MARCH...simplicity...

 

March has made itself welcome in the tropics of Northern Australia, bringing with it loads more rain, lengthening autumn nights, and early morning kitchen tasks that begin in the dark before the heat of the sun spreads over the mountain in front of me. 

I love March, not because it's the start of autumn as it is always very hot here in March, but because it signals the end of another uncomfortable summer and the promise of winter just three months away. It thrills me to know that in another six to eight weeks, around the end of April or beginning of May, the heat will finally subside and we can open wide all the windows and doors until October. What lies ahead is a favourite season of life in our tropics with tepid days and nights, months of enjoying every moment in the outdoors, drinking in the embrace of temperate days, the hope of cool nights and pots of steaming soup or hearty casseroles if the temperatures drop below 24 C (75 F). Some years our winter is too warm for anything more than t-shirts and jeans, or a long flowing dress...but other years we will have a month tucked somewhere into winter where we can pull on socks and wrap a cardigan around our shoulders - those are the winters I adore! 

(rainbow lorikeets are daily visitors to the feeder, often sitting in the shady branches of the Poinciana for hours)

Just as natural seasons bring change with them, so do personal seasons. Rosie came to visit yesterday and as is our custom, we spend a lot of time chatting about life over a cup of tea and something sweet and delicious. I am often surprised by how parallel our thoughts are, the ones we have individually pondered between our last catch-up and this one...for we both long for simpler times, simple joys, and more time for physical and mental refreshment.

When I was praying through February about what the blog's theme should be for March, the word 'simplicity' resonated within my heart over and over. It seemed that wherever I looked, a verse or quote about the need for simplicity in our day to day lives would pass before my eyes, or I'd hear of such things through what I had watched or listened to that day. It was clear that the Lord was focussing my attention on simplifying every area of my life...and girls, that made me joyous. 

In our conversation Rosie and I talked about childhood memories, and those who raised us - Rosie had parents, and I had grandparents. We reminisced about the simpler times and lives lived without hustle, amongst people who helped each other, where kindness, laughter, humility, and a good night's rest were normal. Meals were ordinary, the kind women had been cooking for years, made from simple fresh ingredients - meals that children and grandchildren remembered all their lives as 'comfort food' because it brought back memories of love, security, familiarity and happiness.

But Simplicity isn't just about food.

It can be how we dress, the plans we make in our day, what we grow and how we tend our gardens, how we decorate our homes, what we sew, the routines and rhythms of homemaking in all its aspects...even the conversations we have with others. Whilst pondering the various aspects of our life we can highlight the joys we experience, stirring happiness and perhaps contentment in our hearts - but what about the things in our life that overwhelm and weary and leave us at times not knowing where to start or what to do next - our minds are a blur and we feel somewhat frozen in one place. 

Excesses, the burdens or stressors we carry day to day, the unnecessary commitments that take away time and energy, even the overabundance of things we own, or the compulsion to buy more (often to fill an emotional need) - these can cause our lives to be and feel complicated, stressful, and not at all simpler. 

(Rosie and I enjoyed working on our individual crochet blankets this morning - I am repairing Rafaella's old blanket)

There's also a difference between individuals on how they would describe simplicity in their own life. What I may see as simple, another would think too much, and vice versa. For me it is wonderfully and satisfyingly simple to mix and knead and bake a loaf of bread - but for another, simplicity would be to buy a loaf. And that is fine. How we each choose to simplify our lives will depend on our individual circumstances, such as responsibilities, health, finances, lifestyle choices, hobbies  - and if you are married, if will include what both husband and wife agree needs to be simplified. 

(I made another little slow stitched pouch last week from checked linen. It will hold my crochet hooks)

Minimalism is becoming more popular with each passing year, and this too stems from a desire to simplify life. Those who have chosen to embrace minimalism have usually done so in order to rid themselves of excess stuff and excess responsibility (for everything we own comes with responsibility to look after and maintain it), to reduce their financial expenditure, to remove visual clutter, and to eliminate too many choices which then helps with decision making. For example, the ten item wardrobe is another popular choice, especially with women. How much simpler it is to choose your seasonal clothing from such a reduced number of items. No wonder there's a growing movement towards this trend. 

Personally I am not minimalist inclined, but I also do not hoard things, but declutter every season. As the years pass I own less and less, choosing to have only what is or will be used, emergency items, or what I find brings a gentle ambience to my home. 

I prefer my  home to feel warm, welcoming and interesting, so having a relatively bare home would leave me lonely and uninspired...but once again, what is simple to me, will not be to someone else, and the other way around. 

(I made Oleysa's Cottage Cheese biscuits at the weekend and they were yummy)

If you need to simplify your life, perhaps it may be achieved by stepping away from, or reducing, activities, hobbies, committees, and unnecessary commitments. Going here and going there leaves us weary when we return home, and may cause stress when we subsequently fall behind in our daily household tasks, or discover we're neglecting relationships within the family. I'm sad to say that I have seen many women so often 'out and about' that their marriages, finances, home and family suffer over time...even to the point of separation. Keeping the family core solid, the home fires burning, and our hearts in their right place - that's a high priority for all of us to consider. 

(Rosie's crochet blanket in progress, so lovely.)

Our new habit of simplifying...

Apart from reducing the amount of produce we grow (due to health and energy reasons) my husband and I have decided to drop our meals from three per day, to just two. We enjoy a good breakfast, a hearty lunch, and then a small afternoon tea around 2:30pm...after that we don't eat again until breakfast the following day. You may call this intermittent fasting, but we have no dietary rules involved - we're doing this because we have noticed over the past six months or so that we're not really very hungry at the evening meal. I make it out of habit, and we eat it out of habit...but it's become a burden for my husband because he feels obligated to eat that meal I have lovingly prepared. 

When we had the conversation about this last week, we laughed so hard! Each of us wanting to do what we felt was right for the other - and yet neither one of us is hungry at tea time. 

So now I'm preparing even more nutritious breakfasts and lunches (hubby takes his lunch to work) plus a good snack to have around 2:30. It's been a few days now and we are not missing that evening meal at all. We have simplified, and in the process, we're saving money at the grocery store. 

(I am currently repairing the blanket I made Rafaella five years ago, using the leftover yarn I still had. Her dog ripped the centre right out of this blanket.)

How would you like to simplify your life, dear one? I'm ready to hear new ideas, and read of your own experiences...you never know who you will inspire. 

God bless you, and may He give you more and more of His wisdom as you seek to follow a simpler life. I pray His Holy Spirit will steer you and I away from anything unnecessary, and shine a Light on the areas of our life which need the most attention. May His blessing be upon you, dear heart. 

Till next time, love and hugs,

Don't miss out on any Elefantz news or free patterns. 

Subscribe to my blog posts HERE and receive them direct to your email inbox.  

Or sign up HERE for my free newsletter which often has extra benefits, freebies & tutorials!

Simplifying with food and family...

 Most of our days have been dark and wet the past few weeks, though outside the comfort of our air conditioned home it's still very hot and humid...something the plants and the grass love, though hubby is weary of mowing between wet days. 

During the wet season each summer, I tend to spend a lot of time deep cleaning through the house, sorting, removing what's no longer needed, and making notes about what we should invest in when we can afford it. But I also spend lots of time in the kitchen too, preparing food for family, freezing, health and fun. 

Now that Blossom is a full-time homeschool mum, she is keeping Mondays free of bookwork so the kids can attend swimming lessons just up the road from my place, before stopping here for a hearty brunch, time playing in the garden and then doing some crafts I've prepared. As this week was our first Monday gathering, I set the table for a special brunch party...

...which Blossom said reminded her of our morning and afternoon teas during the eleven years of our own homeschooling season. 

I baked egg, bacon and cheese pies to fill their hungry tummies after swimming...

...plus kept some extra for Bloss to take home for Ross. 

And a batch of scones, which my grandchildren tell me are "THE best" thing to make for them. Served with homemade strawberry jam, whipped cream, and pots of tea, the next hour was a wonderful time for us all to chat and eat and laugh and sip, and just enjoy each other's company. 

This was an easy brunch to prepare, using only what I had on hand, but to my family this was a wonderful feast, and something the children asked me to do every Monday. Which of course I shall, and it will always be a bit different, depending on what I have in the pantry and fridge. 

Not too many years ago, I would have shopped for special treats and ingredients to make a really big spread for our tea parties, but I have learned that simple living is about a change of attitude towards every aspect of life - even tea parties and brunches. You can see just how happy Cully May was having time over a cuppa with all of us together. 

Choosing to simplify what I offer my family is not just about watching our pennies - it's about being content spending less than we used to, and making a conscious choice to use what is already on hand. I wonder if many of us have been lured into the world of Masterchef, famous chef/cooks, or Instagram foodies, and believe we need to be more creative in our culinary offerings? For quite a while I felt that way, and my grocery bill could attest to it. Initially it was fun, but over time, and after a number of expensive failures, there came a dull sense of dissatisfaction in my heart. That's when I really began to focus on the food of my youth, the simple meals that Nana made and the memories of how much I loved them. Well, that was my fork in the road, and helped me turn a corner. From that day, about nine years ago, I slowly began to draw on meal memories, and believe me, no matter how old you are, you can still remember the taste of food you loved as a child! 

Simplifying is also making things in the kitchen without having to leave home to buy ingredients. Yesterday I made hummus from a can of chickpeas, some tahini, parsley, garlic, Greek yoghurt and lemon juice - this is my sandwich spread for the week, in place of butter. Everything was in the pantry or fridge and it tastes absolutely wonderful. 

I also made some coconut milk, and coconut cream - the milk to use in smoothies and porridge, and the coconut cream to use in a curry tonight. 

It's stone fruit season here in Australia right now, so with plenty of peaches, and some plums on hand, I made plum and vanilla jam to have on toast...

...and a peach shortcake which will be dessert over four nights.

Last weekend I also baked a cheese pie using home brand puff pastry from the freezer, eggs, four different herbs from the garden, cottage cheese, grated cheese and sour cream (the only thing I had to buy was the cottage cheese). It was delicious served with a salad and lasted two meals, with an extra portion sent home to Ross when Blossom left on Monday afternoon. 

Next week I shall have a file for you to download with some simple recipes, and there's a dessert recipe included which is incredibly cheap and easy that children (and my husband, AND Blossom) absolutely love. It would have been done this week but I am not putting pressure on myself. Things like that can wait until I am ready to type. 

You know, I would really love to hear about the simple meals you prepare, but also the meals you remember from childhood, the ones that bring a smile to your heart today.

God bless you dear ones! I must sign off as I have a dinner to prepare for my beloved when he arrives home from work...may your own dinner be pleasing to the eye and satisfying to the soul. xx

Hugs

Don't miss out on any Elefantz news or free patterns. 

Subscribe to my blog posts HERE and receive them direct to your email inbox.  

Or sign up HERE for my free newsletter which often has extra benefits, freebies & tutorials!

Free Christmas gift pattern number 3...

 

With finances tight for many families and singles these days, creating small gifts which can fit inside a card, whether for Christmas or birthdays, means we can still reach out with love to family and friends near or far. 

The three little gifts included in this one pattern today can be sewn using small scraps of fabric, and embellished with beads, lace, ribbons, tiny buttons - the small bits and bobs we save because they are pretty and we hope to use them one day. 

Inside this free pattern you will find not just embroidery instructions, but tutorials for making the sweet gifts. The lavender sachet below can be kept under a pillow, in an underwear or nightgown drawer, or hung as I have done from a coat hanger in the closet. 

The bookmark is a lovely gift to send to an avid reader, and could even be gifted inside a book. Are there some lovely books on your shelf which you will no longer need or read? Consider regifting them with a pretty bookmark, or perhaps you could sew a pretty cover for the book using one of the little embroidery motifs in this pattern set? 

For many years I would gift Blossom one of my vintage novels every Christmas, and she was thrilled to receive the beautiful works of Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott and other favourite authors which I had read with her during our homeschooling years. Now they sit on her own shelves, awaiting the day when she can begin reading them to her own daughters. Perhaps you can do something similar with treasured books to be handed down?

The gift card is such a cute way to dress up a wrapped present, but is also lovely just as it is because it can be used as another bookmark. 

One of my projects for 2024 is to make a box of these kind of gift cards, using small fabric pieces such as vintage or recycled linen, lovely cottons, sweet satins and old lace. I'll also make some of the lavender sachets and the bookmarks, because there's nothing more satisfying than to have pretty handmade, useful, gifts on hand to send away in a card. 

Oh, and I'll also be making cards, something I have planned for the longest of times, but which has not been followed through on thus far.

Use the link below to download the free pattern.

DOWNLOAD We Three Gifts pattern

If you missed the first two free 2023 Christmas gift patterns they are HERE and HERE

Not a lot has been happening here at home. There's been no rain other than the hour we received a week ago, so the garden is a bit worse for wear. My roses easily scorch on the tips of their petals if I don't pick them first thing in the morning, when still at the budding stage, yet they smell divine and grace my desk with beauty and dignity. 

Blossom bought me a bunch of sunshine yellow chrysanthemums last weekend and they are still as fresh as ever! That's what I enjoy about mums - they last and last, decorating your home with their presence for weeks. 

As we need to stay indoors more at this time of year due to the intense heat and humidity, once the housework is done I settle down for a bit of reading and a cuppa. I have all three of Rhonda Hetzel's books, and have read them a few times each, but this little one is brilliant for a condensed read and I have highlighted and made notes all through it - adding more each time I read it. 

If you haven't got her two large volumes, or don't have finances for them, then let me assure you that this small book is simply marvellous for learning of her journey to a simpler life, the success and freedom she and her husband found, as well as the challenges along the way. Its available here on Amazon Australia

It's also available here on Amazon US and I just checked and the Kindle version is only $2.99 at the moment. 

I am NOT an amazon affiliate, just really love her books and think this little one is a great place to start. 

Molly-dog is now one year old, and has become our little shadow, no matter where we are. The funny thing about pugs is that they don't look happy, and yet I have found them to be very happy dogs. Molly loves her toys but her favourite is a piece of checked fabric which I tied with a knot in the centre. She was getting into mischief in my sewing room, you see, pouncing on any bits of fabric I dropped...so I thought, "Aha, you are fabric lover too are you, Missy? Then you shall have your own." Since she got her own large piece she has not touched mine. Yay. 

Many of our sunflowers have gone to seed now, which has brought even more birds to the garden. A gorgeous pair of red-winged parrots visit each afternoon to feast, and they are joy to behold! 

The cockatoos prefer to eat from the bird feeder, as do the rainbow lorikeets, but these parrots swing back and forth on the sunflowers and have dinner there instead. 

I have been doing some more crochet edging, but mostly for my older daughters. I'm sending them new crochet-edged tea towels for Christmas (they live in other states far from us) as they both prefer something handmade for gifts. I bought tea towels on sale at Bed, Bath & Table yesterday, in a mix of styles as both girls (and Blossom too) have very different preferences. These are a few I'm working on today...

I finished this blue one last night. It only takes an hour and keeps my hands occupied while we listen to a sermon, or teaching on various subjects like gardening in the tropics or health related seminars.

I always match the cotton yarn with the print of the tea towel, and leave a few pairs on the table at a time so that even if I only have twenty minutes or so of free time (while dinner is cooking perhaps) I can pick one up and make a start for later in the evening.

This is the new runner I'm working on for the top of a chest of drawers in our bedroom. I'll get back to it once all the girl's gifts are made. It's more of the Cath Kidston cotton duck fabric I have had on hand for years. 

Today is Charlie David's 3rd birthday!!

But I am going to ask you to pray for him as he has been ill for a few days - dreadfully high fever, vomiting etc. It has gone through all of Blossom's children, plus Ross (and it was his first week on his new job), but little Charlie got it last of all. So we shan't see him today as he needs rest and healing. Your prayers would be the best birthday gift. ((thank you))

Did I ever tell you that the 'David' in his name was for King David? Blossom always knew that if she had a son she'd want him to be a man after God's own heart and that she would have David in his name so that she could teach him all about his namesake and how God was able to use him. 

(Charlie David pretending to be Nana at her desk - :-)

How are YOU?? What's been happening in your life this past week? Is there anything you need prayer for? Just ask. xxx

My love and prayers go out for all of you who read along, knowing that our God hears them and acts on your behalf because He loves you so much. His answers may not always be what we wanted, they may not come as swiftly as we'd hoped, and for a while we might think He is deaf to our needs...but no, He is our Father and He always answers prayers in the way that is best for us because He is outside of time and knows the beginning from the end. So, we must have faith, hold fast to hope, always choosing to live according to God's Word, and remembering we were bought at a great price by the blood of His Son.

We have a cyclone on the way, and the Bureau of Meteorology expect it to hit somewhere around our region on Wednesday if it follows their predicted trajectory, however, having lived in this cyclone region for more than fourteen years now, I know that cyclones can change their track at any time, so it may move further north, go south, or decide to make landfall here. For the next few days we'll just watch and prepare 'in case' it comes close to home. Thanks for all the emails asking me about it's proximity to us. I'll update on Monday when I share the fourth free pattern. 

God bless you all!

Don't miss out on any Elefantz news or free patterns. 

Subscribe to my blog posts HERE and receive them direct to your email inbox.  

Or sign up HERE for my free newsletter which often has extra benefits, freebies & tutorials!

Living a life...

 You may have noticed that my blogging is more sporadic these days, not as regular as it once was. It's been interesting, this past year or so, to discover that many changes which were once just ideas invited into my mind to ponder, are now becoming tangible, practiced habits...so living this rather ordinary yet satisfying life, much more than reading about it, or writing about it, is becoming my normal. 

In fact, I don't walk around with my camera just an arm's length away any more either. There are moments every single day where I would like to capture a scene, to share it with you - but then I soon move on from that moment to another, and find my body and mind absorbed in a new task. 

The burn...

About ten days ago I accidentally poured boiling water over my left hand, a distracted painful mistake which caused a different kind of slower life as my hand needed to rest and heal. Everything I did was carefully considered, my left hand protected, and with each passing day thoughts of 'living' an even slower life by choice (rather than injury) continued to grow in my mind. 

I pottered around the garden, watering things, tending to the roses and vegetables, before sitting in my chair under the large Poinciana tree with a book and a cuppa, the birdsongs above me becoming a chorus to serenade my quiet hour.

Meals were simpler, and I was grateful for all those which I'd made up and frozen in the weeks and months earlier. One night my dear husband picked up some Chinese take-out for a change, but overall we have managed on what was already prepared, or things I could make without overusing my injured hand. 

Sewing...

Two days after the accident I returned to (gently) hand stitching a project I'd begun the week before. How wonderful that my right hand was not the burned one. 

The Wildflowers quilt top (wall quilt) had been patiently waiting to be sandwiched and hand quilted, and finally a few days ago I got to work preparing it.

Normally I use spray baste and a few basting pins, but the can was empty so I used a lot more pins this time. 

I'm hand quilting with DMC Perle 12 thread. The centre and outer border are crosshatched, whilst I've just quilted in the ditch around the applique blocks. 

Later today I'll be able to complete quilting the outer border, and tonight I may sew down the binding. It's the first day of winter on Thursday and I'd like to hang it in our living room then as this was the main purpose behind choosing such a wintery palette.

Reading...

I've done more reading than usual lately, especially the informative kind. I enjoy learning more about gardening, homemaking, natural remedies, sour dough, baking, sewing techniques, and extra Bible study...but now that my hand is healing nicely (the thumb and ring finger still have a little ways to go) it's time to put in to practice what I've learned, rather than read about or 'watching' others doing it on Youtube. 

These are two books I bought recently at KMart, and I have to say they are great for teaching more about the things which matter to me around home- Costa's World (an Aussie gardener who writes about everything connected with home gardens) and The Wellness Cabinet. 

The other book is one that Blossom surprised me with from the library, a novel I'd mentioned to her might be a nice historical read - though I rarely read fiction anymore, unless it's listening to an Agatha Christie audio book while I cook or clean in the kitchen. All will be enjoyed during my cuppa time in the garden.

The cold...

The weather here cooled suddenly and we found ourselves wrapped in blankets one morning during our Bible study, our socks and slippers no longer enough to keep warm. Of course this seems funny to my husband because I still swim my laps in our pool at 6am each day, and the water is freezing...then I come inside and say "I'm so cold". ;-)

Anyhow, I brought out our few winter items yesterday and washed them all. I also added a second quilt to the bed, bought a nice soft mattress topper, and cooked a nourishing beef and vegetable stew for dinner. The temperature this morning was 11c (52f) and we're aiming for a high of 25c (77f) today. Might be time to buy some long sleeve tops as my two cardigans are quite thin. I also need closed in shoes as I only have sandals. Crazy stuff when you live in the hot humid tropics and then it gets cold. Ha ha! But I do hope we get a nice cool winter...it's good for the body and soul after an eight month summer. 

During those first two days after the accident, I decided to research things which were listed in a "discover more about" notebook. Keeping my mind off the pain and immobilising the two fingers which had taken the brunt of the burn (thank the Lord we have more than twenty aloe vera plants in the garden as it was wonderful for soothing and healing) meant being distracting with things that grabbed my interest. 

I've got Emmer flour to use in breadmaking and wondered how it would go as a sour-dough starter, and how well it would bake in a sour dough loaf, as every grain responds differently when used for bread. Anyhow, I came across two very interesting bakers and I learned a lot.

Firstly, there's this wonderful woman in Germany, named Eva, who bakes SO many different types of bread that you will never run out of ideas. She does sour doughs, gluten free, all grains, flour free...honestly, she's marvellous. Her instructions are very easy to follow and are shown simply. There are subtitles in other languages if you don't speak German - thankfully. :-)

This is her way of creating a sour dough starter and I've decided to give it a go as I have those same Weck jars and prefer this method to the ones where you end up with a large jar of starter that always needs to be discarded or used in discard recipes. 

As the weather here is cold (we think it's cold, though you may not) my starter may take a bit of time to ferment well before I can use it...

....but that's fine as after a month or so of pondering and praying, I decided to buy a new breadmaker, one that can be used for sour dough, cake baking, and many other things. It should arrive around the time my sourdough starter is ready to be used. 

I chose this particular Panasonic breadmaker after first reading about it in Chloe's post on Annabel's blog (here) and then researching many reviews. What's wonderful is that Chloe has patiently tried and tested the best way to bake her sourdough loaves in this particular machine with constant success, and I'm so grateful she shared her method with Annabel's readers because it's like being given the answer without having to work out the problem. 

The other bread baker I discovered is Elly from my own state, Queensland, and she was using the Emmer flour I was researching for her loaf of sourdough. Through her I discovered that Emmer grain is actually grown here in our state as well! She also uses the same Mockmill grain mill as I do, but purchased the Emmer already ground. If you don't know about Emmer it is one of the ancient wheat grains which has never been altered. The video below was the one I watched...

So that's what has been happening here, apart from -

Blossom's joyous 29th birthday last Friday and the baking of a dozen cinnamon scrolls because they are her preferred birthday sweet each year; a 750 km round-trip drive to Cairns on Sunday with hubby, where we escaped garden chores for a whole day and reminded ourselves how much we love long road trips with stunning scenery; and hubby's continued excellent healing of the broken bone in his foot. 

In closing...

This morning I read Grandma Donna's latest blog post, always they lift my spirits and draw my heart ever closer to the simpler, humbler life. What surprised me was how eloquently she described exactly the thoughts of my own mind these past couple of weeks...

"I knew that I was feeling pressures from electronics but did not realize how consuming electronics have become and how they have slowed down getting things done in my home and robbed me of mental clarity.

I feel that the internet has cause many of us to be addicted and that is what the electronic industry wants us to be.  We need to relearn how to be present. 

When we do find something of interest on the internet, read it like a book when there is time "after" chores and meals are done.  

Stepping away from the computer and phone is like getting off of a drug and then it feels like going back home to a much better time.

Making a batter feels right and purposeful.  It is doing instead of learning to do and the best way to learn is by doing."

Let me encourage you to visit her blog and read THIS post yourself...there's wisdom there to ponder.

I'll be back with the next Virtuous Wife block on Thursday for you to download, and will share some thoughts about it then as well. Having extra time to sit and study the Word these past couple of weeks is like topping up the fertiliser on my tomato plants. They're doing wonderfully in the prepared soil, but every so often they need a bit of extra fertiliser so they stay strong and healthy, and stand up against some of the bugs which will want to attack as they bear fruit.

We are like that tomato plant. For those of us who love the Lord, study His Word, pray, choose to walk in His ways and turn from worldly influences - there will come seasons when we must immerse ourselves even deeper in our Bible study, examining our heart/choices/attitudes/actions/relationships, so God can uproot those worldly weeds which hinder our spiritual growth and nourish us with the life-giving watering of the Word instead.

God bless you dear ones, 

hugs,

Don't miss out on any Elefantz news or free patterns. 

Subscribe to my blog posts HERE and receive them direct to your email inbox.  

Or sign up HERE for my free newsletter which often has extra benefits, freebies & tutorials!