Sunday 14 October 2007

Simple Living


I was wondering what to write as I sat down at the computer - I haven't really been doing anything exciting to share.

We tend to judge our lives by the big events, experiences, purchases, etc, but simple living isn't really about the exciting things, its about enjoying the small everyday things.

Its a change of mindset that I think we will all have to make as resources to fuel the exciting activities become fewer and fewer. When we are unable to travel long distances easily, we will have to be content with exploring the area close to home. When travel takes place at a slower pace then there will be time to notice the details.

When it becomes impossible to ship/fly exotic or out of season fruit to our shops, we will have to be content with our local foods and gain pleasure from cooking them well.

When there are fewer mass produced goods in the shops, we will spend more time making things for ourselves. Making and mending are not thought to be exciting but they can be enjoyable, satisfying activities.

So during the last week I haven't done anything exciting but I have enjoyed some simple activities around my home.

Today we had these carrots with our roast chicken lunch. They were on a corner of my allotment and I'd forgotten about them. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that they'd done so well.

I also found just a handful of late autumn raspberries in the garden. There were only a few so I stewed them with some local cooking apples so that we could all share them. They turned the apple a really rich colour.


Finally a few photographs taken on a gentle Sunday afternoon walk just a couple of miles from home - not exciting but a lovely way to spend a very warm October afternoon.





10 comments:

Jill said...

Willow, what a beautiful post, and wonderful photographs. The carrots looked really good, last time I tried to grow carrots, I made the mistake of transplanting the seedlings, I ended up with carrots that were all twisted and in knots!!!! they still tasted good though. The walk near you home looks so lovely, we have a nice bush walk at the end of our street, but it is coming into SNAKE season, so will have to keep to the roads for now!

Anonymous said...

Hello Willow,

It sounds like the perfect way to spend an October afternoon to me.

Marie x

Simply Authentic said...

i love this....thank you for sharing your sunday. the little things are what makes life....you are completely correct.

ginny said...

A perfect day. You are so right.. what abundance and beauty we have all around us if only we take the time to stop and look. Finding, pulling and eating those carrots.. now that it what i call exciting.
lovely
ginny
x

Rowan said...

This is a lovely post, you are right that, although the big, exciting things give us a burst of pleasure, it is the enjoyment of ordinary, everyday things that really make life happy.

Jenny said...

It all sounds just perfect. It's quality of the everyday that matters most and the big things just add a bit of spice every now and then.

Anonymous said...

I agree wholeheartedly - you do see the smaller things when you slow down and it makes life worth living. Especially the pleasure derived from growing your own vegetables and trying to be as self-sufficient as possible.

Your photos are marvellous and that mushroom looks deadly, but perfectly Autumnal!

willow said...

I always enjoy returning to a post to read the comments and its great that through blogging its possible to "meet" like-minded people. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

Heather L. said...

The photos are lovely -- loved the mushroom! reminds me of beatrix potter and her love for drawing fungi! Rasberries with apples sounds delicious!

Jessica at Bwlchyrhyd said...

Well said!