The conversation with nature

Yesterday I observed the birds in the garden and apart from them picking up little twigs and breaking my wool mat to bits, they were obviously building a nest.

Then there was a bluetit that kept going to my blackcurrant bush and I thought he was destroying it. However on closer inspection, there were little green flies on it meaning the bluetit was doing some work in my garden.  Sometimes we just have to observe and notice that a garden is created by all of nature and not just us.

Black Gold

Today’s task was to harvest the homemade compost and to start the new compost heap with the resources available in the garden. The heap was emptied and started again with layers of leaves collected and started in a black plastic bag, rabbit poop and bedding ( available locally), earth from pots from last year, grass clippings and kitchen waste. It then was sprinkled with water and covered with a layer of the leftover wool material that had been pecked at for weeks as nesting material for the birds. The area is not wheelchair accessible but in the corner is a broken plant pot allowing me to deposit waste collected that will be added weekly. The compost available now is black, dry and liquid gold for the garden.

Painting with plants

Exactly what I am doing with the garden? The aim is for it to be beautiful and edible. I will be sharing and caring for wildlife hopefully creating mutual beneficial relationships.

My resources in space and energy are limited but that does not mean I cannot garden, preserve and champion.

The front garden is a typical country cottage garden but instead of seeing the garden from the outside to its best advantage, it’s at its best looking from inside because that’s where I am mostly. 

Last autumn my helpers planted over 200 bulbs and it’s a spectacle to behold. The bees have plenty of flowers to visit while I plan additions to the garden that will be edible. So far amongst the flowers we have rhubarb, artichoke and rosemary but more planned. 

The back patuo which is accessible provides a salad garden mostly with edible flowers. Going around the space in my wheelchair provides exercise, fresh air and sunshine. Everything we need to grow.

Compost bin part 1

Today’s gardening task with help is going to be crucial to continue to reduce the waste from the garden as well as home  and decreasing the waste produced and sent away. The compost heap. It’s small but bijou. My grow beds will get a top up on a regular basis and I intend to put waste to better use. Secret to good compost seems to be in the planning: brown and green waste. Seems I have a variety of that so walk with me.Bacteria are the future !

Rhubarb and Date chutney

Since having lost a few motor skills I can no longer make big batches of preserves but that does not prevent me from starting a little chutney. It took all day but once it was on the stove I just needed to stir it occasionally . This chutney will need to ripen a few weeks but it’s full bodied and a nice dark colour. Recipe from Rosie makes a Jam http://m.rosiemakesjam.com/recipes/howtomake/rhubarb-and-date-chutney/index.asp#.XK4QORbTUlT

This handy website lets you enter a quantity of one ingredient and will calculate the recipe. I went for 1 lb of rhubarb. 

Will be adding that to the pantry.

With a little help ....

A few days ago I had the idea to put some marigold seedlings out into the sunshine. To protect them at night I gave them a blanket, the insert of the packaging received from  www. Pipersfarm.com .  ( one of us  eats meat and buying it from pipers farm means it’s sustainable, grass fed and they even have packaging that can be recycled) so, having recycled the cardboard, inside the refrigerated packaging this wool blanket kept things very cold) First I thought it would be an ideal cover for the compost bin but then I had the idea to insulate my seedlings that may not be completely ready to be planted out.

Upon waking I wondered why it was falling apart but in observing the comings and goings of various birds one little bird must have told another  : ‘hey if you are looking for warm suitable nest material, look no further, that tiny garden there has some for the taking.’

And there I thought recycling was my responsibility solely but I find that with a little help from my nature friends, it’s happening naturally.

Through the misty glaze

Lost

After visiting my Aunt and taking part in my Uncles funeral , my daughter and I got back to our hotel. We stayed in an old convent that offered basic accommodation but after all we just wanted a bed.

In the morning, the day of our return, I seemed to have difficulty eating, walking and even remembering my card code to pay. We decided however to take the journey back slowly, one stage at a time, taking our time. I felt myself slipping away and entering a sort of mythical kingdom, my thoughts interrupted by my daughter asking me to count backwards from 100. On the train I munched on a sandwich but it appeared it took me a whole hour to deal with this sandwich. When she had to leave the train at her station she made me promise to look for my husband who would be there. She tucked me in and pinned a note to my coat. I however was in my mythical calm kingdom, lost to myself. My husband did indeed find me at the station and took me straight to hospital where I did not have to wait but got whizzed into emergency. My parallel magical kingdom kept me in a safe bubble. A nurse explained to me to imagine a crash on the motorway. I was observing she said, from my mythical kingdom, there was a lot of debris, it would take time to clear however to be assured that the road was still there.

Then I slept for 36 hours and when I awoke,  calmly I realised that I was quite safe in my mythical kingdom but that I had had a stroke and would gently have to find my way back. But the road was still there. The note pinned to my coat had read : please look after my mom.

New home

We moved to our little cottage because I was unable to live in the previous house as my new reality means getting about in a wheelchair. I live in 3 rooms, the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom and my living space expands into the garden in summer. As a ramp has now been installed I am getting out a little in the garden and creating a growing space there.

A lot has happened to dampen my goals in life however, after 7 years I am back in the land of the living. My life was devastated by a neurological condition leaving me wheelchair bound and ill for a very long time. I had to move and adapt to living with a damaged body and I have become differently able. My goals are still the same, my direction is still the same and whilst my options are seriously reduced I am adapting to a reduced energy life. I am finding alternatives. I continue to grow food and explore available options but ' life is not as we knew it' Pointing north this platform will document my process. Thank you for being here.

Project 333

Having previously had a collection of black trousers and over the years questioned where my clothes come from and how ethical they are I have turned to Project 333 to minimise and analyse my wardrobe needs and purchases. Looking through the entire wardrobe I realised not only a variety of sizes but a lot of clothes I no longer loved and that do not belong in a working wardrobe. Alongside Courtney Carvers blog I have investigated Helen Stewarts podcast about the Curious Handmade Wardrobe and thus have decided to combine the two. Fewer items, individual styles and never running out of thinks to wear,whats not to love?

a Handmade Wardrobe

The consideration of a minimal wardrobe and what exactly one would consist off has been on my mind for a few years.Clothes have gone from prize possessions, being handed down and left in Wills to items we do not think about. Having done an audit on the clothes in my wardrobe, and having gained weight on medication, I did find 8 pairs of black trousers and fit today matters.8 was just a bit tops.This winter I am aiming at having a new outfit and discard some clothes to charity or repurposing them.Some sewing skills to be rekindled too. What thoughts do you have about the clothes you wear?

The difference between needing and wanting

The strategy I use to spend less is as follows: At the beginning of the month my budget to spend gets transferred into my savings account. That money has been taken out of my current account and is no longer available to spend. Then I run a little list so that every time I am tempted to buy something I commit it to my list. In September the list looks something like this: 1. Magazine subscription 2. Mineral supplements 3. Green polo neck 4. Simplicity pattern 5. Seeds 6. Salad plants for winter 7. Book by Seth Godin Despite decluttering there never seems to be an end to wanting things which is very much influenced by the media,and having been brought up in the post-war generation. Somehow adverts are expert at coming through to us and wanting us to purchase stuff and although my wish has been to become less of a consumer it constantly backfired. At the end of the month I now sit down and analyse the list by asking the question : do I need it or is it nice to have? What remains in the list is the salad plants for winter because that is time dependant as well as time critical. The remaining items are nice to have but not critical. Having decided to consciously spend money on the plants I transfer the money needed from my savings to my current account and gladly make my conscious purchase. If you need a medical expense or your car tire bursts you will not be faced with not having enough money to replace it and gradually I began to realise that there is a lot of stuff I feel I need which in fact are items I want for one reason or another. It is hard to not give in but sometimes I wonder what persuaded me to complete a purchase : it may be cheaper now and I may get the sense of getting a bargain yet there is a certain satisfaction in being able to spend when I really need to. Food is excluded in as much that ingredients are a need but eating out may be a want. Let me know how you get on.

A little more ....

This is new for me, updating the blog via my iPhone. If truth be known I would have to tell you that afternoons are still spent lying down in bed as I cannot remain upright all day. This could be fun. What has changed in the last few years: - have moved to an even smaller house and live in about 650 square feet in the ground floor -am mostly housebound although I get Bout in A wheelchair - have created a small vegetable area for salads etc - have cut down even further and challenged all my perceptions -quite good at living in the moment Enjoying and creating the life I want

BACK AGAIN

WOW its been a hairy 5 years where I have been that close to not being here. Its taken me years of rehab and can just about type on the computer again. I am left severely downsized in a wheelchair but despite that I am happy with life.

Spending a year in hospital in a very small space certainly motivates and focusses the mind on what we need to stay alive. Just breathing is essential.

Certainly will pick up the blog again and introduce you to even more downsizing. If you are still there give me a sign of life?

Apologies for the hiatus on the blog at the moment. Anne is currently in hospital but hoping to be better soon and posting again.

HOW TO KEEP WARM

The cold weather spell is lasting a long time so today I want to explore how to keep warm with or without a fire.

CLOTHING

If we put on clothes that warm us and keep us toasty we are less likely to feel a bonechilling cold permeate us. A 100% wool sweater, gloves and socks are going to keep us cosy but if you still feel the cold the warmth of the fibre such as alpaca can raise the temperature. Wrapping ytourslef in a dressing gown or duvet heat the space wound you. The warmest fiber is qiviut but it is hard to get sufficient to date to increase the insulation factor. Check your clothing: a 50% wool/cotton combination is unlikely to keep you warm in winter. Most of our body temperature escapes via our heads so a hat is recommended.

HOT DRINKS

For just a few seconds. A cup of hot chocolate creates a fleeting feeling of warmth in your hands and stomach but not a change in your internal temperature—which is a good thing: Maintaining a stable body temperature is essential to having healthy organ function and a steady heartbeat. We associate it with a cosy inside feeling which is a placebo effect.

WOOD BURNERS AND OPEN FIRES

We do have a woodburner and without central heating it gives us the opportunity to warm one room in which we can all huddle together. It creates a warm feeling watching the logs burn and we can sit on the sofa, read a nice book and have a conversation.

CURTAINS

Closing the curtains or shutters enables the heat to stay in as a lot of heat escapes via windows and doors

DOORS
Seal your doors with doorstoppers ( a big long padded roll) so the heat stays in and draughtproofs the room.

ROOMS

Close off any unused rooms which will enable the warm air to stay where you are instead of circulating throughout the house.

FLOORS and ATTICS

Cover the floors in carpets or rugs which will insulate them against warm air escaping through the gaps and insulate the attic to keep warm air  escaping via the roof. You can see how well your house is insulated by seeing if there is snow ( when it snows) on your roof or whether the heat from the house is melting the sneow on your roof.

COOK

Make cookies, or a meal ( without too much steam)/ Not only will you be moving about but the kitchen will warm up as the oven works and dry the air in the kitchen.



The snow can cause power to be cut so keep candles at hand.

Hopefully these measures will make you feel a bit warmer. A brisk walk or exercise will raise the temperature a little in your boidy and if all else fails, hibernating under the duvet can keep you cosy.

I hope these measures will warm you up a little in the shortterm.

Banana cake with crunchie

The weather has frankly been a bit dark lately and many are asking when winter will end. To fill the house with some cheer there is nothing better than the fuggy smell of a banana cake. Besides using up the needless black bananas that hang around in this house, it warms my heart and brings back wonderful childhood memories of Grandmother's kitchen. I love having cake in the house to dish out with that relaxing cup of tea or coffee. We are 15 miles from an urban coffeeshop  so we create our own coffeeshop atmosphere.

Ingredients :

• 200g Self raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs beaten
• 75g butter
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 large amshed bananas
• 2 crunchie bars

Grease and line a deep 1/2 kg loaf tin

Place flour,bicarbonate of soda,salt, eggs,butter and sugar in a bowl and mix together.

Add mashed bananas and put the mixture in the loaf tin. Then break the crunchie bars up, put on the top of the mixture and swirl inside the mixture.

Bake at 180 degree Celcius for about 45 mins to 60 mins until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Cool for 5 mins and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Hide away in a tin until you can no longer resist.

5 benefits to Living in a community

Living in a community demands that we reach out to people but in my experience that reaching out works both ways and provides an element of security.

When mentioning a life in a community it can be as intense as living as a member of the Amish Community in which the rules are set by each community such as no electricity, no cars, mobile phones etc to living in a particular place or joining an interest group online of like minded people.

In a time of economic downturn the equation between money and time shifts and my priorities in times of economic downturn shift too to spending more time investing in myself through reading, learning new skills and connecting with other people.

The 5 benefits of living in a community:

A sense of belonging

Many people feel isolated from the world by the fact they have no friends or relatives in their community. This can lead to loneliness and eventually depression. A community spirit can instil a sense of belonging in these individuals, they are no longer  alone, and they lead healthier, happier lives.

Security

Living in a community protects the individual from the harshness of having to do everything.(The “every man for himself” mentality. ) It can help a person who falls on hard times if they are in  a community to feel supported, rather than living a corporate lifestyle where a person is only as good as their latest contribution. Community living also means that most of the people know each other. A small town environment like that often means less crime and also less need for surveillance. Surveillance is a consequence of living amongst strangers.

The sharing of resources

Sharing resources can greatly reduce the cost of living. Many of the luxuries that people enjoy are not used 24/7, or even if they are used frequently, they can often be shared. The quality of items that can be afforded goes up while the cost goes down. You can live cheaper and better, and the only cost is being more social.

Resources can be shared through the LETS system and FREECYCLE groups.
The transition towns initiative are creating communities that prepare themselves for sustainability after peak oil.

Cooperation and Competition

It is natural for individuals to cooperate with each other. We are a tribal species. In fact, cooperation on an individual level is very beneficial, because generally each person is interested in and skilled at different tasks than their peers. As a result close knit groups of individuals whose skills and personalities complement each other can be particularly healthy, happy, and successful.

Employment and fulfillment

One of the greatest benefits of living in a community setting  is that it gives us the freedom to care for our lives, our wealth, and often both at the same time. There is no reason for the community to resent individuals for participating in a way that does not directly benefit the bottom line. We can work together as business partners who share equally in the burden of maintaining the community economically. The needs of a community are numerous, and the avenues of occupations that could benefit a community are likewise numerous. Using local skills and expertise can benefit the individual member economically but also forges networks of professional relationships who have a sense of place and local solutions.There are  many diverse ways in which an individual can contribute. By working within a  community each individuals skills and abilities can be applied in a unique way, and no person need feel like a cog.

And community living is not just something for the countryside, there are areas in large cities that create hubs of community, where a local cafe becomes a meeting place, a place to relax and cultivate the relationships that bind us together as human beings.

Planning to live in a small home

I can honestly say that I have over the years not always seen eye to eye with my parents but when they decided to think about their retirement living space I was astounded and pleasantly surprised by their unusual course of action.

At the time they lived in the country in a 4 bedroomed family property with a bit of land near woodland. They had built their dreamhome when I was about 12 and before that had lived in a town. My mother liked her garden and my father liked the idea of playing his music when he wanted without disturbing neighbours. I grew up near the riverbank, planted a small garden and safely went for nature walks in the wood.

At some point something triggered a change of direction. The house was 2.5 miles from the nearest shopping facility and my father's health deteriorated. My mother did not drive and they posed themselves the question how they would manage later on in their lives.

They visited many retirement homes and eventually decided to settle in a university town with plenty going on. They settled for a 2 room apartment ( bedroom and living space) and decided to make the most of the space available by purchasing new furniture. Then they transferred all the things that were precious to them ( very little) and settled in.

But what about the family home?

1. First they invited friends to choose what they wanted and needed a little bit like a freecycle open house.
2. Secondly they invited acquaintances and other villagers to come and choose what they wanted and needed.
3. Then they got a company to clear out the rest of stuff and set about selling the house.

A few months ago, we bought a small cottage where we live in 600 sq feet and the children live above in a similar space. Effectively its a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom downstairs, and we are following some of the same principles with the difference that we are far from retirement.

It is certainly not tidy and a work in progress but we only brought with us what we thought we needed. And even then I have established I have far too many serving dishes and crockery.

Instead of having many rooms each room offers an area set up for different activities, whether it be reading, cooking, recycling etc.

The children did the same and left behind a lot of stuff they had outgrown, games, videos etc We each have our own space and common areas such as the kitchen, shower room and living room. Yes it can get crowded but it is also cosy sitting by the fire, enjoying a hot drink and reading or conversing together.

The running costs are lower and we have managed without much central heating so far by lighting the woodburner and the range in the kitchen.

What about the garden?
There is a small front garden full of wildlife and a paved garden at the back of the house which hopefully will in time have enough produce growing in pots.

Life is simple. the owl lives in the big tree, the birds awaken us at dawn and there is a sense of personal peace and contentment as I go about our new home. So far I have not missed many items left behind.

How to reduce paper clutter

The last few weeks I have been looking at the amount of resources used made of paper and how these could best be dealt with. Despite best efforts to stop junk mail and catalogues it became apparent that it still streams in the house.

MAIL

• Mail gets opened near the paper recycling box and generally there is very little actual communication that needs a response.
• Inbox- I have set up rules for incoming emails so the important ones get directed to their named inbox and junk box. It means being less overwhelmed by the amount of messages in the IN box. Turned off the 'ping' when an email comes in so I am not tempted to an immediate response.
• Unsubscribe from emails you are not interested in.
• Do not create accounts when purchasing items online and do not give out your email address when asked in shops or create an alias email for that purpose which redirects immediately to junk email.

GOING PAPERLESS ON BILLS

• Bank statements and utility bills can now be received digitally as opposed to a paper copy.
• Try to find out which companies offer paperless billing and choose that option. It will reduce the mail being opened and also saves the company money.
• Set up a reminder monthly to check the digital bills and keep a copy on your computer. Mine are divided into business and private bills and accessible anytime.

LETTERS,RECEIPTS,OFFICIAL PAPERWORK

• Letters from Government agencies, receipts and official letters are quite often kept in a folder and in any case should be accessible for 7 years.
• 
  
• To save them on a computer you will need a scanner. I save information in 3 places : computer, backup locally and a folder facility in the cloud.
• 
  
• I am a fan of Evernote as my back up because since having a stroke I have difficulty finding things and the notes saved on Evernote allow them to be searched by any word, as well as being available on mobile phones so in essence you carry the ability to carry vital information with you wherever you are.
• 
  
• Simple Life Together has a podcast episode six,dedicated to going paperless and Brooks Duncan  has a whole website dedicated to going paperless.
• Vanessa Hayes has a big range of videos to help organize anything in your home but in particular an action file.
• 
  

BOOKS AND MAGAZINES

• Books are available digitally as a direct download to an e reader or often as e-books which reduces the amount of book shelving space you need in your home.
• I like that idea a lot but often there are books I will refer to often and those I still like to have in a hard copy on the shelf.
• As far as magazines go, I am gradually changing any subscriptions to digital ones. Zinio have a great range of magazines and if you have an Ipad you carry with you a great amount of reading material.
• Cookery books and Craft Magazines are being revisited and the articles and recipes that are of interest are scanned in, using Evernote I can search for the recipe anytime. Many cookery books tell a story and are good companions for cooking seasonally.