down---to---earth

Changing spaces

2009-07-15T04:12:00.002+10:00

When we first moved into our current home, we made quite a few changes. The house had been lived in by an older couple and some of the things that suited them didn't suit us. We pulled up the carpet and laid a wood floor, we changed the kitchen, added verandahs front and back and put in gardens and the chook house. We, although we didn't know it at the time, were getting ready to live more

How to make an oil lamp

2009-07-14T04:20:00.004+10:00

I mentioned a few days ago that I was working on a little oil lamp. Well, I fiddled with it for a few days, tested wicks and oil levels, I now have a perfectly serviceable oil lamp that burns clean for hours, with no smell. I was looking for a replacement for paraffin candles and saw a photo of a small oil lamp on a website somewhere but when I made my own version of it, it burned for a minute

Full steam ahead

2009-07-13T04:10:00.005+10:00

I perform well under pressure, always have done. When I have to work to a deadline or have a lot of things to do I get more done than when I can take my time and finish when it feels right. I prefer not to work like that now because I find that focusing on my tasks and taking my time with them is more enjoyable and makes me calmer, but when there's a lot of complex work to be done, if I'm

Sunday reading

2009-07-12T06:53:00.004+10:00

Some links for:making jams and jelliesno knead breadvery good knitting glossary - some instructions with video linkquick knitting projectold fashioned babybuilding a sustainable lifesome nice Sunday reading - click on the other links as well

Simple activites for a five year old

2009-07-11T04:55:00.004+10:00

I received this comment the other day that I want to throw out to all of you for your suggestions.I was wondering if you (or anyone else) had some good ideas for simple activities/entertainment for children? My nephew is staying with us for the summer (his dad is in Iraq) and we're a little lost about what to do with a 5yo boy who's far away from home and has no idea about our lifestyle. We're

Biggest kitchen table - On being at home

2009-07-10T04:27:00.005+10:00

Our no spending mission ends today. I know a few of you had to make small purchases but you got back on the horse and trotted to the finish line, congratulations. No spending helps us think about why we spend and it shows that we can stay at home and that our lives don't have to revolve around shopping. I'd love to hear a few of your stories. Did you find it difficult? Were the family on board

Biggest Kitchen Table - Home Production

2009-07-09T04:19:00.006+10:00

One of the things I really enjoy about my simple life is that I've taught myself to make many things I used to buy. I'm pleased that most of what I make is really good and that inspires me to keep up the home production of as many things as I can. So today's kitchen table discussion is about just that, the home production of goods - there is no category for these things, it's just making whatever

Biggest Kitchen Table - Green Cleaning

2009-07-08T04:01:00.006+10:00

How are you going on your no spending task? I know Pippa has bought more milk for her boys, it's incredible how much milk teenage boys drink. If you've had to buy something, just get back to no spending for the rest of the week. If you're haven't gone to the shops at all, well done! We'll see the week out together with our money in our pockets and not handed over to someone else.I've loved

Biggest Kitchen Table - Electricity and Water

2009-07-07T04:05:00.004+10:00

Today we'll be thinking about how to use less electricity and water. This part of the audit is another one where if you can reduce your consumption, you'll save money and be kinder to your environment at the same time. Many things in this simple life have the dual capacity of being frugal and green. I see it as a reward - and it doesn't matter what side of the fence you usually sit on, if

Biggest Kitchen Table - Disposables

2009-07-05T06:34:00.009+10:00

My latest dishcloth, finished yesterday.Please read this old post first.Today we'll talk about getting rid of 'disposable' paper products, dishcloths, menstrual pads, baby nappies/diapers and plastic shopping bags. This is one area where you can make a big step forward in one quick swoop. Making a commitment to not buying a number of the products you may buy now, like paper towels and paper

Links for stockpiling

2009-07-05T06:19:00.005+10:00

These are links to some blogs for backup reading on the pantry and stockpile. This is an important subject that will benefit most of us when we get it right. It's well worth any time you give it to read more.The Mother Load on stockpilingMrs Brenda at Coffee Tea and Me on pantry talkStockpile list at Frugal LivingHappy 4th of July to my American friends. I hope you enjoyed your special

Biggest Kitchen Table - Food

2009-07-04T04:25:00.006+10:00

Food is an important part of everyone's life; we have to eat every day for as long as we live. And that is one of the reasons we need to focus carefully on our food. We grow it, buy it, cook it, preserve it, freeze it and store it. Buying it costs a lot of money; growing it takes a lot of energy; wasting it is not an option. If you organise your food growing, buying and storage efficiently

Biggest Kitchen Table - Living Deliberately and Money

2009-07-03T04:14:00.003+10:00

Hello everyone, thank you for joining me in this most important monitoring task. I hope that through these simple audits, we'll all be able to look at what we're doing at home and make changes if they are needed. As usual, check the comments here because many of our readers will give you excellent ideas for changes and modifications.No Spending WeekTomorrow we'll start a no spending week. If

Biggest Kitchen Table - simple home audit

2009-07-02T04:24:00.012+10:00

This is one of our Biggest Kitchen Table discussions.We have been scrutinising our lives again. While sitting on the verandah yesterday, Hanno and I talked about slipping slowly away from our ideals. Auditing is necessary for us. We don't want to turn around one day and find ourselves back on the spending merry-go-round, so regular audits keep us on track. We must continue our mindfulness, make

Back to normal

2009-07-01T04:46:00.003+10:00

I can't believe it's all over. Our big event, which was minuscule by most standards, has been put to bed in our memories now to be thought about every so often when we're sitting on the verandah or when we see another bride. I guess there are times in our lives that stand out as being important occasions and this certainly was one of those for me. It was a time of welcome - for Hanno and I to

The Wedding Quilt

2009-06-30T04:48:00.010+10:00

Trip Around the World Wedding Quilt in blues and greens, with grey border.I've told you well before this that I'm no great sewer. Oh, I get by, but it's not what I would call a natural talent of mine. And let me tell you I'm not being coy writing that, just truthful. There are some things I am good at, sewing is not one of them, I wish I was better at it. So it should go to show you that

The wedding

2009-06-29T04:43:00.008+10:00

Shane and Sarndra with Hanno and Tricia in the background.It was a beautiful day full of beautiful people. Shane and Sarndra made me so proud as they progressed through their day. Shane worked hard right up until 2pm when we all realised we had to have showers and get dressed. Guests started arriving shortly afterwards and Sarndra arrived at 3pm.Flower girl, Isabella.The ceremony was conducted

A day to remember

2009-06-28T10:04:00.001+10:00

Shane and Sarndra, just before they said: I will.

Wedding Bells, a post by Sharon

2009-06-26T02:08:00.004+10:00

Rhonda and Hanno, as well as her sister Tricia, are busy preparing for Shane and Sarndra's wedding, so there will be no new post from Rhonda for the next few days. I am sure all of you want to send best wishes for a long and wonderful life together to Shane and Sarndra. Leave a comment below for them to read together after the festivities are over (a very long distance e-wedding card, so to

The Change

2009-06-23T15:55:00.007+10:00

I bring a message of hope. There are signs of change on the horizon. I noticed these signs about six months ago, as I'm sure many of you did, but thought they held little promise. However, it looks like things are different this time, this seems to be more deeply embedded in mainstream culture, and now I believe change is on the way. And the change is the belief of ordinary men and women that

Embrace the work you do

2009-06-23T04:23:00.003+10:00

Life can be hard sometimes. We're working towards our big event this weekend. Hanno's done a lot of gardening and preparation outside, I've worked inside and that will continue until Saturday when we get the most wonderful pay-off for that hard work by seeing our son marry right here in our own home. You rarely get the good things without the work. It's like the simple tasks of soapmaking and

A move towards compost

2009-06-22T04:54:00.009+10:00

It's a mystery to me why all gardeners don't make their own compost. It is an important part of gardening, will help enrich your soil, and it cuts down on the amount of rubbish that sits decomposing in the council rubbish dump. Why send your kitchen and garden waste to the dump to decompose when it would help you grow vegetables and flowers while contributing to the health of your soil? Of

A family wedding

2009-06-21T04:56:00.008+10:00

Good morning! This time next week it will all be over. Our wedding is next Saturday and we are calmly (I think) moving towards the big day. My special project will be finished tomorrow, we've ordered everything that needs to be ordered, the flowers will be picked up on Wednesday and the cold room and food on Thursday. On Friday we'll have a working bee, with people coming to help prepare and

Introducing Baby Blossom and a giveaway

2009-06-19T13:53:00.008+10:00

I'm very pleased to introduce Baby Blossom as my new sponsor. Baby Blossom is owned by Karen who is a working at home mum of three beautiful boys. Karen sells products she believes in and that she uses on her own children.Baby Blossom has a wide range of good quality cloth nappies/diapers, fleece covers, organic bamboo and hemp fleece and terry cloth for making nappies/diapers at home, mattress

Organic fertilisers (fertilizers)

2009-06-17T14:40:00.011+10:00

If you planted a tomato into virgin Australian soil (and probably most other virgin soils) and watered it, it might live and produce small tomatoes, but it wouldn't thrive. To get the best from your plants you need to help them along. The old saying of organic farmers world wide is "feed the soil, not the plant" and by this they mean it's best to add old cow, horse, sheep, goat, pig manure,