Slow Living March-May 2013

Nourish:  I finally have an oven that has temperature control.  Unfortunately I have been far too busy to make the best use of it.  I have been backing breakfast frittata’s/tarts for my Hubby to try to help him with his Gluten Free diet, and I have made lot’s of roast potatoes…. I am slowly working towards being mostly additive free, which is a big desire for me, it is easier than I thought in some aspects, and I am finding that it also goes hand in hand with the Gluten Free thing, a lot of the “instant” and pre made sauces and recipe bases that I would normally buy are of cause Gluten based, so finding the alternatives (I can cook most of it, its just not always as convenient) has also meant cutting the additives.

Prepare:  I haven’t done a lot of this, though there has been lots of thinking and dreaming about it.  I have purchased a dehydrator but am yet to use it and I have been looking for recipes for sauces and meal base substitutes.  I am trying not to stockpile at the moment.  I love the idea, but don’t have the space, which means when I buy extras they get shoved to the back of the linen closet and I usually forget they are there… which leads me to go shopping and buy more stuff that I don’t have room for!

Reduce: This one always seems hard for me to put into words.  I live in an area where there are 3 separate bin collections: General waste, General Recycling (glass, metal, paper etc) and Green Waste (which includes all organic material including all kitchen waste!)  When they bought the scheme in there were lots of complaints about it being messy and the general waste sitting for too long (Fortnightly pick ups) etc, but I love it.  It means that If I am vigilant and watch where hubby throws rubbish (a lazy recycler!) I can reduce my general waste to 2 grocery bags a fortnight and that includes the night nappies from my toddler!  It also means that I am in a rut when it comes to reducing further…. Will have to think about that!

Green:  I am still using cleaning products already in the cupboard as well as bicarb and vinegar.  I realised the other night that because I have bought concentrates in the past (which I am still using) and I use the bicarb and vinegar, I have not had to buy a new bottle of ‘general purpose’/’spray and wipe’ type cleaner in at least 2 years!  I have been using the bicarb and vinegar to clean my new oven (which I think has been cleaned more in 3 months than my last oven was in 3 years!) and its great, not only because it is safe and environmentally friendly, but Miss Cheeky who likes to help whenever there is a spray bottle involved can help without me worrying about the dangers…. The biggest danger is usually me worrying about being sprayed in the face with vinegar!

Grow:  I had a bit of a disaster with my wonderful seedlings that I posted in February… not a one survived transplanting.  I was more than a little cranky to say the least.  I have pulled out all my old seeds, and my new ones that I got for winter from my garden club and been to the nursery to buy some seedlings and now have most of my winter vegies in the ground.  I am battling with the White Cabbage Moth in my Brassica bed at the moment, so I have netted it and sprinkled it with Derris dust but I found one of the rotten things inside the net the other day, so I need to get out when the rain stops, re sprinkle the Derris dust and pull off  the caterpillars I can see.

Create:  We have been very creative here lately.  I finally finished the Laundry Bags for Aussie Hero Quilts that I mentioned in February and I am now onto planning 2 quilts for a little later in the year when 2 of my friends deploy.  Hubby has been very creative (with lots of encouragement and enticement) and has built me 2 raised veggie gardens on the Southern side of the yard, so they might actually get some sun.  Previously my vegies were in bed that were already here around the fence line but facing south, so got very little direct sun.  We are the low property in the run of houses so a lot of the yard is shaded by the fence on the high side property.  He and the neighbour have also rebuilt a rotting retaining wall, which looks great, though they have yet to resurrect the fence….

Discover:  hmmm…. I am trying to find my contented place, searching for the light switch you could say, but I am not quite there.  I recently purchased an eBook bundle off the Time Warp Wife blog Not all the books are relevant right now if ever, but it was still a great deal I think, I am slowly working my way through the books and bonus online courses that I feel are relevant right now and am hoping that I might be able to find some equilibrium.

Enhance:  Well, in the building of the new retaining wall, we spent a fair bit of time getting to really know our neighbours, which has been lovely.  I have started going to a new playgroup with Miss Cheeky, which is good for my mental space even if she isn’t fussed on playing with other kids.  A group of church friends and I are about to start running a toddler music program in our community and I have recently joined a new online support group for partners of veterans.  I enjoy being involved in my community, but have struggled to find the right places in the last couple of years, so hopefully these new adventures will prove positive.

Enjoy:  We have been extremely busy the last few months planning and running a reunion and ball for my husbands Army unit ( he is the association President, so when he volunteers for something we all do…) and it was very stressful, but well worth it in the end, it was a great fun weekend.  I have also been cherishing the times I have a chance to have play dates with Miss Cheeky’s friends and their mum’s.  We are off for a long weekend break shortly, so I am hoping to have some calm, peaceful, relaxing time with hubby and Miss Cheeky.

This Monthly catch up and Slow living post is part of a network of Slow Living posts and Blogs created by Slow Living Essentials, please come and have a look at everyone elses blogs and feel fre to join us on this journey.

Hoepfully I will be around a little more often now that my husbands reunion is over and we can get back down to the business of this Journey to Contentment.

Thanks for joining me here.

Wendy