The last few weeks have been lovely. I’ve consciously been on social media less, read less and done less than ever before. I’ve kept no to do list handy, planned no activities or thought ahead by no more than 24 hours a day. Even what we eat each evening is chosen from a variety of meats and ingredients bought in the weekly shop. And it … Continue reading Press Pause.
Subtitled ‘Living with Less and Ending Up With More’, Simple Matters sounds like my kind of book. Erin Boyle is a simplicity blogger that I have read and enjoyed for a few years now, at Reading My Tea Leaves. She lives in New York, so about as far away from my life as you can get. That’s oneof the great things about simple living, though, … Continue reading Book Friday: Simple Matters by Erin Boyle.
Myquillyn Smith, who posts as The Nester, is one of my favourite home bloggers. Seriously, this woman has her head screwed on right. She tinkers with her home, often big style, but keeps a minimalist look that is totally liveable in. I first read her book, Cosy Minimalist Home, and loved it. Nobody wants to live in clutter, right? But not everybody can achieve the … Continue reading Book Friday: Welcome Home by Myquillyn Smith
I know hygge has no rules… because it’s a very personal thing and what makes me feel hyggely may well be what makes you feel antipathy… but there are certain things that act as guidelines. Not fixed, immovable rules, but ideas that can help, especially if at a certain point in your life you’ve just hit a brick wall of chaos or doubt that has … Continue reading Hygge Guidance for a Good Life.
I’ve been enjoying myself this week reading up on ancient philosophies, specifically the Stoics. I know. Don’t ask. Philosophy (root words: philo meaning love and sophia meaning wisdom) is described by Wikipedia as the “study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about reason, existence, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved.” Or, as … Continue reading Lessons from the Porches of Antiquity
March 29th 2021 and England has taken another step towards freedom. A little less locked down. In England, from today, the rules are now that six people can meet outside, two households can get together inside, outdoor sports are allowed again and weddings can begin again, although they’re limited to only six attending. Time to crawl out of the cave and start blinking at sunlight … Continue reading I May Come Out of the Cave, but I’m NOT Leaving it For Good.
Today’s title is freely nicked from a hymn I remember singing in my school days. The chorus (which is the bit that has stuck with me forever, or at least 45 years whichever is longest) goes like this: Freely, freely You have received, Freely, freely give…. The hymn is actually about receiving God’s grace and forgiveness of sin. Whether you believe in God or not, … Continue reading Freely, Freely You Have Received…..
There are few pleasures to compare, once the sun actually starts to heat up the air rather than threaten to, with grabbing a blanket, filling a bottle or flask and taking a book outside. My grown up children and I used First Lockdown in 2020 to finish off a Reading Nook in the garden. It’s in a sheltered spot, facing west, so it gets the … Continue reading Spring Into a Book: Comfort Reading for the New Season
