The rain, budgeting and growing in contentment...

Living in the dry tropics, we only really get rain during the wet season from December to April, so it was lovely yesterday and today that those precious water drops from heaven fell early. 

Yesterday morning I went out about 5:15am to take some photos, after light rain had fallen overnight. It's my favourite time of the day, so still and not yet hot enough to feel the humidity or the burn of the morning sun. 

Sophie cat is recovering from an attack by a young rogue tomcat who took a bite from her back as she ran away. The vet was wonderful, so very gentle with our 12yo girl. Sophie needed to wear a collar for a few days so as not to lick the wounds, and she absolutely hated it, even refusing to eat or drink...but late on day three we thought it best that it be removed as in our climate dehydration comes fast. 

The wounds are healing very well, and she's picked up a lot since eating and drinking again. Sophie loves the heat, which I imagine is because she was born here and its all she's known, but laying on wet grass in the early morning is also one of her delights. 

The Elder trees are laden with flowers, and there's many hands of small berries already. The birds keep taking them, but I can see quite a few large hands of them untouched so hopefully it won't be too long before I can make syrup.

Whenever it rains the birds seem to fill the yard, all sorts of them, so I keep the feeder filled with seeds, or bread ends which have gotten stale. 

I am blessed to always have fresh roses to pick and fill a vase or two, and the last of the petunias give the yard a lovely burst of colour in the garden.

This past week has been a rewarding one with family and also my design work. Last night we took homemade curry pastries and a pasta bake to Blossom's, where the whole family gathered for a dance party with the children. Cully May only recently began attending school after homeschooling for two years, and the school had a halloween themed disco for grades kinder - 6...but being believers in God's Word we do not embrace the custom of halloween, so we had our own disco party at home with faith based music and it was a wonderful night! Poor Poppy is aching all over today after dancing with his granddaughters (whom he had to pick up and carry as they danced - it was so much fun to watch!) but he said the pain was worth it. 

I've given the menu a bit of an overhaul this week as well, especially after reading a post (and the comments) by Grandma Donna. You can read it HERE, and do so until the end because it's her response to a reader which made me nod my head and think more about my own food experiences with Nana and Pop. That in turn gave me cause to consider, genuinely consider, the need to simplify our meals and step back from recipes with lots of ingredients, expensive ingredients, and too many steps. 

I realise this has been something I've attempted to follow through on before, but with the economy such as it is now, my resolve is much stronger. 

On Wednesday for lunch I took out some random vegetables which needed using up - potatoes, onions, cauliflower, beet greens and tomatoes. After sauteing the onions with garlic and ginger, I added the vegetables with a tablespoon of korma paste, two teaspoons of tomato paste, sea salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala. Half a cup of water was poured over everything and with the lid on I let everything simmer very gently for about half an hour. Then I added half a can of coconut milk (also left over from the fridge) and simmered another five minutes. Poured into a bowl and sprinkled with chopped spring onions from the garden, I thoroughly enjoyed this meal made from vegetables almost past their use by date, leftover coconut milk, and pantry staples. The remainder of the meal I had for lunch the next day. 

And that's also what happened with the curry pastries I made to take to Blossom's last night. I had a little beef mince to use up, plus another two potatoes, some green peas, onion and garlic, more of the Korma paste, half a lemon, and four sheets of puff pastry from the freezer.

The pasta bake I made was simply cooked pasta, with the remaining sauce from Porcupine Meatballs which we had for dinner on Monday night poured over. I grated the last of our tasty cheddar cheese and sprinkled it generously across the top, and baked it until bubbling. My grandchildren love any kind of pasta bake, and it's especially yummy using the leftover homemade sauce from the meatballs. 

It's a good feeling to see your fridge contents being used throughout the week and not leaving anything to waste. That's what I mean about simplifying our meals and menu. Checking what's needing to be used up each morning gives me a clearer idea on what to cook for our dinner each night (or lunch for me at home). 

This morning I decided to make a simple and small Shepherd's Pie for tonight as I have some leftover lamb from Tuesday night's roast dinner. I bought another bag of potatoes this morning, and have plenty of carrots, green beans, onions and garlic on hand already. All the other ingredients I need are already in my pantry. As we only eat small meals, this Shepherd's Pie will become two dinners for us, so I'll freeze half for another night. Must admit I was so surprised to see a small cut of lamb leg for $10 at the supermarket on Tuesday, but knew it would stretch to three night's dinners for two people, which made it $1.66 per plate and that's great for our budget. 

Being mindful of how long food lasts in the freezer is just as important as stocking up our pantries. It's no good filling the freezer with foods that only last three to six months, which is the case with many meat products, because you've wasted your $ should they be forgotten and not used. Our neighbour's freezer broke down last year and she was devastated because she had it full of meat, some of it dated four years ago. To be honest, it looked ghastly, and she admitted to being shocked, having never thought to research how long it's safe to freeze foods. So we are very mindful of what's in our own freezer now, and making sure we eat from it regularly, replacing with fresh items later. 

How have you fared this year? My focus this year was to embrace contentment, and though I may not have written as much about it as first intended, there has indeed been a decidedly more contented change in my heart, thoughts and life choices.

Choosing to let go of some things which though not bad, simply weren't right for me, and discovering afterwards that a weight had lifted from my mind and precious contentment had more room to fill that space - this was the biggest change. Some other wonderful changes (or perhaps I should call them growth?) have been a much deeper sense of personal wellbeing; a greater sense of gratitude for all I have and the people in my life; and the intentional slowing which is now my 'normal' pace in life. 

What about you?? How have you grown in contentment this year? Did you let anything go, or take on something new? I'd love to hear about your own journey. 

NEXT YEAR...

In my next post I'll share a few things with you that will begin next month, and flow through into 2023. Upon much reflection and prayer, I feel rather excited to be pursuing avenues and themes which feed my joy...and I hope they are a blessing to you as well. 

So until next week, may the Father's hand be clearly felt upon your shoulder, His voice a gentle loving whisper in your ear, His desire for your life become an overflowing truth in your heart, and His perfect love felt as strong encouraging hugs through your day. 

Hugs

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Lessons of the past...

 

It's been quite a shock to skip over spring, and have summer arrive three months early, but that's the way of seasons around the world now so I have quickly adjusted my expectations to accept whatever the good Lord sends our way. After all, just waking each morning next to my beloved is a gift which I never fail to thank God for, and that perspective helps me to focus on everything I can give praise for, rather than what I could lament.

THE GARDEN and GROCERIES...

Yesterday I pulled up the remaining tomato plants as the green vegetable bug infestation had become too difficult to control. Jennifer lost and the bugs won. The hot and humid days bring them out 'en masse', each day adding more to their numbers than the one before, and far too many tomatoes were lost. Best idea was to take away their 'dinner' and bring the remaining fruit inside. 

Some will ripen on the dining table near the front window, others will be fermented, and still more shall become a fried green tomatoes side dish this week. I may dehydrate the ripening cherry tomatoes, but I'll see how things go. Chutney and pickles are another option.

The last butternut pumpkin, lettuce and bok choy were picked today, but we've still got snow peas growing so we feast on them each night. Spring onions do well here all year round, as does rocket (arugula), plus the 'new to us' beet greens are in abundance for the time being. It's wonderful to still have greens for our daily salads, but I've planted out more radish as we've gone through the last lot already. All the cucumbers, which gave us a bounty this winter, are gone, as is my coriander (cilantro) patch as they do not like the burning heat. 

I'm so glad that strawberries are cheap at our supermarkets right now, having arrived very late in the season, so I'm stocking up on them for jam making later in the week. This is the end of the tropical growing season, so I'm gathering locally what I can to preserve, freeze and use immediately. We will very soon be reliant on the spring/summer growing seasons of the cooler southern states (I'm in Australia if you weren't aware) and already we see prices higher than I can ever remember. 

Rockmelons (cantaloupes) are already $7 each, so next winter we will grow them.

Our local egg farm just closed because they cannot get workers to collect the eggs...no wonder there's an egg shortage every second week in the supermarket. 

As I pondered all this last night, and reflected on the menus of my childhood living with Nana and Pop, I acknowledged that we've really strayed away from the simple fare of those days. Today, with all the cooking programs, social media sites and cookbooks, many people are buying a lot of different ingredients for just one meal...and that can be expensive. Add up the cost of spices (some you may only ever use once or twice in a year), special cuts of meat, vegetables which are out of season locally and so they're flown in from overseas, and any other number of ingredient requirements needed to re-recreate the recipe which caught your eye and made you salivate...it won't be cheap. 

Now I don't know about you, perhaps you're quite well off and can afford those luxuries, but as house mortgage rates rise (ours has gone up four times in the past four months, and we feel the pinch, even with a small mortgage) my husband and I have had to sit back and assess all our expenditure - deciding what is necessary and what is not. Considering this, we reminded each other of what it was like growing up with grandparents (he was raised by grandparents too, just like me) and how very wise they were with money, having gone through the Great Depression and WW2. They experienced first hand what it was like to raise a family in those years and and learned what it was to go without. Those lessons were ingrained in their mind, and we want lessons like those to guide our ways in the difficult time ahead.

I've begun making bottles of natural teas every few days. Hibiscus for bringing down blood pressure (and it's working), and a mix of lemon balm/mint/ginger as a night time tonic to help me sleep (also wonderful). I used to have these as hot teas every so often, but now I have them as iced tea straight from the fridge - and neither of them are sweetened, as they're lovely and fresh just the way they are. 

READING...

I'm currently re-reading The Servant Queen, an inspiring book by the UK Bible Society about the faith of our late Queen, Elizabeth 11, her legacy coming to mind often over the past two weeks. Did you watch the funeral? We did...so full of respect and dignity and love. 

Another read, though actually a daily study, my husband, Blossom and I are reading from the Complete Jewish Bible these days, and I cannot recommend this highly enough as it explains so clearly much of Jesus' teachings and what they meant to the 1st Century Jews He was living and ministering among. Brings the Bible, and especially Gospels, alive in quite an unexpected way.

In the evenings before bed I have another re-read. This book by Mrs Sharon White (you'll find her blog HERE) is one a handful of titles by her which I have purchased...

As you can tell, I love to fold over the corners of pages/topics I want to re-read! Her books are mostly blog posts she has written since about 2009, and full of her love for home, family, and more importantly, Jesus. In so many ways, as I read, it's like my own story of life. 

MOVING THINGS AROUND...

With every new season I tend to look over our living space and attempt to make it function that little bit better. Last week it occurred to me that when we walk in the back door, from the garden, no matter how much we try to avoid it, we bring in leaves, grass and sometimes muddy water. I've always had either the blue couch or the dining table against the wall of the back door, so dust and debris end up either under that couch or scattered under the table and between the chairs. 

My new re-arrangement is probably the most sensible one yet! I made a walkway from the back door into the kitchen at long last.

My desk is now in direct line from the new air conditioner, which really is important as I need to do work each day there and our spring/summer/autumn is ghastly hot.

THE OLD WAYS...

I hope and pray each of you are doing well, in whatever circumstance you are facing. Though a believer for 31 years, the Lord is still stretching me, He is still guiding me, and He is still forgiving me when I fall along the way. You may have that same testimony? 

No matter the mortgage increases, the cost of groceries, or the scarcity of eggs, if we can curb our spending, eat and live more simply, be mindful of not using the car more than we need, switching off appliances at the wall when not in use, give thanks for all we have, and above all be content knowing that we are children of a great and mighty God who shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (note, the Word says needs, not wants)...then we shall be okay. 

The Bible directs us to look to the old ways, and the old ways for me are the examples I saw growing up in Nana and Pop's tiny flat. Simple meals, small delights, contented hearts, creativity, beauty in flowers, there's no garden too small, hard work, staying home each day and not wandering off to socialise because attention to keeping home was most important, cleanliness of self/belongings/home, regular daily rhythms, respect for God, generosity to those in need, and restful evenings together as a family.

What have you learned from the old ways of your childhood? I'd love to hear them.

Bless you heaps,

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Contented and unrushed homemaking...

In  Australia we welcome Spring on the first day of September, so this past week I invested my days working through our home to give it a good and thorough Spring clean. 

I have a regular rhythm of daily cleaning, plus there's another regular rhythm which brings me great satisfaction, and that is to deep clean a specific room every month.  But the spring clean is a bit different, for it is when I make a plan for every room, roll up my sleeves, put on my prettiest apron, and prepare to scrub and wash and redecorate with simple loving touches for a solid week. Some lovely music, or a nice audio book in the background adds to the 'romance' of a spring clean! 

Giving my full attention to the home this week has kept me from sharing the next chapter of our Emilie Barnes book study, but we, as homemakers, must always stay close to our priorities and not stray or be distracted by the things which can wait - which assures me you understand. :-)

There were so many little things that were accomplished, things a visitor or my husband would never notice, and I do think they more than anything else brought me the greater sense of delight. 

Things like taking all forty-five indoor plants outside for a good shower and soak to remove the dust of these winter months...

...or descaling the electric kettle with vinegar and water; then there was the cleaning out of kitchen drawers and laying beautiful liners inside, and the windows and screens scrubbed before hanging a handmade curtain across the window (a long-overdue plan which exceeded my hopes).

Having those 'handmaidens' to help every day really made the work easier. We are incredibly blessed in this day and age to have appliances such as vacuum cleaners, steam mops, washing machines...and I have heard people say "back in the old days they worked hard without those things so we should too", but growing up in a home where Nana had to boil the water in a large copper and carry it bucket by bucket to the outdoor bathtub so we could bathe, let me assure you she would have jumped at the chance to have the 'handmaidens' which grace my home today. 

This week I moved all the furniture away from the walls, one side of the room at a time, scrubbed those skirting birds (baseboards) and window sills, washed curtains, re-potted plants, shook rugs, vacuumed and mopped.  This photo was yesterday as the living room was the final room I tackled because until Thursday afternoon we had a queen size mattress still in the middle of everything, waiting to be sold. 

Praise God, when the mattress went to its new home, I couldn't wait to pull apart the office/living/dining room! Next week the old cream air-conditioner will be removed and a brand new one will be installed. Ever since the 2019 floods we've not been able to stop this old air conditioner from growing mould rapidly between the professional cleaning twice a year, so when hubby's tax return arrived in our bank account we chose not to pay it off the mortgage but to purchase a new air conditioner. The one we're getting cleans itself every forty hours, and is way more energy efficient too.

A couple of months ago I bought some non-adhesive wipe-clean rolls of drawer/shelf liner and I think they have been my second best decor investment this year (sewing the kitchen curtains took first place).

The rolls are 10 feet x 12 inches, and I bought four because I had plenty of use for them, beginning in the sewing room. The built in shelving is very old and would take more work than we have time for to sand them down and paint, but just lining each shelf has made a world of difference. 

I also used this to line my kitchen drawers - it's amazing how quickly 40 feet of liner can be used up, but I have another roll with a simple red and white vine design which I'll use for the white bookcase in the kitchen which holds my bulk food containers. 

The walk in pantry is incredible now, so beautifully displayed, full and labelled in such a way that my husband can easily read the jars and tubs. His eyesight has declined quickly over the past few years, so the hand painted italic writing previously on all my jars was difficult for him to read easily in such a small space as a walk in pantry, but once removed and then replaced by printed labels, he's having no trouble at all. I bought a Dymo LetraTag from Amazon and it's brilliant for this job.

There's still a number of cosmetic jobs to be done, a bag of unnecessary items to be dropped at the op-shop, and an inevitable mess to clean after the air conditioner installation next week, but right now I'm very content with the fruit of my labours this past week - both inside and out (I gave the back porch a jolly good clean too).

I did not rush, I went at my own pace and took regular breaks to have a snack and drink, and also to rest my knee (which is still giving me trouble). Apart from a short visit to Blossom's on Monday morning, and a quick grocery shop after lunch yesterday, I've not gone anywhere in the past week...and that's the key to achieving tasks at home and being totally at peace with them, working at a slower pace and appreciating the joy of caring for your sanctuary. When you remove the 'going here and there' from your life, you don't fall behind or feel rushed (usually)...your day is remarkably lovely, quite satisfying, and a real source of contentment. 

Naturally there are days when we must venture out, or attend to unplanned urgencies, but generally, the choice to be pottering at home and tending your nest, blesses you and your loved ones. I also find it gives me so much time to talk with God, pray for those in need, sing as I tend the garden, and listen to books on audio while I bake, cook, pickle and ferment.

I also find there's more time to consider what meals to prepare for myself when hubby is at work. I make sure he always has a healthy and tasty lunch, but its also important to take the time to nourish my own body each day. Whether it's a brown rice and vegetable nourish bowl, a whole-wheat egg and greens sandwich with a smoothie, or pesto and salad on toast...taking the time for self care is vitally important. 

I hope you're taking time to tend your nest and delight in the work of your hands; tending to your health by making time to create simple nourishing meals; and most importantly tending to your heart by spending time in the Word and in prayer with our God.

Next week I have some recipes for you, plus a new pattern release. Here's a peek...

Bless your precious hearts, and may the new month which will soon be upon us, inspire you to wipe the slate clean, forgive past hurts, refresh your thoughts, and bring you JOY. 

hugs

Seasons of change and a free gift...

 Just as in nature there is a progression of seasonal changes, so in life we also journey through various seasons. 

This year has been a wonderful season of slowing for me, something I had long desired but not quite achieved, though not through want of trying. I used to strive for slow...and isn't that a strange thing to do?

Interpreting slow as having less, I set my mind on a path to decluttering our home, removing everything which seemed superfluous to the life I longed to lead. But decluttering is not slowing. It is simply the absence of things to store, display or maintain. 

Don't misunderstand me, I am and will always be one who declutters regularly, but this rhythm in my life did not slow me...it just gave my visual need for order a desired sense of calm. 

As the months of 2022 have steadily come and gone, the real lesson of slower living has grown in my understanding, becoming increasingly evident in the day to day rituals and practicalities of homemaking, conversation, planning and mindset.

Preparing breakfast as the sun rises each morning; changing the linen sheets and freshening the bedroom every Thursday; milling flour to bake a new loaf of bread; moving smaller garden beds of greens into the dappled shade of our Poinciana tree when the burn from the afternoon sun begins to singe their delicate leaves; hanging washing on the line and inhaling the freshness of sunshine when I take it off later in the day to fold and put away; walking around the yard mid-morning to check on our fruits and vegetables as I gather cucumbers, tomatoes and greens for lunch; tending to the daily gardening tasks and admiring God's creation as I go...all of this is done slowly now. The rush has left me. The striving has fallen away like autumn leaves on a tree. 

With slowing comes contentment and peace of mind. With slowing, I am giving myself more time to ponder God's Word and not be distracted by the noise and voices of this modern fast-paced world.

I'm intentional about using time at the computer wisely (writing blog posts and answering emails) because I don't enjoy sitting in front of a screen anymore, unless there's a purpose to it. 

One purpose during our tropical winter has been to learn things I did not know, but which add benefit to our lives here on our quarter acre...things like fermenting and preserving food. I've also uncovered old books which teach these skills, and acquired more knowledge from those locally who know about preserving in the hot tropics so that I do not waste produce.

Some friends have noticed that I've been quieter, as have my daughters, and I think that's a good thing, in fact I believe it's confirmed to my heart that at last, this desire for a slower yet more productive life is indeed happening. 

I've never been a social butterfly, it's not appealing. Being home each day and tending to life here, working at my stitchery design business, and helping the family - those satisfied me. Yet, within that home-centred life I still set my mind to achieve as much as possible in the day...until one day I just wanted everything to slow down because I couldn't see any room to spread myself and learn new things. That's when decluttering, something I'd regularly done, became even more of a habit...because I thought having less around would slow my life. 

This year I have decluttered with a different purpose, and I have allowed myself to let many distractions and self-applied obligations fall away...like autumn leaves. The heavy weights of time, mental anxiety, and future business planning are lifted, and I am walking lighter, thinking clearer, and able to give myself with full attention to the tasks before me.

No longer am I frustrated with a two-day rising of sour dough. Instead, I pick up the bowl and admire the bubbles appearing as the fermenting bread dough works it's magic. Whilst I still bake a regular loaf every few days, the slow loaves of sour dough bring me greater satisfaction and are a reminder that good things come to those who wait.

Though I've not as much time for hand embroidery lately, it's simply because the time I have is given over to things which matter more, time that is no longer rushed. Simplifying Elefantz Designs earlier this year, reducing the workload by about 80%, has made a huge difference to those parcels of rest and free time I enjoy today, and though embroidery is still one of my delights, it's done when I feel like it and thus it has become even more delightful. The business is mostly 'maintained' now through my Etsy Shop (here) and the established 12-month pattern club (here), which only takes one afternoon each week. 

In the afternoons I brew a pot of tea, choose a sweet treat, and spend 15-30 minutes reading. The joy of reading returned this year and I cherish the time given to it.

Not one for modern novels I've always enjoyed older books, those written in slower times, and this year I'm especially enjoying those with a home focus, the books of my youth which I'd almost forgotten - like Little Women. 

Recently I purchased a lovely devotional, drawn from chapters in Little Women, and together they have highlighted areas of Christian character which draw us closer to living our lives in a way that glorifies the Lord. It's not a children's devotional, if you're wondering, but when my grandchildren are a little older it will definitely offer godly lessons I can teach through.

Would you mind sharing about your own journey to slower living? I'd love to glean from your experience. Or perhaps you're still working out what slowing means to you, and how it would enhance your life?

Free book study bookmarks...

I received a lot of feedback about the little quotes included with last week's Emilie Barnes book study and thought you may like to have them in a "Creativity" bookmark format to download and print up.

They'd be lovely to use in your own reading, but would also make useful and pretty gifts for posting or slipping inside a gift book. 

I printed mine on heavy weight 250gsm paper, not regular printing paper (which is usually 80gsm) and after punching a hole in the top I added some pretty ribbon.

If you'd like to download the bookmarks I have two paper formats - A4 size such as we use here in Australia, and Letter size such as may be used overseas.

Click on the link below that suits your country's paper size...

Download the A4 "Creativity" bookmark file

Download the Letter "Creativity" bookmark file

With that I shall sign off for this week, and leave you with some inspiration and a promise. God bless you all!

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."  Jude 1:25

hugs