Pop on a show/movie for the kids and actually lay down on the couch while they watch it, rather than using that time to catch up. Because really, when it comes to a house full of small children, one is never actually caught up. 

Have a hot shower, change into clean clothes and actually use the moisturiser that's been relegated to the back of the cabinet, forgotten in the midst of teaching children to wipe their own bottoms and brush their teeth. 

Change your sheets and dust your bedside tables to help create a clear, relaxing sleep space.

Open the windows to let in the fresh air.

Give some love to your indoor plants. Get rid of dead ones and replace them with hardier options. Don't beat yourself up about killing them, think of them like a bunch of flowers. They gave you joy while they were alive and even the best gardeners have things die on them. It's all trial and error.    

If social media is sucking time and energy delete them off your phone and pop the phone on a shelf so it's not right next to you to avoid mindless scrolling. 

When it comes to bath time, pop a few drops of lavender oil in the bath and some magnesium salts to aid in a restful sleep for the big and the small people in the house. 

Try to cook a nourishing meal in bulk every few days. Less cooking, less dishes and it saves money and time. If you can make it a one pot meal where all the veggies are incorporated even better. And if you're too tired, scrambled eggs on toast is a perfectly acceptable meal. And two minute noodles, whilst not being the best option, will fill tummies with no fighting just fine. My kids love when they get two minute noodles for dinner. I figure if you serve fruit and yoghurt for dessert you're looking at a pretty balanced meal. 

These little daily rituals are the kinds of things that fill my cup when life feels heavy. They are not grand nor impressive, and part of me feels a little silly writing such a list. But these things exist as small reminders to breathe and to remember the way we spend our minutes is the way we spend our days and as such, our lives. I know from my own experience it can be all too easy to throw myself deep into mothering, and then find myself drowning under the weight. Having forgotten that I too have needs that need to be tended to.  

So dear readers, what little rituals do you find helpful in your day to keep you steady? Is there anything in this list that resonates with you? 

Much love,
Emma
xx

Living simply, goats and a new vlog

How are you dear readers?

 
It seems COVID has taken off in NSW and Sydney is in hard lock down. It has also escaped to Melbourne and SA and as such, they are locked down too. 

If you are reading this from Sydney or any other locked down area please know we are thinking of you and holding you in our prayers. While we are not locked down on the mid-north coast yet, there are more restrictions in place. Our family is unable to visit another family as we are more than 5 people. For the first time since COVID started, Will has to wear a mask at school. Masks are now compulsory for everyone over 12. This variant is affecting children and if the virus pops up any where near us we will be switching to home schooling quick smart. I have already decided if that happens again I will mostly not be using the school curriculum. The teachers do an amazing job in near impossible circumstances, but we wasted so much time juggling the various online platforms they were on and switching back and forth that it added a whole other layer of stress. Our satellite internet can be sluggish which doesn’t help. Because I am full time at home, I have the luxury of working out our own curriculum. We will be working out our own schedule, projects and work directed by what is relevant to us, while working towards the schools desired outcomes. Except perhaps maths. I have found the online maths component helpful. I figure if I look after our family it will also free up the teachers to focus on the families who are juggling the impossible of working from home and learning from home. 

This past week Grant and I have been working on a new vlog, and if you are after something calm, soothing and a little daggy to watch the link is HERE. If you could take a moment to like, subscribe and even share it would mean a lot. We see a lot of American homesteaders online, but not so many Australian ones and we would love to contribute to that space from a mindful and sustainable viewpoint.

In this vlog we chat about our goats and show how we rotate them. I do a little cooking on the wood oven and you see plenty of little Elsie telling the goats who is boss. When did she get so big?! Even Grant sat down and had a bit of a yarn. Miracles will never cease. I have learnt a lot about filming and editing over the course of making these last few vlogs. I can say there is a vast improvement in the final product of this vlog, and I have many strategies in mind to continue to improve. 

There are two schools of thought when undertaking a new endeavour. One is to practise and not release something until you have it nailed, the other is to start small and learn along the way, gathering encouragement and ideas as you go. I am a big fan of the latter. I learn best by doing and sharing. It is how this blog started and grew to what it is today and I think there is honesty and transparency in keeping things real. I think just giving things a good crack is a great life lesson. Whether it be starting a garden, learning to sew, knit, cook a new recipe, thrift, paint, mend, tinker or write. Not one ever got better at something by sitting on the couch simply thinking about it.  

If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed by uncertainty of the worlds events, I encourage you to take a deep breath, make a cuppa and think about just one small thing you would like to do. It can be tiny. Do you love indoor plants? Look around your home and clear a nice sunny spot ready to welcome in an indoor plant next time you go to the shops. Or take a cutting off a succulent when you're going for a walk, which has the added bonus of being free. Rip up an old towel or sheet to use as cloth rags to stop buying chux. Buy vinegar, eucalyptus oil and bi-carb instead of that bottle of toxic disinfectant. Change your sheets and dust your bedside tables to help create a soothing bedtime routine.  

Still too much? Perhaps eat a piece of fruit and take a nice hot shower. It's ok you're finding things hard. It is a bloody hard season. You are here and you are going to get though it day by day. When the world seems out of control, these small actions help us to create a form of self care and in turn we are taking meaningful action towards a more frugal, nourishing life within our home. It's so important we take the time to look after ourselves.Sure, listen in to the news to receive the daily updates as necessary and then switch it off and put on some uplifting music. Try to create pockets of loveliness in your day, even if you're surrounded by small children. I know it's hard! Perhaps, a nice hot cuppa with a choccie biscuit, or send the kids out to find 10 insects/leaves/flowers in the garden so you can breathe for just 5 minutes. My kids love having a cup of tea and a biscuit with me and it has the bonus effect of making me feel like we are civilised despite the chaos that might surround us.  

Look after yourselves dear readers, and go gently.  

Much love, 
Emma
xx

   

Quiet days and bathroom progress

We are all sick at the moment with a nasty cold, well most of us anyway. Grant and Will seem to have missed the cold this time round. I have had Angus and Henry home from school since last Thursday. It feels like the days stretch on forever and I'm dragging my feet to get anything much done. 

Currently the sun is out, though the air remains crisp.  I have rugged the kids up and turfed them out onto the trampoline for a bit to make the most of the sunshine while I try to get the yurt into some kind of order.  I always feel better when the floors are clean, even if it doesn't last long. Clearly, as I am here with you my motivation to get on top of the jobs wained! 

As such, not a lot has been going on from my end. There have been movies, cups of tea, books, tissues and mandarins in hand. And the washing, which never ends. Even Aggie has relegated herself to the couch. Refusing to go outside for anything but a wee, before taking her rightful place back on the couch again, surrounded by blankets and pillows no less.

However Grant, as usual, is a hive of activity. He's been pottering away on building the permanent bathroom/mudroom under the little porch which is wonderful. As always we are using as much recycled materials as possible. It is being clad in second hand iron, the wooden door was bought from the local salvedge yard, the bath is a free salvage find as is the sink which isn't in yet. The internal walls will be clad in a waterproof sheeting with a tile look. It's super quick to install, affordable and should be tough for this kind of space.  The composting toilet box is made up of left over bench from the kitchen and varnished. The inner pipe is a giant free salvaged PVC pipe and under the porch we are using big black bins for the collection of waste. They then get left to compost and the fully composted material will get scattered in the bush. 

The bathroom is clearly a building site, and as such it currently looks pretty grubby. It doesn't help that Tucker has decided he likes to sleep in the bath, and until the walls are clad we can't keep the cheeky fellow out. But once it's finished the floors and bath etc will all scrub up just fine with a bit of elbow grease and it will be a clean, functional space. In the aim of being transparent and keeping it real, I figure I may as well show you the progress shots. I will be very happy not to have to traipse across the yard to shower in our current draughty makeshift bathroom which consists of some old iron, a cattle trough and a camping hot water system with terrible water pressure. I mean it gets you clean sure, but it gets old fast. 

Anyway, I think it's time for Elsie to have a nap so I best get going. I hope you are keeping well dear readers! 

Much love,

Emma

xx

      

 

Finally it happened

Chickens! 

I finally managed to convince Grant that it was time for chickens, and they are delightful! Grant has built a simple and kinda movable chicken tractor so we can rotate them in conjunction with the goats. 

Every week or two we move the goats around the farm using portable electric fencing. Once we have moved them we put the chicken tractor in their last place. By doing this we are utilising the chickens to aerate the soil that they have trampled as well as using their enthusiastic scratchings to break down the manure the goats have left behind which helps to disperse it into the soil. They also eat weeds and insects. All in all, we hope this will help with long term soil improvement as per regenerative farming practises. I really like Joel Salatin's work on regenerative agriculture and how well managed livestock can actually help improve soil health, increase topsoil and aid biodiversity.  

In the future we hope to add cattle and maybe pigs for our families consumption. Though the pigs at least will be a little way down the track. Slow and steady and all of that. And we need a bigger freezer.

Our chook shelter is a simple A-frame building with nesting boxes on each side. Grant has built it from salvaged/scrap materials so the cost was minimal. There is a door that can be closed at night to secure them from predators and it has branches inside for perches as well as nesting boxes which are filled with clean wood shavings. In time, once my lavender and wormwood plants are big enough, I'll also add worm their clippings to their boxes to help with natural mite control.     

The chickens are left to free range through the day and they spend their days foraging for bugs and weeds. They also get a quality layers pellet, kitchen scraps and a glurp of garlic infused apple cider vinegar in their water to help with natural parasite control. By allowing them to free range, they get a diverse and varied diet as well as being able to undertake all their normal chicken behaviour, so they are very happy chooks.

Henry especially loves the chooks and he has assumed most of their day to day care, with a little help when it comes to tipping out the water and cleaning out their laying boxes. He will hang out with them for an hour or so at a time to talk to them, cuddle them and feed them. I also love the presence of the chooks about the place. Their funny fluffy bottoms as they run to greet you, their clucks and crows throughout the day. They bring a kind of simple joy to the place.

Much love,
Emma
xx

  

The flood

It has been a tumultuous time since moving to the farm. First, we were fortunate to escape the devastating bushfires which raged across the countryside. There was an early wind change and the fire swung back on itself just 1km from our farm. Then there has been setting up the farm, a pandemic, a new baby and then about a month or so ago this area was devastated by violent flooding, with some areas recording over 800mm in a few days. I have never seen such rain. It rained day and night for days on end. Dampness seeped into everything, and it was impossible to stave off even with the wood fire going. 

Our neighbours checking out our track once the flood water had receded.

The ground groaned with water. With every footstep water would pour out like a sponge being squeezed. The creeks and rivers swelled with torrents of muddy water, bursting their banks and taking everything in its path. Trees, houses, cars, houses. All at its mercy.    

The night before the flood Grant parked his car on the other side of the creek, just in case the creek rose which it sometimes does in heavy rain, but at that point we had little idea what was coming. By morning our creek crossing was a raging torrent of water. Grant, new to his job was determined to get to work, but I decided to keep the younger boys home. Grant and Will felt the crossing out with a long stick, and they realised the crossing had been entirely eroded away. They decided to go for a walk and see if they could find an area where the water wasn't rushing so much. Concerned how they would go, I sent Grant a message asking him to let me know when they were out safe. Two hours later it showed it hadn't been delivered, meaning they hadn't made it off the property to reception. 

I grew deeply concerned that one of them might have slipped and been hurt and the other was waiting with them for help. I knew Grant would never risk a creek crossing unless he was certain, but trees were falling, and the ground was slippery. I rang the neighbours to see if they had seen his car leave, wondering if his phone might have just become wet. They hadn't. I rang his work and Wills school to check if they had arrived. They hadn't seen them either. My heart sunk. That meant they were more than likely still on the farm. 

 

By this time the creeks were raising rapidly. I rang my neighbour again and asked them to notify the SES and I loaded up the kids in the 4WD to start to search where it was safe to do so. I called the dogs to come for a run, hoping that they might be able to hear them through the sounds of the pouring rain and roar of the creek. I did a very careful lap of the property, eventually making it up onto our track. I Found tracks, meaning the boys had thankfully made it out. But in my concern for them, I managed to misjudge the height of the creek which had risen greatly in a spot I had thought would still be passable, or at least the track would remain wide enough to turn around. I was wrong. Left with nowhere to turn, I had little choice but to reverse back up the track in 4WD, whilst navigating the narrow, slippery, steep path. To the right of me there was a sheer drop off much of the way and it was a slow trip. with the window open in the rain open so I could ensure I was well clear of the soggy edge. Eventually, I got to a wider place and managed to turn around and continue the drive home facing the right way. 

 

Once I got back to the safety of the yurt, I saw a stack of missed calls. My neighbour upon the advice of the SES had been advised to escalate the call to the Police. Grant eventually got out and managed to get in contact with them they were able to call the search off before it got underway. I was relieved to hear his voice and based on the urgent flood warnings he and Will came home while it was still safe to do so. A few hours later the river burst its banks, flooding us all in on the farm for several days. Fortunately, we were all together with a well-stocked pantry, spare fuel for the generator, and spare gas on hand as well as the Aga. 

The boys got free reign on their screens while we were flooded in and there were many movies watched. 

Aside from road and creek crossings we were fortunate our home and belongings remained safe and dry. The yurt is up high and dry on the hill, and we watched the creeks rise with amazement. they reached over 30m wide in places, with whole trees being ripped out and carried downstream. However, my little garden was badly battered. I have since been going through weeding, pulling out the dry loving plants that didn't appreciate water-logged roots. I have spread a good dose of manure, replanted and mulched ready for Autumn. 

Elsie hanging out in the garden after a little TLC. 

Since the flood there has been a definite shift in the seasons on the farm. The nights are cool and crisp, our valley is shrouded in mist in the early mornings. I light the Aga every couple of days. We could survive without it most of the time still, but the warmth that radiates from it is deeply comforting and it means I can transition to cooking soups, roasts and nourishing stews.

We have a few other new and exciting projects on the go here, but I shall have to leave that for next time.  I hope you are all well. 

Much love,
Emma

xx      

Yurt Frequently asked questions

I often get messages and emails asking various questions about our yurt. Recently a reader asked if I had a FAQ post specifically on the yurt, which I thought was a brilliant idea. I don't remember doing one so so here we are. 

Why did you choose a yurt? 

When we bought our farm it had zero infrastructure. Because we wanted to live on it immediately we looked extensively at numerous housing options before settling on a modern yurt. They can be fully erected within a few days, there is no further insulating/plastering to be done on the external structure, they offer a comparatively large space which can be sectioned off, (compared to a caravan/tiny home) they are affordable and when we do eventually build a home it will become an interesting and unique B&B.

How big is your yurt?
It is a 30ft yurt. We have it roughly divided in half and downstairs, we have two bedrooms and an upper loft which is divided into two spaces. We built a small walk-in pantry underneath the central half spiral staircase. The other half is an open kitchen/lounge/dining area. We are really happy with this layout and feel we have maximised every inch of the space we have. You can see a floor plan below and there are built-in shelves in the boys' rooms in the mezzanine which are above our wardrobe and the other one. 

What yurt company did you use and why?
We did a lot of research into various yurt companies, yurts are far more common in the USA then they are here in Australia and we settled on Pacific Yurts. They have a long and reliable history of producing good quality yurts, an excellent and comprehensive website and were brilliant to deal with.  

Here is their link Pacific Yurts  

Pacific Yurts came highly recommended and had clear customizable options. They have a history of excellent customer service and utilising the best materials available, which is why we choose them. We felt we could trust them with our money and that they would deliver what they promised. 
Blue Mountain Yurts are an Australian supplier of the American made Colerado Yurts. They are worth looking into, though I have no personal experience with them so with anything, please do your own research. It's a big cost item! Sometimes we talk about putting a second smaller yurt for more space for the kids as they grow and if we decide to do this we will look more closely at them, purely due to the import costs which we were caught out by. 

However, we remain incredibly happy with our Pacific Yurt and highly recommend them. 

What is your yurt built on?
Our yurt is built on a timber platform. The platform is built from hardwood turpentine stilts, felled from our own property with treated pine joists with yellow tongue flooring laid on top. We have hardwood flooring laid on that. The platform plans are included in the yurt instructions, and you can get them emailed to you prior to your yurt arriving. 

How much did it cost?
We paid about $30k for the yurt itself. Though this will fluctuate depending on what the Aussie dollar is doing. However, we got caught out with shipping which added an extra $12k on the Australian side of things. This included things like GST, import taxes, handling fees, storage space, customs manager etc. 

How did you import it?
Pacific Yurts crated our yurt up brilliantly and it was packed into a 20ft shipping container.
You will need to hire a customs manager who will liaise with the company to organise shipment.  
You also need to be aware of the brown marmorated stink bug when importing timber from the USA. Fumigation and then a quarantine period may be required depending on the season. We were fortunate we didn't need this as the already high import cost could have skyrocketed. 

Australia's borders are highly regulated and at this time, Pacific Yurts had not imported many yurts into Australia so they were unsure themselves on how to ensure they were following Australian protocol. We worked it out together, and I know they had a couple more yurts being built to ship to Australia so no doubt they have their procedures in place now.   

What is the yurt made from? Our yurt is a modern yurt, made with modern technology and materials. You can read about the construction and materials here

What is it like living in a yurt?
It's good. The yurt linings are very thin compared to a conventional building so the temperature fluctuates quite a lot. Though with the windows open and fans on we do ok in the sub-tropics. I feel like the temperature is easier to manage in the winter with the wood oven on. Due to condensation building on the windows when it's cold, it's important to keep airflow moving to help dry out the condensation to minimize the risk of mildew forming. Fans can help this. Though we have not had this problem, I have read of others struggling. 

Due to the yurts thin walls, the dome and many windows, we feel very connected to nature. We can hear the winds shift, the leaves rustle and the birds sing with clarity. Which we love. When I go into a conventional home I'm often surprised by the feeling of disconnect to nature. Perhaps it is also the yurts exposed timber and gently curved walls that help make it feel like a peaceful building. When it rains, however, it is very noisy! 

Would you choose a yurt again? 

Grant and I have talked extensively about this upon reflection. Though long term perhaps it might have saved a little money to build a shed home or something similar, we didn't want to be living in a dusty building site with a young family for many years to come. The speed and simplicity of erecting the yurt was the biggest appeal for us, and all things considered, it has given us a comfortable little home. We still feel we have made the right decision for our family as the yurt has given us the chance to think about what kind of home we want to build on the farm in the future. When that time comes, we will be able to do much of the work ourselves which can save a lot of money. We will not be forced into rushed or sub-optimal decisions due to needing to get into it quickly, as we are quite comfortable here.   

Let me know if there are any further questions and I can edit this post to include them for future reference. 

Much love, 

Emma
xx

What simple living means to us

Since starting our budding YouTube channel, I have spent a lot of time contemplating the ways we are living simply and what simple living means to our family. We have been on this path for quite a while now, and it's become our normal. I sometimes get a reminder that not all people live like us. Particularly when someone emails me or messages me on IG asking for advice or thanking me for helping them see how they can make simple changes in their own lives. 

Our kitchen dining area in the yurt. Though the yurt is only 30ft or a touch over 9m in diameter, there is always room for everyone. 

I have also been watching YouTube to see how others are living simply, and the stories they are sharing through their channel. There are some people who have big families often share quite practical videos. Then there are people who are trying to live and maintain the old ways of doing things. These tend to be both informative and beautiful. There are people who use their unique sense of creativity to express their lives with beautiful filming and music. There are some people who appear to live a more ecologically conscious lifestyle than others, and people who live simply in towns as well as those who live on smallholdings or farms like us.  

Which raises the question, what do we have to offer in this space? 

For us, simple living is a continuing journey, which fluctuates depending on the season of life we are in. But the thread that seems to connect everyone who is trying to live simply is a sense of mindfulness and consideration for each other and the world in which we live. 

Recently a friend of ours who is gluten and dairy intolerant went to a party. Quite a fancy one at that. However, despite that, he was shown little consideration. Rather than the hosts quickly frying him a steak and tossing together a simple garden salad with a shop-bought loaf of gluten-free bread, he was tossed a bag of plain corn chips and told that was his dinner while others feasted. While listening to his story it dawned on me it was a sad reflection about how many people choose to live their lives. Not bothering to consider how their choices impact others and make them feel. (I say this as a white woman of privilege. Who makes imperfect choices due to budget constraints and from living withing a consumerist model society.)

One of the biggest shifts for me in trying to live more simply has been the conscious consideration about how the choices I make affect others and make them feel. I want as many of the daily actions I undertake to be kind. Kind to the earth, and kind to the people who have been a part of the process of getting an item in my hands.

On a small scale, I want those that visit our little home to feel welcomed. I want to feed them nourishing food which they enjoy, prepared with love. When they leave the table, I want them to feel as though we have shown them love. 

When it comes to purchasing food, we aim to buy Australian made independent brands because we feel the farmers and producers are often paid a fairer price for their produce. If there is an option packaged in cardboard I'll choose that as it will leave the smallest environmental impact on the earth as it will be composted or burnt in one of our regular campfires. The ash then gets tossed back into the bush as organic matter.

We choose second-hand items where appropriate. Shopping at local op-shops is not only utilizing other peoples unwanted items, but it also put the profits straight back into the local community, supporting vulnerable people. However, we don't buy everything secondhand. When we buy new we first try to shop local to support the local economy and jobs. We then look online to support an Australian business and if the item is still something we need but can't get in Australia, then we will buy from overseas.     

We cloth nappy and use white cotton flannels as baby wipes. Our clothes are line-dried. Though we have a generator, we don't own a dryer.

Elsie is perfectly happy in her cloth nappies. Despite expensive marketing strategies that aim to convince us that disposables are better, Cloth nappies are perfectly absorbent, easy to care for and leak-free when washed properly. 

There is always washing either being hung, folded or patiently waiting to be put away. It's a perfectly normal on-going reality of family life.

I want my children to know the comfort of clean warm clothes and warm cosy beds that smell like sunshine when they hop in. To be excited when served their favourite foods just because I wanted to see their pleasure. To see their delight when they open the sweets tin to discover an abundance of their favourite homemade biscuits has appeared while they were at school.

The consumerist model in which we have become accustomed to living within belittle these kinds of tasks. It tells us that things should be fancier, bigger, newer. That we should buy foods for convenience and that making these kinds of items is a hassle. That housework should be outsourced if you can possibly afford too, that it’s dull and uninteresting. Even menial. Whilst cleaning a house might not be a particularly complex task, the feeling of coming home to a safe, clean home where the members of the family feel loved and valued is powerful and not to be underestimated. 

So I wonder, what does simple living mean to you? And what aspects of simple living would you like to hear more about, or personally explore this year?

Much love,
Emma
xx