Slow Living Essentials - Monthly 9 Link-Up May 2014

 

I have been following Christine at Slow Living Essentials for a couple of years now! And in 2012 she started a monthly round up to record on our blog, how we have "slowed down" under nine categories - I have been doing this since she started it at the beginning and really get a lot out of it. 

Here is what I have been up to!

Click on the link to go to the link up and visit other linked up blogs!

NOURISH: Make and bake as much as possible from scratch. Ditch over packaged, over processed convenience foods and opt for 'real' food instead. 

 

A picnic with some of our students at a look out in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Its cheaper and much better for us all if I bring a picnic rather than we eat at the over priced tourist cafes! 

 

PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve. 

I have been given jams and marmalades by people who have been making them or have bought them as gifts for us recently. So, without any effort on my part,  we have a bit of a stockpile of things to go on toast and scones at the moment!

 

 

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

Had a bit of a clothes clean out for Winter... (what winter? Its still up around 25 degrees everyday at the moment!) and made ourselves some new rags and cleaning clothes. The rest went to charity.

 

 

 

GREEN: up our lives. Start (or continue!) using homemade products. 

I am running out of new green things to add here... I'm sure I've mentioned it all now!

 

GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month?

Just eggs... The Husband and I have been discussing the vege garden lately so maybe next month I will have something to report!

 

First egg of the season for Dusk - one of my Barnevelders!

CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others. 



Still taking photos - these are from a recent weekend at Echo Valley Farm stay at Springbrook Mountain but have entered the Ekka in a couple of home craft categories and so will need to spend some time making them in the next month or so!

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

 

Whilst driving home from a weekend in Springbrook - we saw some wild deer grazing by the side of the road! Since we had no idea (pun intended!) that there were wild deer so close to the Gold Coast we certainly discovered something that afternoon! Isn't he beautiful?

 

 

Other than discovering wild deer, I have discovered my next uni exam is too close for my liking and that I prefer to read Jamie and Gwyneth than my textbooks!

 

ENHANCE: Community: The rewards for your time are often returned tenfold.

This month involved a lot of students! We did a couple of trips into the bush and explored some of the scenic attractions around Brisbane! Its so much fun showing overseas guests some of the pretty places we have around here.

 

   

 ENJOY: Life! Embrace moments with family and friends!

 

This was a very rough month for us. Our beloved rescue dog Sue, had some sort of "neurological event" and died in a 36 hour period. We had only had her for a year and she was full of energy (as Red Kelpies are) and wonderful part of our lives. She was of course slightly neurotic from 12 years of being tied up in a back yard but that just added to her charm. When we dragged her inside during a storm she didn't know what was the lesser of two evils; The Thunder that obviously eats dogs or the ceiling that was bound to cave in on her at any moment.... She loved her walks and going in the car - no matter where we were going, it was the funnest fun you could have! Still missing her every day...

 

IMPROVE: Change or create a habit, work on an aspect of mind, body or soul that needs a wee tweak.

 This one is my addition to the 9. I have been setting myself wee challenges that improve my life over the month. I have gone carless one day a week, stopped buying anything but petrol from a petrol station, paid out my credit card, and tried to exercise more.

 

Last month I wanted to catch up with some friends I haven't seen for a long time! I have at least four friend that I'm well overdue to spend some time with. But with our dog getting sick and dying, we weren't in the mood to socialise - so other than ringing a friend to pick me up when I lost my car keys and having an impromptu coffee with her and banging into another one at the supermarket. I didn't meet this months challenge at all.... So I shall try again this month.
 

I find these bitsy blog challenges to be really motivating. Because I know I have to report back here, I tend to stay honest and it stays in my consciousness - or is it because I write it down... Either way its a good way to make some changes for me!

As always I enjoy popping over to see what other slow livers are up to. Sometimes I can't get past the security things (You know, put in the letters or numbers thingos)  but even if you cant see my comment, know I have been and enjoyed!

Thanks for the opportunity to share again Christine!!! Have a great month everyone! - Kxx