I have been following Christine at Slow Living Essentials for a while and last month she set a challenge to record on our blog monthly how we have "slowed down" under nine categories - I did one for January and really enjoyed it. This is my February reflection of Slowing Down - the Slow Living Essentials way!
Here's what I did...
NOURISH: Make and bake as much as possible from scratch. Ditch over packaged, over processed convenience foods and opt for 'real' food instead. I have starting making an effort to have leftovers each night for the hubbies lunch so he isn't buying junk food each day. He is the biggest junk food consumer in the house as he is on the road all day and its easier to buy a lunch than to pack a lunch.
PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve. I do a fortnightly menu plan and use that as the basis for my shopping list - and then try to stay out of the shops. Also been making a bit of an effort to use up some of the preserves and jams that we have. Strawberry Jam tarts for dessert tonight!!
(Although I did make some yummy Plum sauce from my childhood to add to the collection despite my need to use up our preserves not add to them!)
REDUCE: Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing. Done a bit of mending this month - not as much as needs to be done, there is never THAT much time in a month!! We shred all our junk mail and paper waste and pop it in the compost heap making a virtue of a nuisance that we get, despite the no junk mail sign on the letterbox - Shredded junk mail seems to make good chook nesting material too!
GREEN: up our lives. Start (or continue!) using homemade products. Made some more washing powder and saw a recipe on Cheapskates for home made carpet cleaner that I want to give a go. Also have tried to get rid of the ant invasion in an environmentally friendly way - but am not winning at this point... That's an epic post in the making!
GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month? What's being eaten from the garden? Just my microgreens... Still. But doing this diary keeps me thinking about setting up another variation of our vege garden in the hope that one configuration will work - one day!
CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others. Made a Valentines card for the beloved! I think he may have guessed who it was from though!? I also meet with a few ladies from the neighbourhood on a Monday morning to work on craft projects, chat and enjoy each others company. I'm working on a horseshoe at the moment for my nieces wedding in a fortnight!
ENHANCE: community: The rewards for your time are often returned tenfold. I have been volunteering at the local PCYC Blue Light Disco this month - the 300+ kids who attend, love it! I on the other hand, go home deaf and disorientated! I'm not sure how this is good for me... But the Sargent assures me its good for the community!!! I have also taken over the running of our social Basketball games - this I really enjoy even though I STILL cant shoot!
ENJOY: Life! Embrace moments with friends and family. Ahh... Valentines day, Mother In Laws Birthday, dinners with a number of good friends and my afternoon tea party!!! A very social month for me which is one of my goals for 2012! Spending more quality time with those whose company I enjoy!
Once again, good fun to do! It 's great to sit and reflect on my progress once in a while - this is a fabulous idea! Thanks Christine!
Here's what I did...
NOURISH: Make and bake as much as possible from scratch. Ditch over packaged, over processed convenience foods and opt for 'real' food instead. I have starting making an effort to have leftovers each night for the hubbies lunch so he isn't buying junk food each day. He is the biggest junk food consumer in the house as he is on the road all day and its easier to buy a lunch than to pack a lunch.
PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve. I do a fortnightly menu plan and use that as the basis for my shopping list - and then try to stay out of the shops. Also been making a bit of an effort to use up some of the preserves and jams that we have. Strawberry Jam tarts for dessert tonight!!
(Although I did make some yummy Plum sauce from my childhood to add to the collection despite my need to use up our preserves not add to them!)
Messy to make but very yummy!
REDUCE: Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing. Done a bit of mending this month - not as much as needs to be done, there is never THAT much time in a month!! We shred all our junk mail and paper waste and pop it in the compost heap making a virtue of a nuisance that we get, despite the no junk mail sign on the letterbox - Shredded junk mail seems to make good chook nesting material too!
GREEN: up our lives. Start (or continue!) using homemade products. Made some more washing powder and saw a recipe on Cheapskates for home made carpet cleaner that I want to give a go. Also have tried to get rid of the ant invasion in an environmentally friendly way - but am not winning at this point... That's an epic post in the making!
GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month? What's being eaten from the garden? Just my microgreens... Still. But doing this diary keeps me thinking about setting up another variation of our vege garden in the hope that one configuration will work - one day!
CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others. Made a Valentines card for the beloved! I think he may have guessed who it was from though!? I also meet with a few ladies from the neighbourhood on a Monday morning to work on craft projects, chat and enjoy each others company. I'm working on a horseshoe at the moment for my nieces wedding in a fortnight!
DISCOVER: Feed the mind by reading texts relevant to current interests. I went through the on line catalogue of our local council library and couldn't find Rhonda's book - Down to Earth on it anywhere. So I emailed the chief librarian (well, they will make her email available to the meddling public) asking if they would purchase a copy - and Voila - today I get an email saying the book is sitting there waiting for me! Looking forward to getting that and settling down for a cuppa this afternoon in the hammock!
ENHANCE: community: The rewards for your time are often returned tenfold. I have been volunteering at the local PCYC Blue Light Disco this month - the 300+ kids who attend, love it! I on the other hand, go home deaf and disorientated! I'm not sure how this is good for me... But the Sargent assures me its good for the community!!! I have also taken over the running of our social Basketball games - this I really enjoy even though I STILL cant shoot!
ENJOY: Life! Embrace moments with friends and family. Ahh... Valentines day, Mother In Laws Birthday, dinners with a number of good friends and my afternoon tea party!!! A very social month for me which is one of my goals for 2012! Spending more quality time with those whose company I enjoy!
Once again, good fun to do! It 's great to sit and reflect on my progress once in a while - this is a fabulous idea! Thanks Christine!
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