A good enough start?

I feel as if my mind is filled with so many ideas each one bouncing on to the next and then linking in with another and yet everything seems to be just that, ideas and not really anything much to show for it, it's exhausting and just a little frustrating! Yet I know that research is important and in the case of "Simple Living" there are loads of fascinating and inspiring blogs which I have just loved reading! I also know that sometimes I am hard on myself because when I look back through the last couple of months when all this "went up a gear", I can see that actually I have made a healthy start and have already made changes that have now become part of our life.

In fact let me try and get my head around what I have changed and am planning to change in the next few months:

I try to walk instead of taking the car where possible. If I need the car, I try and do a round trip of lots of little jobs!

I use the library more.

Before I throw anything away, I ask myself if it can serve another function. This sometimes clashes with my decluttering ideal...so presents the trickiest dilemma for me!

I have become a self confessed Charity shop fan!

I am trying to make presents instead of buying.

I am knitting again! This includes the face cloths/ dish cloths!

I have re varnished a footstool and a letter holder (charity shops!)

I am thinking about a Craft room in my house, which is mine all mine!!!

I now make liquid soap and washing powder.

I am beginning to clean without chemicals, it is just a start though as I gradually finish the old bottles.

I am trying to learn more about vegetables!

I now place a small rectangular bucket in the shower tray which collects enough grey water to flush the toilet a few times.

I try and take time to look around and notice things.

I am discovering beauty in creation.

I am trying to make more time for people.


This isn't a pat on the back exercise as I know I have a long way to go, but at least, I guess I can see I am on my way, even if there is a list inside my head which is churning over many possiblities! It is one step at a time and hopefully I will make lasting changes.

I feel so excited and challenged by it all and I know that some of you who read this blog would have had listen to me enthuse, please be kind and humour me...you never know, the next bath bomb or dusting powder,shampoo or bubble bath, cabbage, basil or new potatoes and of course the Hoghen eggs might find their way into your home!

For £3.50 a bargain, my new footstool!




The year I am determined that my sweetpeas are going to be an outstanding success!!!





The liquid soap experiment that worked!



The newly varnished footstool, yes, another one...

I wonder as I wander....

This year I decided that I would walk more, partly as an exercise discipline, partly as an attempt to reduce my carbon footprint in some small way. However, by planning my day without including 4 wheels has meant that without making much effort, I have immediately slowed my pace of life to a rhythm where I can observe and ponder,stop and listen, reflect, plan and dream. Sometimes I meet people along the way, in a 36 hour period this week I met 6 people I hadn't spoken to for years...interesting, makes you think what you miss when you are travelling at 30mph with your concentration on other things.

Here is a list which for my own benefit, I'm going to note down.

Met J who I knew from Yeo Doc days, last saw him about 4 years ago, at least, chatted about our families,the NHS :( and gardening....

Walked up "Lovers Lane" for the first time, on Hendford Hill. Met lady with friendly rescue dog, had a chat about dogs in general!

Had lunch with K in the coffee shop, purely spontaneous, caught up with her life again!

Went into town, met H and son in a charity shop, again not seen her for 2 years of so. She now has a job(s) which she enjoys. Her son is growing up fast!

A father walking away from the toy shop with his small child, having an almighty tantrum...oh the joys of parenthood!

Red Nose day, people were smiling in the town, some guy was singing in the bandstand with a violinist accompanying. Sounded fantastic!

Walked home across the Rec. Beautiful minature daffs outside the college. I stopped to admire.

Watched a pigeon fly into a fence and injure itself...not very nice looking at its bleeding chest...but made me think of when life hurts, so I went all pensive for a while and watched it...whilst stalking it for a photo in case, well just incase...I wanted to use it for some illustration at some point...why.....sick...It's on my phone and I haven't worked out how to transfer it off my memory card yet...but at least I am using my phone as a camera too, so I'm getting better. I have this big memory card with about 4 photos on it (!) and some Arabic music for when Samar rings me!!!

I digress...sigh...

I walked behind a group of teenagers and wondered about peer pressure, watched their body language, listened to their ***language and wondered, why...and felt old and then maternal and then a little sad...

What is it about mobile phones...EVERYWHERE you look people are talking...but are they? What are they really saying? Talk to me, I need to feel needed, that you know I am available to you whenever you call? I am here, but I'm not REALLY here because I can't hold you or watch your expressions or see what you see. But you can have this distant bit of me, this cheapened version..What did we do before mobiles?

I watched a boy kicking a football alone on a court, a father playing tennis with his son...people walking their dogs at the end of the day as the evening approaches and the sky changes into a deepening blue.

Anyway... a little taster of my walk and my meanderings....

Came home and sat down to watch "Babette's Feast" OH MY WORD, a film to make you think BIG TIME! Might actually buy my own copy and use it for in a discussion at our home group sometime after everyone has watched it! Won't give away too much on here...

Knitted face cloths/flannels?

Well, here's a strange thing and it seems has an enthusiastic following...so I couldn't resist it to see what all the fuss was about! People across the globe are comparing patterns and knitting these squares to wash their dishes and their bodies...(ahem different cloths for different jobs...oh for goodness sake!)

So I did my research :) Off I went into town, returned with two balls of cream coloured 100% cotton which can be washed at 95°. (A few days later I also bought some organic cotton (wash at 40°) in an apricot shade as I remembered the health issues facing farm workers in some countries with the non organic cotton. As this was "Made in India" and even better, half price, I may just have to buy some more!)

The cream colour seems to knit up slighter thicker and may therefore make a more absorbant cloth (Gosh, I bet you guys are rivetted!!!) The pastel shades are obviously more attractive. My plan is to buy fragrant soaps and give them as presents. I may even use the idea to do some fundraising for Asha in the future.

The result? I am impressed! I have to say, I love my new flannel and no, I wouldn't go back to the old one, which incidentally resembles a board when dry, whereas I have to just keep stroking and squeezing my new one.....yep, I know, there are no words.....

I cannot bring myself to knit a dishcloth yet as I can't bear the idea of getting it dirty and the risk that the stains won't wash out and I am a sad woman who is obviously losing it bigtime!!!!!





The pattern I use says start decreasing about 45 stitches are on the needle, but I find 70 stitches is a good size for an adult flannel/dishcloth. The pattern is SO easy and the item can be completed in a few hours in front of the TV. I will try and get the link as I got it off some knitted dish cloth forum....and believe me they DO exist!!!!

This is the pattern:
http://www.groovy-mom.com/crafty/patterns/dishcloth.shtml

This is the ardent following they have!!!! LOL!

http://dishandwashclothmania.com/about/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/knitting/discuss/72157594270653708/




The Journal you can see above will be explained in another blog, it isn't a personal account of anything, just a snapshot into each day I decide to write in it....




This flannel and soap will be part of my mum's 70th birthday present when I visit her in a week or so!

So that's it for now...off to complete a few more rows and reflect on my day before I turn out the light!

Night night all!
xx

Fox poo at dawn....nice

Just in case I needed reminding of the fact that we appear to have "Fox Patrol" in our garden regularly, I was greeted with "View of the Poo" at 06:45 as it was *my* turn to let the girls out this morning. I can think of better sights on an empty stomach but at least had the satisfaction of knowing that he/she left without causing any disturbance last night. The times I have listened in bed (with banging heart)to the "screams" of foxes in the field behind, praying that they will stay away from our girls. The memories of that awful night a few years ago are still with me and cause my risk assessments to be totally off the scale...

All the chickens are now wide awake each morning and in the case of Dolly, Xena and Connie, hurl themselves down the drawbridge as soon as it is lowered. Gert, being Gert, takes her time. If ever there was a lazy chicken, our Blue Orpington ticks all the boxes! Hattie is always straight out with her head in her food by the time I have checked in her nest box for the first egg of the day. Hattie lays hers early and you have to be quick these days otherwise she will destroy it! This morning I reached in to discover a softshelled egg...again not a pleasant feel, I left it there to deal with it after breakfast....she has probably eaten it now :( . Hattie still lays most days despite by quite ancient by exbattery hen standards. We have had her 16 months and she was probably that sort of age when we adopted her. She makes contented little Happy Hattie noises when we give her grass or corn. We will all be so sad when she dies...I think Ramzi will need counselling!

The new exbatts are still in the greenhouse with a couple of panes removed at the apex. They are thriving well and feathered up nicely. There are intrigued by our presence and peck at whatever part of our anatomy that is within reach! Four of them insist on sleeping on top of their house, the remaining two sleep inside...strange creatures. They are now extremely interested in any person seen digging the raised beds in front of the greenhouse. D has a fascinated audience each time, all six pushing and shoving for the best vantage spot!

Anyway, here is a short video, if I can do it (!) (I have issues with my layout at the moment, so if anyone can help me with the photo, text alignment problem with the egg posting I would be SO grateful. I stayed up to nearly midnight trying to get this right last night....and failed....and for those of you that know me...10:30 is late for me!!!)

Now that's what I call an egg!

Thought I would just share with you the biggest egg that one of our exbatts laid recently! No idea which lady it was or whether she announced the arrival in style, but you have to agree that it isn't bad for a hen who would have probably been dog food or a gravy cubes by now if not for the "Battery Hen Welfare Trust".



















Just to make the point!!




































I had to fumble around in my knitting bag to find the tape measure...
before I would let D eat it for his tea!




















Made a mental note to replace my griddle liner at some point....which is crying out for mercy!


















I wanted to cut a slither of red pepper to make a smile, but held back!!!