I have been following Christine at Slow Living Essentials for a couple of years now! 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. Now the link up has moved to Linda at Green Haven. I have been a bit slow off the mark this month - but better late than never!
Here is what I have been up to this month!
GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month?
Chillies, Chillies and more chillies! I don't eat them. But by golly I can grow 'em! I have got a few lettuces coming along nicely. Brisbane winters are good for lettuce! Brisbane summers are great fro cactus and sand!
As my monthly menu planning session is coming up this weekend - I have a large number of cook books out getting ready to choose 28 dinner recipes!
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, been a guest at Christmas, and tried to exercise more.
Here is what I have been up to this month!
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.
Our Pizza making is getting better - this one is a prawn, coriander and sweet chilli sauce version!
And how about an Apple Pie Birthday Dessert Pizza??
I have been Menu Planning for quite a few years now and find it saves a huge amount of stress. It ensures that I know what is for dinner, know I have the bits and don't have to stress. I am just starting to attempt 4 weeks at a time rather than the one, then two weeks that I was doing previously - It also seems to save me a lot of money!
PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve.
I have been preparing for the Ekka for a few weeks now and as a result I have been stockpiling eggs! I entered my eggs (not the chickens) into "The Queensland Royal Show and Exhibition" and needed to make sure I was entering the best ones. That meant that I wouldn't let anyone eat my eggs for two weeks before the show - we have a stockpile of eggs now!
REDUCE: Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing.
Had a big jeans repairing session recently. I hate to throw out comfortable jeans that can still have a life behind closed doors!
Had a big jeans repairing session recently. I hate to throw out comfortable jeans that can still have a life behind closed doors!
GREEN: up our lives. Start (or continue!) using homemade products.
Made my own spoon butter to rejuvenate my wooden spoons and bread boards. Works a treat and is really easy to make!
GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month?
Chillies, Chillies and more chillies! I don't eat them. But by golly I can grow 'em! I have got a few lettuces coming along nicely. Brisbane winters are good for lettuce! Brisbane summers are great fro cactus and sand!
CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others.
Another Ekka entry was a go in the sewing section - Apron; Machine sewn. Mine is the pink roses one with the stripy pocket. I spent quite a few hours making this and really enjoyed it. It was fun to enter and then to go in and have a look at a section I have always enjoyed in a different way. Since it didn't get a place, I get to wear a new pinny and not have to worry about getting an award winning garment dirty!
DISCOVER: Feed the mind by reading texts relevant to current interests.
As my monthly menu planning session is coming up this weekend - I have a large number of cook books out getting ready to choose 28 dinner recipes!
ENHANCE: Community: The rewards for your time are often returned tenfold.
Other than our international student community and going to the Ekka with 500,000 other people, I cant think of anything else that fits this category...
ENJOY: Life! Embrace moments with family and friends!
Doing the tourist thing with some of our students!
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, been a guest at Christmas, and tried to exercise more.
My last challenge was to catch up some friends - which although it took two months not one, I did catch up with everyone on my list!
For August - even though its almost over - I want to sort out my craft stuff. Its really easy to just keep plonking new "material" onto the stash without sorting it or even having a vauge idea for it. I just got new carpet in my craft room and had to take everything out. I think this is a good opportunity to get in there and sort it out before the old habits kick back in and you cant even see the new carpet!
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!
Thanks for the opportunity to share again Christine and Linda!!! Have a great month everyone! - Kxx xx
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