Owner: FInding Simplicity URL:http://finding-simplicity.blogspot.com Join Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:34:59 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: One woman's quest to leave consumerism behind and return to a more simple, green and sustainable lifestyle. Site statistics:Click here
A Box For ‘Toileting’ In 2008-07-13 10:06:00 Richard told me about this product earlier and as it links in nicely with my previous post, I just had to share it with you.Reading about it had me in absolute fits but it’s for real and to be honest, if I were going camping and thought I might get ‘caught short’, I’d take one with me.Do read the whole site and study the graphics - it’s worth it if only for the laugh.Here it is: the revo
All Feet To The Pole 2008-07-13 02:22:00 Image: FlickrDelusionsOnce upon a time our family used to go camping. We didn’t have a fancy tent with lots of rooms in it or anything, just two simple dome tents, one for me, my other half (at the time), Paul and one dog, the other for the girls and dog number two. There wasn’t much room to store anything so most of our stuff stayed in the back of the car and food was prepared and eaten al fr
Change Doesn't Happen Overnight 2008-07-12 01:23:00 Image: James JordanWhen I decided that enough was enough and that I no longer wanted to be part of the mass-consumer society, I expected changing back to a simpler, greener lifestyle to be easier than it has been. It sounded easy enough, after all: you just stop spending on unnecessary ‘wants’ and look for alternative, less eco-damaging ways to get hold of what you need in order to go about yo Read more:Change
Blowing In The Breeze or How To Hang Out Your Washing 2008-07-11 01:13:00 Image SourceI love hanging my washing out. Although I’ve started to enjoy housework more since learning to view it differently as well as finding quicker and better ways to get through it, hanging the laundry out is something I’ve always enjoyed. Even as a little girl I used to love watching Mum hang the laundry out and would sit up in the apple tree watching it blow in the breeze. There was Read more:Breeze
The Problem With Plastic 2008-08-10 02:14:00 Image: Mimi_KI read quite a few simplicity and ‘green’ blogs and one thing that I’ve noticed is the number of people who are trying hard to eliminate any kind of plastic from their lives. I guess I must be the odd one out, because I don’t have a problem with plastic per se.The way I see it is that plastic, polythene and other polymer based substances aren’t necessarily bad things - they Read more:Problem
, Plastic
A Bit About Lettuce 2008-08-09 01:52:00 Image: JekInTheBox“Lettuce
is like conversation; it must be fresh and crisp and so sparkling that you barely notice the bitter in it”. ~ C.D. Warner (19th Century)If there’s one thing on our tables that sums up summer better than anything else it has to be salad. In our house salad’s served either as a meal itself or alongside most other meals during summer and even though I have to be car
Why My Fingers & Toes Are 'Au Naturelle' 2008-08-08 02:04:00 Image: EszterFor ages I’ve wanted a professional manicure. My nails grow reasonably long but they never look as good as those of the ladies I see emerging from the nail studios around town, and if I’m honest, I’ve been a bit envious of them. I’m not so fussed about my toes - my feet are ugly and a pedicure wouldn’t do much to enhance them, but a manicure…I also used to wear nail polish Read more:Fingers
Home Matters Most 2008-08-07 02:23:00 ~~~Jennifer at HomeMattersMost has asked her fellow bloggers to write a post about why their home matters most to them and there's a lovely book that the generous lady's giving away to whoever's entry is 'pulled from a hat' at the end of it all. This is my contribution.From The Gardenlooks kind of pretty but it's actually more like a jungle than a gardenI’ve always been a bit of a wanderer and s
Sweet Stella Cherries - A Real Taste of Summer 2008-08-06 02:02:00 The cherry tree minus most of its fruit(Apologies for the awful picture quality - blame it on my mobile phone)I don’t profess to having much of a garden but I do have a few herbs growing out there and, in a huge pot, a miniature Stella
cherry tree.The tree’s enjoying its third summer at the moment and, up until a week or so ago, was full of beautifully sweet, deep red cherries. I’ve no idea Read more:Sweet
, Cherries
, Summer
Musically, I'm Not Being Environmentally Friendly 2008-08-05 02:01:00 Image: BlakJakDavyI have an mp3 player somewhere. Richard bought it for me a few years ago although I’m not sure whether it was a Christmas present, birthday present or something he’d bought to keep me entertained during a spell in hospital. Either way, I didn’t use it as much as I first thought I would and right now I haven’t a clue where it is.I just couldn’t get on with it. There was Read more:Environmentally
, Friendly
, Environmentally Friendly
Menu Planning - How I Do It 2008-08-04 07:23:00 Image: Mister ScratchOne of the first things I did when I decided to simplify my life was to menu plan and as fellow blogger, Catz, shared her experience of menu planning with us in a recent post, I thought I'd share my experience with you, too.Unfortunately, not long after I started it I got ill and it all went kind of west but once I was able I picked it back up again and have been sticking with
Six Years of Change 2008-08-04 02:20:00 Image SourceA few days ago I found an old post I’d written six years ago entitled ’10 Things I Couldn’t Live Without’. Here’s what they were: Family & FriendsFreedomThe Power of SpeechMy SensesMy CarMusicBooksMy DogFast FoodMy Computer My, how things change! Sure, some of them are still valid today but when I wrote that I couldn’t live without my car, I was still perfectly fit a Read more:Years
, Change
Organic vs. Local vs. Imported vs. Fair Trade 2008-08-03 01:31:00 Image: Mister ScratchGosh, hasn’t buying food become an ordeal these days? Should we choose organic over non-organic but locally produced produce, and what about when a fruit or vegetable’s out of season but still produced and available locally, should we choose that rather than an imported version?With our own health, the health of the planet and the local economy to think about, just doing a Read more:Organic
, Local
, Trade
, Fair Trade
I Believe... 2008-08-02 02:42:00 Photo: midlander1231I believe that we should all… ...marry a man/woman who we really enjoy talking to. As we age, their conversation will be invaluable when it comes to keeping the relationship strong and interesting. ...choose our friends carefully. It’s important they share at least some of our core values or there will be nothing to build a bond upon. ...always look
I've Blown It 2008-08-01 02:07:00 Image: fdecomiteAnother month has flown by and unfortunately, I broke my budget by, for me, ridiculously huge amounts. Having house guests cost me far more than I imagined, for one reason meaning that this month I’m going to have to pull the reins in even further than usual.Reasons for blowing my budget:Petrol - Ferrying guests around is expensive these days. Cars don’t run on air (if only) an
Christian The Lion 2008-07-31 02:42:00 ~~~Take a look at this video…An amazing story, don’t you think? One that should never have happened because Harrods should never have sold exotic, wild animals in the first place, but they did and the video shows that an extraordinary bond can be created between man and one of the most dangerous wild animals on the planet. Even George Adamson, of 'born free' fame and the man who re-introduced Read more:Christian
This Green and Fertile Land 2008-07-30 02:55:00 Image: WouterKvGA friend’s neighbour recently gave his garden a bit of a revamp, like you do from time to time. The new design has now left the garden mostly covered in slate chippings where there was once lawn and while I personally preferred it how it was, I can understand his choice. Lawns demand water, fertilizer and a lot of TLC if they’re to look half decent, whereas the slated area is Read more:Green
BBQs - An Eco Friendly Way of Preparing Food? 2008-07-29 02:18:00 Image: FredArmitageNow that we’ve actually been able to enjoy some real summer weather, people all over the country have been flocking to the shops to buy stuff for their barbeque. Meat, salads, charcoal, fire lighters, dousing liquids, throw-away one-time-use barbeques and more. A year ago I would have been amongst them and wouldn’t have given a thought to the environmental impact.I love a go Read more:Friendly
Update Re Theft 2008-07-28 11:50:00 ~~~~I’m sure those of you who found the time to offer support to LM and myself through the comments and emails will be glad to know that last night a very nice (polite and empathetic as well as tall, dark and handsome) policeman returned her handbag.Apparently it’d been found in some bushes about 500 yards from where she works and handed in, albeit minus her driver’s license, bank card, stud Read more:Update
And The Award Goes To… 2008-07-28 01:56:00 ~~~I’ve been given two awards recently by people who enjoy this blog.I’m not usually into the “hey, look what I won” culture but I do think it’s kind of cool to know that the work I’ve been putting into keeping up with my daily posts and sharing what I’m learning and have learned is being appreciated so a huge thank you goes to Chris at “My Peggy Peg” and to Dom at “Shabby Shac Read more:Award
Theft 2008-07-27 02:14:00 Image: Ross MurrayYesterday afternoon my daughter’s handbag was stolen from her work place. It was hanging in the staff room (they’re not allowed to have their personal belongings at the tills) and somebody came in through the back door, that the manager had left open, and had it away.In the bag was her purse, driver’s licence, bank card, a pack of cigarettes, a few till receipts and her key
Must We Always Answer Our Phones? 2008-07-26 02:15:00 Image: DarwinBellWhen I was growing up, few of my friends had house phones and mobiles were yet to be deeveloped. Nowadays, everybody seems to have at least one phone in some form or another and we all seem to be expected to be available at any given time.I’ve no idea how many times my mobile’s gone off while I’m visiting with friends, having dinner in a pub, or standing in a supermarket che Read more:Phones
Harking Back To The Past 2008-08-25 02:17:00 Image: madalena-pestana
I spend a considerable amount of time thinking about the past. My own past and our collective pasts - pasts that we didn’t experience but that we know happened. History. Personal, national and global history.
Some would say I should stop ‘living in the past’ and look to the future instead and while I agree that we can’t get too stuck in our ways or we’ll never
Paul - A Prime Example of Simplicity 2008-08-24 02:16:00 My son’s 30 and has what’s termed as ‘profound learning difficulties’. When he was six months old I was told that he would be ‘a vegetable’ (the doctor’s actual term) and was advised to put him into care and forget him. Yes, that’s actually what I was told.
I didn’t. I was just 17 but I knew that with my mum's support, I could give him a life he deserved.
He was 3 ½ when he to Read more:Example
, Simplicity
Financial Goals 2008-08-23 02:55:00 Image: JimmyMac210
I recently read a post on Saving4Later where the author of the blog tries to list her 20 financial goals as advised by the author of a book she was reading. She was only able to list five.
I thought it sounded like an interesting exercise so I tried writing my own list. Here’s what I came up with:
Save £2,000 for new kitchen.
I really need my kitchen re-fitted and Read more:Financial
, Goals
Finding Out What Makes Me Sick - My Food Diary 2008-08-22 02:03:00 Image: Elaine Vignaeult
A comment left by Catz on Frugal Trenches' blog sparked off my own decision to keep a daily food diary. Like Catz, I also have a health problem that can be made more difficult to cope with if I eat anything that my body doesn’t agree with, and although my problems are very different to hers, I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who would benefit from keeping Read more:Diary
Making The Most of Carrots 2008-08-21 02:48:00 Image: color line
Two of my children are not big veggie fans but luckily both of them are perfectly happy to eat carrots. Ok, so the little lass generally insists on covering her entire meal in thick Bisto gravy (I personally don't like the stuff but she buys it herself) but even with the tastes practically drowned out, the goodness is still there.
Carrots
are one of the UK’s most popular
Tetra Pak Recycling 2008-08-20 02:08:00 .Image: stevent
At long last our borough has introduced Tetra Pak recycling, an important addition to the recycling schemes, and considering that 20 billion of the 55 billion cartons produced were recycled on a global basis as far back as in 2005, it's not before time.
Apparently, Tetra Paks - those cartons that drinks often come in - are quite easy to recycle even though the paper, aluminium Read more:Recycling
Whining About Wine - It Can Be Dangerous Stuff Y'know! 2008-08-19 02:14:00 Image: Elusive
Are you one of those people who enjoys a glass of wine in the evening? While I don’t actually drink a great deal of it, I have been known to participate in the sharing of a bottle now and then and generally have a nice bottle of rose tucked away somewhere, as well as the couple of bottles of cooking wines that are in my food cupboard, ready to be sloshed into marinades, sauces,
I’ve Been on Holiday! 2008-08-18 02:17:00 Image: Adam79
Ok, so I haven’t been on holiday as in the usual sense of going on holiday, but I’ve still been on holiday. Let me explain.
A while ago I decided I’d try to recreate a meal that Richard and I had both enjoyed during a holiday in Tenerife a few years ago. It was a relatively simple meal - just pork steaks in a creamy mushroom sauce with sautéed potatoes and a salad but there Read more:Holiday
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