Why soup is good for the soul…

On being absent for some time…others needed me

Just lurking in Blogdom
Being inspired and occasionally commenting
Being refreshed

So back to my original comment on soup. But why soup?
Here in the Southern Hemisphere we have our winter. Colder in some parts of Australia than others.

Well winter is here in this household, along with myriad mounds of discarded tissues filling the bins, sounds of coughing and a pyjama and dressing gown day. Great to be able to have these without having to bring in a sick certificate.

Time to let the body take care of itself with a smile.

What better day than to serve soup for testy appetites with a smile.

There was enough for one serve of chicken broth and vegetable soup left in the fridge from yesterday but not enough for two.
So my aim was to make it stretch for both of us with minimal effort.
The bunch of celery was still sitting on my bench in its cellophane from yesterday’s catch up vegetable shopping as was a large bag of the freshest young carrots.
I snapped a couple of pieces of the top celery leaf stalks off and chopped them.
Grated some carrot.
Microwaved them briefly with the addition of a little bit of the left over refrigerated soup..carrots first as they take longer and adding the celery bits at the end.
Added to soup
Added water to quantity required…for us that was one and a half cups
Add some stock powder as per instructions
Chopped and threw in a little of some cooked chicken gotten at bargain price yesterday
Added some of the cooked Spetzler I had in fridge
Also added some Roux which I had a small portion of to thicken soup
Cooked in microwave and stirred

Voila! Easy and nutritious.

Soup for the sick
Soup for the soul
Chicken soup for the soul

Take care and eat soup
… And imagine a beautiful place

Courtesy taliesin @ morgueFile free photos

World environment day which was some days ago…

…well Life and Caring happened in between, but Hi, I’m back

How am I doing world environment day … every day
How do I see it … every day

In simple language, in a grandma, mum and dad and family way

Abundance of newly striked cuttings vigorously growing

Grow plants from cuttings to spread and share the abundant growth and joy around

Huge mushrooms on a dinner plate grown from mushroom compost by friends…a by product of spreading compost under the orange trees :)

I’m going to again push my love of seeing bees busily collecting nectar amongst the bushes and herbs which we grow in our tiny patch….as soon as the sun comes out even in winter here in Australia the bees come out foraging. But soon I’ll have to prune my flowering Lavender hedge which I am so loathe to do. I know, I have to be cruel to be kind to keep my hedge nice… But still !!! Also this time of year our little veggie/herb patch looks a bit sad as I really need to plant spinach to fill in the hole left by the finished Basil and tomato

On an aside though, did you know that Rhubarb flowers and goes to seed. That spike of a tall Lacey flower though has the most disgusting smell which made me promptly cut it off…but there are still stalks of rhubarb growing for a second crop….firstly I wondered how to harvest rhubarb as I’ve never grown it before, so I Googled for info and found that you twist the stalks at the base and they come off easily. Then as I hadn’t cooked rhubarb for years I found a recipe which may have been a Jamie Oliver one. The instructions said to roast it which I did in an old-fashioned Corningware dish from the Op shop. The dish was just the perfect size. Pour the required sugar on top with a tiny dribble of Vanilla essence. Cover and cook. There was a suggested time and then also that you’ll smell it as soon as it’s done….well that was so correct as to the smell; divine. Next time though I’ll use less sugar. It was SO rich I could only eat a bit of it with my homemade thick Greek yoghurt.

I was happy to have learnt that old milk is a good fertiliser even though it was only half a cup….my parsley is thriving

Then memories…Remembering when…the tying up like a bandaged bear and staking, with a neighbours help, of a vandalised small tree on our park just opposite our house. It is now a huge gum tree.

Also saving a tiny acacia tree years ago from having the long leaves plucked off by then toddler grand-daughter, explaining that we wanted to see the tree grow big. It has!

So there’s many a way to celebrate World Environment Day. We care. We do it everyday without even thinking sometimes, just like the older generations before us.

If you pause for a moment, how or what have YOU done. How do you care.

Do you wish to share?

Even the seemingly trivial things?

Whether you are just starting life’s journey or well on the way like us. With a looking forward to it soon to be retired hubby. New happenings and new adventures and new horizons but always learning.

Courtesy of Lightfoot@morgueFile free photos

Permaculture is such a big fancy word…
A continuation of the previous post on Permaculture but let’s turn it into an everyday word that everyone can understand…Family friendly

It is a way of bringing together people with whatever bit of earth or space that you can work with and on. It can be as small as a pot of Basil on your window ledge, or as large as a farm. It can be on a tiny block or apartment in the city, the suburbs or in the country. It is a delicate dance, balancing at times many aspects, be it our parents adventures or this brave new world with people opting to try the old ways.

Homesteading is basically a lifestyle that promotes greater self sufficiency.

One of our family have a few chickens or hens which refuse to die. They seem to live a charmed life. Even surviving being rounded up by little boys. For chickens to survive you need a few things. These hens live spartanly in a fairly large sized fenced area. The roof also being fenced with wire mesh to stop flying predators. Their roosting and laying boxes were made of spare lumber. The door is a flash spare screen door double locking…once with the latch and next with a brick on the ground in case the latch doesn’t get closed properly by little boys going exploring in the hen house.

A frame from a video hence the wide space

You should see the hens when the scraps of veggies get brought out…it’s a mad scramble. They love their free range in the yard and apparently take themselves to bed each night before dark. Now if only little boys could be so obliging at bed time

So… A plot of earth, shading trees, safe habitat, food, water and if there also was time for a vegetable or herb garden there’s an excellent free source of chicken manure for food production….

…and then sharing some of the homegrown produce in celebration like at one venue a few weeks ago at their open gardens. They had toasted breads with melted cheese and tomato and herbs served on wooden bread boards. For us, I think Hubby will have a ploughman’s lunch served on a board. Aldi crusty panne De Cassa bread toasted with ham, cheese, tomato and maybe some onion…. I’ll top mine with red cabbage coleslaw…easy to make and nicer the next day. Keeps well too.

Have a great day everyone. Enjoy your spring you readers in the Northern Hemisphere and us Down Under try to get over those colds and sniffles….BUT we have a glorious blue sky here at home. So a bonus!

Linking in with #IBOT at Essentially Jess

Courtesy mvictor@morgueFile free photo

Sharing can be an outright gift
Sharing can also be to barter
What does barter mean
A little example garden-wise

Get free plants
Share with each other
A glut for one is a need for another
Thinning out of plants or vegetables or herbs
What to do with the excess besides throwing into bin

I need a parsley plant
You have parsley growing in abundance in the hedging
I have a glut of rocket seedlings taking over my veggie patch
You love rocket
You need to thin out the spinach
I need spinach
You say that when you have to thin them out you’ll pass some on

You get a box of fresh herbs and vegetable delivered
You chop the coriander roots off to put herbs in fridge
I suggest you grow some from those roots, so we share the bounty with a smile
I’ve recently learnt how to grow basil from tender snippets of cuttings and discover you are doing the same

And on it goes without money changing hands, being resourceful, caring. Not being wasteful, practicing sustainable living without the big words.

This is but one tiny example of sharing. Life provides us with many avenues in which to share whether it be tangible or in support. Many times we do share, unknowingly.

Do you share?

Courtesy dharder@morgueFile free photos

Alexa

Joining in with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

Forgot that it was Earth Week until I saw it on Facebook…so I am quickly sneaking in before the week is up.

I did my bit by planting lawn runners on a bare patch in the front lawn where previously was a bush garden that had aged too much….

I didn’t have lawn seed nor instant lawn in a roll so used what I had.

By pulling up bits of my lawn from the edges I planted them in sort of rows using an old-fashioned method.

…I’ll just have to be patient and wait as they start growing, spreading and intermeshing.

Time is what I have plenty of
 

http://villagegreennetwork.com/19-ways-make-earth-week-family-affair/

…now if only this link would link….Mike??

Declutter…
Releasing the old to make way for new

…to renew
…to refresh

Declutter is a word for this modern word. Why?

We have so much
We are so busy,
We are too busy to deal with it
We want more, always more
Never satisfied with the today
We want tomorrow and more tomorrow
Instead of happy with what today brings
Instead of SEEING what today brings
…we create a vicious circle and a burden

We clutter our minds
Society clutters our minds
Our thoughts
Our children’s thoughts
Instead of slowing down and actually taking a moment to observe
Instead of doing, sit awhile

What have I
So so much
So much collected over time that it clutters the mind

What to do
What to do

Start one step at a time
A tiny sort out here…lots of memories!
Another clutter here
…not finished today, must continue tomorrow
Else my brain has another fit – of sorted clutter unfinished
Cull photos on my iPad
…there are so many to sort!
…and so to carry on.

But wasps…that was an unexpected sight…They definitely are going tonight when dark. Horrible things. I’m glad we didn’t bump into them when mowing the grass on Saturday!!!!

These thoughts came about because I have so many ideas racing round my mind today….
This would be a fabulous idea to write about to continue on from my last blog post…
But so would this on herbs. ….and round and round they go.

Off on a tangent there…
Outside to take some photos of this …
This would be so cool
And look at those leaves…a different slant on this idea.

Puff puff….STOP! Sit down and write.

Do you find your mind so racing at times.

Rest awhile with me and reflect.
Pause and wonder.
…Alexa

Photographs and article belong to Alexa-asimplelife

Blogging on Friday

Eucalyptus …a simple word

Australian bush scents

But oh so many uses…

A refreshing scent…

What ever the brand…be it Bosisto’s, or Double”D” or the Aldi brand or a Bunnings brand

That’s how this post came about!

I’m pottering round downstairs with all the doors wide open for it is a beautiful autumn day with heavy dew sparkling outside, blue sky and still.

As I move past the stairway door this wonderful invigorating scent assails my senses…ahh, Eucalyptus .

Upstairs I had sprayed all the bedding and thrown back the Doona and sheets to air. With the doors and window open it had permeated downstairs to me.

Such a little thing, unseen, no big deal, no hurrah I’m here.

Just this refreshment for the soul.

What to use this wonderful spray for?

To clean your home
To refresh your home
To refresh your senses
To safe guard when illness is about
To prep washing

Deodorizer…
Shoes of all varieties..(I also use Tea Tree oil spray to kill the bacteria which causes shoes to smell but it’s more expensive)
Linen
Bathrooms and toilets, you name it
Germ killer wherever

Just check the back of can for myriad of uses…

Bring the fresh air inside, refresh with essential oils or a spray of eucalyptus and you will be rewarding your senses.

Just be aware it is quite strong in a small enclosed room. The tiniest spray goes a L.O.N.G. way as my sister discovered whilst visiting….she came out coughing

So have a good day all, travel well on your journey, enjoy our blue skies here if you live in Sydney.

Be aware of and enjoy the little things that make a day….for me today the scent of refreshing Eucalyptus and blue skies with the sparkling dew on my tiny patch of herbs and more.

Anyone want to share what their little things were today?

Anyone care to share their beauty today however small.

Till later
From Alexa

Article and photos are mine x

Home made

Inspiring …Inspired
Motivating …Motivated
Take it all in and ready to continue on…

Washing all done and packing all put away….

Isn’t that the best feeling after a weekend away.

We had to take linen and bedding, so took our trusty always pull out spare Doonas and not really matching sheets….pillow cases did sort of match though!

A good drive was had home from up the coast back to Sydney.

….It must be the rejuvenation of a refreshing break that gets one into into tidying up, and as seeing the temperature was really pleasant and it being not yet dark I piled sheets and quilt covers and towels etc in loads into that machine. All freshly laundered with a few drops of eucalyptus added to wash water the loads gradually filled the line as they got hung out in the fresh air…..hooray, now no washing to do in the morning…..isn’t that the best, especially for a Monday!

Such a simple thing to rejoice over.

Two more loads to go….but look at that young Lavender hedge in the night light!

My always on hand pre-wash that I use is as follows…

As you can see by the photo, I use my recycled and repurpose the Cloudy Ammonia bottles. I mark my empty bottle into thirds with permanent marker.

1/3 water…in first so you don’t get an overflow of bubbles …I’ve learnt the hard way and have found that if I don’t concentrate I tend to put liquids in the wrong order….ahhh

1/3 Cloudy Ammonia

1/3 Dish washing detergent…can be less…I’m going to try the Home Brand Laundry liquid for my next batch.

Sometimes if I have enough Eucalyptus I add about a small Half TEAspoon.

When I make a batch my measurements are not accurate. Also I make a few bottles at a time.

Home made Pre Wash Spray

So here’s to clean washing and not having to buy preWash Spray.

A little thing you say….but it’s the little things that can add up.

Anyway, have a good day all even if you have to do a spot of washing.

Find the simple joy in -

…clean fresh smelling washing
…fresh water and ready access to abundant supply
…that you are able to hang it in the breeze here in Australia
…thereby you save on power and stressing about the bill
…clothes not wearing out through having to use the dryer constantly
…having a huge variety of clothing etc in the first place
…reducing your Carbon footprint
…by “being green”
…and what else- can YOU think of more
…being thankful that we have the climate so we CAN choose to not use the dryer. Many climates and parts of the world do not have this luxury especially at this moment in their winter.

Just think, an everyday chore we do without thinking and sometimes groan about yet all of the above!

Till later
Alexa

Photographs and content belong to- http://www.Alexa-asimplelife.com

Also on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Alexaasimplelife

Photo courtesy from {click} at morgueFile free photos

Sustainability …what does it mean for you and me.

What about …How to live a joyful and abundant life by observation, example and Attitude…or changing our Attitude!

So many different things to different people and depending on your circumstance.

Sustainability in suburbia, sustainable living in suburbs, sustainable living in the city, sustainable living in the country, apartment sustainable living, high-rise sustainable living, single person household sustainable living, rental sustainable living, sustainable living garden, sustainable living with communal garden. Endless list here.

I Googled to find the meaning and was met with a vast array of discussions. Then I found a site for children which made it so much easier for me

http://www.googolpower.com/content/free-learning-resources/environmental-education/definitions-of-sustainability-for-children

“Like a circle it goes round and all is reused” ….

Now this I can understand because in a way many of us already use this principle without even giving it a name.

An example could be that we are trying to make a recipe and don’t have all the ingredients, so instead we Google to see what substitute we can use. Easy, we do it all the time without thought. Then instead of going to the shop, or because we can’t spend any money on petrol to drive to shop and anyway our grocery budget is already shot and we can’t juggle the money any other way we use what we have. Stew those wrinkled apples that otherwise would go bad and into landfill and use that instead of oil in a muffin recipe. Find that recipe! Or make a Dairy free and egg free cake. Simple again.

I’m sure you have done the same in some other way without even realising it!

Thinking back to my childhood I fondly recall mother doing so many of these things. It was not because it was fashionable or had a name or that everyone was discussing it on talk back Radio, but because it was a way of life for many people to survive by making do.

….toothpaste tube rolled up and squeezed and squeezed to get the last bits out but I really did want to start a new one …No!

….all the kitchen scraps were saved in the kitchen bin and then had to be emptied in the garden. Us girls put it off for as long as possible till not a scrap more of vegetable peelings could be squashed in ….mum was patient, but we still had to do it!

….clothes were remade -

Mum was given a woollen skirt which was showing some wear in the weave. So she washed it and then unpicked and pressed it. No steam irons then. Just a damp cloth and hot iron. Every piece was reused. So by turning the material inside out there was a new looking skirt which lasted for many long years and looked classy.

When I was asked to be Flower-girl (now called junior bridesmaid) mum was given a pale pink cotton dress from neighbouring ladies. This also she took apart and remade into a pretty dress for me.

Inspirations for us today….for us to pass on to the next generation and live joyful content lives. Teaching by example and our attitude.

So now as a grandmother just doing a little looking back to my mother’s days I am so thankful for the many things I have learnt and have been able to implement into my own and my family’s life. It’s just the simple observations of the everyday life that can unconsciously work its way into our routines.

Who visits the Op shop or also called Thrift store? Isn’t that part of sustainable living. What one person has decluttered is something that is useful for you….and vice versa, don’t you put things in the Op bins or take to the thrift store? I found a new looking beautiful fine knit red woollen dress that is hand washable. Great again cause it doesn’t need to be Dry cleaned and especially, saves me money.

…sew that button on, redo that hem, fix that tiny undone seam, put funky patches on little trousers worn at the knee, fix worn bottom of trousers….and if we don’t know how to just ask someone for a helping hand or Google ” How to…” , there are myriad sites which will give you info. Just be willing to learn. Slowly.

I am sure that if we stopped and thought about it, we would find there are many ways in which we ARE living richly by reusing or making things go around…and that also includes how we deal with or treat each other.

Busy little cousin fun, “How to…”

So have a great day all and remember it’s in the little things that changes can happen.

Alexa x

Title photograph courtesy {click} morgueFile free photos

Also came across a tiny kernel of an idea for this article whilst having stumbled upon an article on microfiber cloths in a Blog called Sustainable suburbia….

http://sustainablesuburbia.net/the-pros-and-cons-of-cleaning-with-microfiber-is-it-really-eco-friendly/

All other Photographs and writing belong to Alexa from

http://www.Alexa-asimplelife.com

Courtesy curlsdiva at MorgueFile free photos

What happens when you have time…

Unusual title?

Just like that, and without conscious thought it surfaced. I had been thinking back on some of the last few days and what I had accomplished.

There had been no need to rush out doing myriad errands watching the clock. Not worrying about being caught in peak hour traffic or be on time to pick up somebody. Instead, a refreshing pace which is good for the soul.

So what was one thing that was good for the soul….taking my time and discovering.

I had purchased a sweet cheap dress at Kmart because the material was strong and appealing and the basic lines were right. Except that I am tall and the dress too short for me.

So on and off over the space of a few weeks I was able to muse on how I could adapt this dress for me.. I thought of this or that and then acted. I enjoyed working out the strategies and in which order I would proceed…some hand sewing and some machine sewing..and all at no cost, which was a bonus!

Tried dress on again. …ok, I’ll add a double thickness band to bottom in the plain black poplin from my linen press/cupboard as a block colour. Pinned, tried on, sewed, pressed , tried on again.

OH!!.. Still not quite long enough when I move. OK…what now. Another band the same and it looks as if it’s meant to be so.
GOOD. Wait…now it’s a bit too bouffant round the waist. OK!…a belt. Like this? Or like that.

Another day…Show daughter and granddaughter. AHAH…a wider belt and pull up the shoulders so the underarm does not gape as much. Teen Granddaughter likes it….cool

Again…another day I find a link for an Obi belt tutorial by Mimi G on YouTube.

I had never heard of Obi belt till I read it on Deby’s blog

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxlYutzNBa4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DZxlYutzNBa4q  (there must be a shorter link for this… hmm)

http://so-sew-easy.com/poppy-skirt-easy-elastic-waist-skirt/

Anyway back to story . I made the belt from same black poplin and by watching the YouTube link, downloaded and printed the easy pattern. I made belt longer as I’m bigger than the petite presenter. I also saw how the lady fashioned a small tight rose with the ends of the ties to sit at the waist. It was so easy and classy.

Obi Belt

Ok, to the last bit. Taking up the shoulders on this sleeveless dress. Tacked it together how it should go and tried on again.

Unpicked and unraveled the salmon coloured overlock thread and removed clear plastic/nylon tape for reuse. I did this as I had no matching cotton in that shade. Now I had plenty of thread to handsew in tiny backstitch the shoulder seams….hand-sew you say…well there wasn’t enough thread to wind on a bobbin/spool. Instead of overlocking the seam I blended one thread of near match cotton with the ration size recycled thread and blanket stitched the raw inside shoulder seam. Just enough thread. Perfect!

So what are some popular words being used at the moment…. Reuse, recycle, repurpose, redesign, thrifty, make do, be inventive.

All I did though was to take time, enjoy and use the skills that I have, learn some new ways of doing things, be inspired by others when all I wanted to do was to chop the top off this dress and turn it into a skirt!

Instead I finished up with a really nice and oh so comfortable summer dress. Please excuse my amateur photography styling skills won’t you. Also thanks to Deby from Sew So Easy for asking me for a photograph of the finished dress….

Brave me feeling inspired.

What are your inspiration moments?

They don’t have to be earth shattering.

Courtesy smartpc at morgueFree photos

…but do give a gift of time

…to yourself

…to another

Till later ~ Alexa