tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post3009028946544817398..comments2024-03-28T15:55:53.792+10:00Comments on down to earth: Biggest kitchen table - On being at homeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-65844936346681848322009-07-13T23:29:42.623+10:002009-07-13T23:29:42.623+10:00How very true this is! I absolutely LOVE being a h...How very true this is! I absolutely LOVE being a homemaker- my home is my favorite place to be. Thank you for doing this series- it truly has helped me to take a step back and look at my priorities! <br />I did ok on the spending week- we ran out of milk (my fault! forgot...) but that's about it. Now I'm going for 2 weeks! At first DH wasn't on board, but when he realized how much gas and money we were saving, he soon converted! :D Thanks again! :D <br />Courtneybookflutterbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12426712911284917236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-26397037995424292042009-07-13T08:02:25.174+10:002009-07-13T08:02:25.174+10:00Rhonda, Thank you for providing the opportunity fo...Rhonda, Thank you for providing the opportunity for those of us who gathered together last week. Your posts enabled many of us to think beyond our 'normal' and gave others of us to think how we might change or adapt to new adventures.LynnShttp://woodridge.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-66949503710998901992009-07-12T04:50:17.128+10:002009-07-12T04:50:17.128+10:00Oh Brenda! The pictures of your home are beautifu...Oh Brenda! The pictures of your home are beautiful! We use our outside areas like you do as another room in our home. As the years go by we just repaint the chairs or make new pillow tops and such and enjoy every minute we have on this beautiful earth. We love being out in the garden checking on the veggies and watching the birds and insects. Our home gives us such peace and is as it should be, a shelter so-to-speak from life's storms. Thank yhou so much for the ideas and inspirations. JodyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-3970319716385482202009-07-12T04:46:41.643+10:002009-07-12T04:46:41.643+10:00Thank you for all that you do here...I love it. I&...Thank you for all that you do here...I love it. I've been following you for a long time...since then I have lost my job, my home and pretty much everything else, even to the point I have lost some of "me!" Saying all that, how can one feel at "home" in a place that is not yours. I now live with my son, daughter-in-law and 12 yr grandson...of whom I love but they live nothing like I did. I miss my home, living green & simple, they do not and don't care too. Bless their hearts but my son & family do not live anything like I did. I do not have the "right" to change their lifestyle/home but I NEED to find a balance in all this. I feel obligated to them for I am now totally dependent on them for everything. I am so grateful that I am not homeless and for them...but I can't seem to adjust and I am feel I am losing my true self. WOW guess I just open "my" pandora's box eh? Anyone have suggestions or in the same boat with me? THANKS for listening. sageearth@msn.comDianenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-312288417445331142009-07-12T02:06:37.453+10:002009-07-12T02:06:37.453+10:00Thank you for this mini challenge.
We still hav...Thank you for this mini challenge. <br /><br />We still have to go until tomorrow but as you say "the gate is closed" today and we are spending the day puttering around the house, cooking, cleaning, reading and knitting so we have had a successful no spend week. <br /><br />My hubby was very happy to tackle this challenge and I have been trying to show him the simplier life over the past few months. He has finally 'gotten' it and now he has been coming up with the most amazing ideas that will help us to become more self-sufficient and frugal. <br /><br />I am in my early 40's and look forward to many more years of the simple homesteading life.Debbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919793216222224648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-55641834988924806062009-07-12T00:04:06.064+10:002009-07-12T00:04:06.064+10:00I am fairly new to your blog but love it! I was w...I am fairly new to your blog but love it! I was what I call, a suburban homesteader for part of my life. An ending marriage lost a home and my two apartments since have been that place just to sleep and house all the untouched stuff.. however, I think I forgot I can take "home" wherever I go. <br /><br />I forgot that just because I can't can enough food for a full year that I can put up 6 jars of jam and 4 jars of tomatoes from the local farm markets and not my own produce. Small is good and better than nothing. So again I find home and thank YOU!! for reminding me of all the little things I did to make a home a home.. those same things that can be done in an apartment.<br /><br />My apartment is looking rather like "home" these days.<br /><br />Thank you.Sharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638438768826998135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-69199694759384176362009-07-11T23:46:32.272+10:002009-07-11T23:46:32.272+10:00i spent money only on food and paying bills this w...i spent money only on food and paying bills this week plus a little to my 20 year old for driving me to the library and grocery. i am confined to home due to a broken wrist/right hand...at first, i was very depressed not being able to do my crafts, but have figured out a new routine that involves sitting outside all morning, then baking or cooking in the afternoons. i am a pretty good one handed cook. in the evenings, i have been reading beach novels from the library or watching documentaries on netflix streaming video.<br /><br />my humble apartment home feels like a safe haven right now.Jingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07357961722537445285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-38274009217795578982009-07-11T13:39:15.782+10:002009-07-11T13:39:15.782+10:00Bravo, hooray and well done!
I needed to hear the ...Bravo, hooray and well done!<br />I needed to hear the very words you wrote.<br /><br />I'm all for having more of your "Kitchen Table Talks".Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09690722786561637489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-13712209901923767702009-07-11T09:20:30.623+10:002009-07-11T09:20:30.623+10:00Well, I tried my best but I had to get gas for the...Well, I tried my best but I had to get gas for the car on Thurs. night. That is one thing I found out that still has to happen regularly. Today (Friday) I had to get a PILE of groceries to fill the pantry again and I'm questioning if it was really worth it. Yes, because it made me aware of how things are done in the home but since I'm so frugal already it ran me out of daily stuff and it was overwhelming at the grocery store to have to replace all that we used. I did enjoy the challenge though! I guess I'm ready to go back to my 1-2 week schedule of grocery shopping.<br /><br />AliceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-30535840708143543652009-07-11T06:53:44.995+10:002009-07-11T06:53:44.995+10:00Lovely!
I love my home. It's not any special,...Lovely!<br />I love my home. It's not any special, just another house in a suburban neighborhood in Denver. BUT it is our home. It's so cozy and snug, yet light and airy. It's filled with things we love and most importantly the people we love. This is where I live, work, love. My babies were born here and are taught here. This is where I've discovered myself and learned so much along the way. This is where my gardens grow and my dreams as well. It's a great place to be as we long for an eternal Home in Heaven.Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03383635329315687176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-84994465249104570022009-07-11T05:11:55.394+10:002009-07-11T05:11:55.394+10:00I have been reading your blog for a few months hav...I have been reading your blog for a few months having come across it through reading soule mama. I love your site and I read it every day. I have gradually been making changes to a more simple life and I have loved every moment. I have 3 young children and I do some part time work for a childrens charity. Today I have done 3 loads of washing with your home made laundry liquid and line dried it. Picked sweet peas from my garden and lavender for the house. Made our evening meal with our home grown veg from the patio. Wrapped the home made soap I made last week (I need more practice at moulding it as it stuck to the mould a bit and doesn't look that pretty!) Mopped my floors using your multi purpose cleaner and cleaned out the airing cupboard. Washed up using my newly knitted waffle dish cloth. I have loved every moment of my day. I love being at home and feel so satisfied that my children can be brought up in a home free of chemicals and with a sense that we don't have to go to the shop for every item. I feel that I have got further to go before I live as simple a life as I would like. However, i'm enjoying the process and it is giving me real satisfaction and pleasure. However, I find it so satisfying as for slowing down - well! There is so much I'd like to do!! Thankyou Rhonda. From JuliaJulianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-48503171957866333392009-07-11T03:37:25.673+10:002009-07-11T03:37:25.673+10:00This was a wonderful article, home should be a lit...This was a wonderful article, home should be a little piece of Heaven and peace....I am new to this blog but am hoping to read past posts on the no spending series.Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04891945462999914908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18497431511012268042009-07-10T22:09:22.660+10:002009-07-10T22:09:22.660+10:00Rhonda, thank you for a very enjoyable and informa...Rhonda, thank you for a very enjoyable and informative week! I've loved reading your posts and the comments.<br /><br />I've been lucky in that I've been able to be home with my daughter these 17 years. I've enjoyed every moment!I was a ballet dancer before getting married and have always looked at my home as a way to express the artistic side of me.<br /><br />ManuelaThe Pleasures of Homemakinghttp://thepleasuresofhomemaking.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-2475167568726765682009-07-10T21:34:22.287+10:002009-07-10T21:34:22.287+10:00First off, a very belated congrats on the wedding ...First off, a very belated congrats on the wedding of your son and his love!<br /><br />this has been a great series and I've had so many ideas reading through each post. I'm going to do a thorough audit on my place next week. I did manage to make myself some more cloth napkins. We always have used cloth napkins, but this is the first time (strangely) I had a go at making my own.<br /><br />I haven't actually spent any money this week, (except for my regular organic vegie market shop), partly because I er, don't have any money right now, but we still ate well, (it's good when the imagination has to kick into gear with meal planning isn't it? hehe), and did everything we wanted to do.Antoinettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10279365115311331326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-41059461543923013312009-07-10T17:03:23.103+10:002009-07-10T17:03:23.103+10:00This has been a good week. A busy week but good. W...This has been a good week. A busy week but good. We have learned alot about what we are doing right and what needs thinkering with. Some things more than others. Our stockpile certainly needed an orverhaul and now we know what items we need to buy and what we could have done without. No spend week help here. <br />Thank you for this week of thought and re-evaluation.<br /><br />Pippa.Grandmaibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00751976102325479714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-56846069062949460132009-07-10T15:49:45.493+10:002009-07-10T15:49:45.493+10:00Thank you for you lovely blog, it inspires me. My ...Thank you for you lovely blog, it inspires me. My Grandma used to say "once you get to cleaning the corners in a home, is when you will love your home".<br /><br />Love GrannyMarian Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06765534146844251398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-26385183960651854062009-07-10T15:14:13.855+10:002009-07-10T15:14:13.855+10:00Thanks for all you have shared in these posts for ...Thanks for all you have shared in these posts for biggest kitchen table. I made it through most of the week without spending, only buying a few essential items. It was good not spending and I was pleasantly surprised to see the extra money in my wallet at the end of the week. Well worth the effort. I love being at home, it is my sanctuary, and agree that home is a place to be oneself and enjoy being with the family. When I see homeless people I am so grateful to have a place that is home.Rowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02765993736554383626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-46244264261308157272009-07-10T14:43:27.925+10:002009-07-10T14:43:27.925+10:00Hello there Rhonda,
I love this topic! My house a...Hello there Rhonda,<br /><br />I love this topic! My house and more importantly, the people in are my life, and i wouldn't have it any other way. <br /><br />My hubby and I bought our little house in Sydney when I was 22 (now 27), we scrimped and scraped for 2 years for the deposit, but now that i'm a stay-at-home mum, i appreciate having a place of our own that we have free reign to decorate how we choose.<br /><br />The funny thing is, when i head out to the shops to do the groceries(the list of things to buy is dwindling since i make lots of stuff now), and i am amongst the hustle and bustle of people with their loaded trolleys, i just can't wait to get home to the peace, quiet and comfort that i know is waiting for me.<br /><br />I potter around listening to Van Morrison while I knead my bread dough, my little girl playing with her playdough at the same table, and even though all my friends give me stick for it, im am the happiest i have ever been.<br /><br />Thank you so much for this blog Rhonda, for such a long time i felt i was all on my own wanting to simplify my life and learn to do things myself when i was in my mid 20s when everyone else is spending spending spending. Now because of all the other people who comment, i know i am not alone, and i have more confidence knowing that if my husband lost his job tomorrow, we wouldn't go to the wall like so many others because of all you have taught me. <br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br />LHlauren hendonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-67538435315018581982009-07-10T12:12:08.641+10:002009-07-10T12:12:08.641+10:00I am a relatively new reader of your blog. I foun...I am a relatively new reader of your blog. I found down-to-earth quite by accident while doing some reading. I have loved reading your ideas, and draw inspiration from your posts. I have read for several weeks now, without getting the nerve up to comment. But, your latest post makes me think of a jar that my Mother gave me when I got married. It was a tiny ceramic jar with a lid. There was nothing in the jar except a handwritten note in my Mother's handwriting. It said, "Love...Add a pinch to everything. It will go a long way." This fall, my husband and I will celebrate our 17th anniversary. I have tried to build a happy home for him and my children. And, the little jar has had a place of honor on the back of my kitchen stove throughout my marriage. I have tried to take my Mother's advice. I have tried to make my home a retreat from the world. A haven of Love. Thank you for the terrific post.Elizabethhttp://lifeworththeliving.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-41326976571731608712009-07-10T12:01:02.762+10:002009-07-10T12:01:02.762+10:00Rhonda, you said it so perfectly, I could'nt s...Rhonda, you said it so perfectly, I could'nt say it better. Home is where you can be who you really are. It's your sanctuary, and should reflect you and the others that live there as well. That's why my house is such a mixture, my H and myself, and our pets (and you can tell that they are family too!)it is made up of all of us.<br /><br />Thank you!Cherylhttp://thestitchinchicken.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-61667801636593624292009-07-10T11:36:30.093+10:002009-07-10T11:36:30.093+10:00Thank you Rhonda. Today I had to spend on milk an...Thank you Rhonda. Today I had to spend on milk and medical supplies, but other than that I have not spent anything since Sunday. I intend to go through to Sunday to complete my week.<br />I love your column and read it every day without fail. You have reinforced everything I have always believed a home was, and how I want mine to be. <br />I stay at home, and work from home. Because we moved from a place that I loved it is taking me a long time to settle here. I like wide open spaces and here I am surrounded by "close" neighbours. Don't get me wrong they are nice people, but they are too close. I am working towards either returning to the place I love or getting a house with space around it. You have helped reinforce this for me. I will not let anything get in the way of what I know is the right thing for me.<br />Once again thank you Rhonda, you are an inspiration.Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-72250116736501932342009-07-10T09:55:53.864+10:002009-07-10T09:55:53.864+10:00Thanks Rhonda for all the posts that you share wit...Thanks Rhonda for all the posts that you share with us. Your home sounds wonderful and just the way that I want to feel about my home. I'm working on it, but it's a slow process to change the way that I think. <br /><br />cheers Katesimplelifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13397507005757292686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-13161033781601489052009-07-10T09:55:27.828+10:002009-07-10T09:55:27.828+10:00Thanks Rhonda for all the posts that you share wit...Thanks Rhonda for all the posts that you share with us. Your home sounds wonderful and just the way that I want to feel about my home. I'm working on it, but it's a slow process to change the way that I think. <br /><br />cheers Katesimplelifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13397507005757292686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-54706973726471036872009-07-10T09:54:20.747+10:002009-07-10T09:54:20.747+10:00Dear Rhonda-
thankyou so much for this last post- ...Dear Rhonda-<br />thankyou so much for this last post- It definately made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside about my home! Thankyou, Marniemarniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11805057791669703652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-3959354288312199052009-07-10T09:42:45.152+10:002009-07-10T09:42:45.152+10:00I love the picture of your verandah! Thank you fo...I love the picture of your verandah! Thank you for taking the time to write, giving us food for thought and inspiration. :)Tracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13039504643371465874noreply@blogger.com