tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post3934191641930832942..comments2024-03-28T15:55:53.792+10:00Comments on down to earth: Don't be scaredUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-73487331566058410592010-10-12T22:28:16.390+10:002010-10-12T22:28:16.390+10:00Thank you for what you do.
I love your words of W...Thank you for what you do.<br /><br />I love your words of Wisdom. And I link to them, in my blog, now and then. With quotation marks and click-able links, back to your blog, of course.<br /><br />I hope to spread the word of your wise blog, by showing links to it, on my blog. Where I am trying to find my way to more Simplicity, for lack of a better word for it. :-)<br /><br />Gentle hugs...Auntie sezzzzzz...https://www.blogger.com/profile/16170232476926222740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-9801999809110882822010-10-01T11:47:44.268+10:002010-10-01T11:47:44.268+10:00I agree 100%. Going back to nature, old fashion fo...I agree 100%. Going back to nature, old fashion foods and doing my chores on my own has improved my healthMunirGhiasuddinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05232362559666320301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-67364433636064672452010-10-01T11:41:55.747+10:002010-10-01T11:41:55.747+10:00Yes, I agree 100%. Going back to simplicity has ne...Yes, I agree 100%. Going back to simplicity has never been more beautiful. Simple foods, using my own energy to do chores, is making me feel better. I feel healthier living life without added junk in my food.MunirGhiasuddinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05232362559666320301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-24865060056201390412010-06-26T08:43:41.587+10:002010-06-26T08:43:41.587+10:00Yeah...
Sad to watch what we have turned into. An...Yeah...<br />Sad to watch what we have turned into. And it WILL backfire. It already is, actually, pre-packaged life is sterile and if someone has any sensitivity at all - it hurts. <br />And it takes courage to rebel. <br />So - congratulations, all of you, guys.NoKitschProjecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05507646790187571789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-20871462824564477932010-06-24T16:59:33.958+10:002010-06-24T16:59:33.958+10:00Well said! I wasn't taught to do a lot of the...Well said! I wasn't taught to do a lot of these things and i really wish I had been so I didn't have to learn as I go along now....Cass@TheDiaryofaFrugalFamilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01491476767414959689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-34800876507148618902010-06-24T15:04:04.688+10:002010-06-24T15:04:04.688+10:00the most intersiting & informative blog..thank...the most intersiting & informative blog..thank you!<br /><br />LubnaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-62615962071388329632010-06-24T11:14:39.482+10:002010-06-24T11:14:39.482+10:00To the person who asked about flies: I have put wa...To the person who asked about flies: I have put water into a ziplock type plastic bag, then hang that outside. Apparently, the sun hits the water and the refraction is unpleasant to flies, so they avoid it. <br />Terrie in OklahomaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-65993194154859276882010-06-24T09:49:59.027+10:002010-06-24T09:49:59.027+10:00This is a wonderful and highly relevant post - and...This is a wonderful and highly relevant post - and very well articulated! I could not agree more. <br />Tracy (Brisbane)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-57670279193908047082010-06-24T09:06:20.912+10:002010-06-24T09:06:20.912+10:00Another area of over regulation is water. I unders...Another area of over regulation is water. I understand concerns in areas of high pollution and unfit tanks but lets remember many generations lived on the water that their own roofs provided with no divertors or filtering systems and they survived and in fact thrived. Now we can have tanks but only for the garden use. Why? Everyone knows that the best cuppa is made from tank /rain water. <br />We are not on mains water and I haven't lived with main water for all but 5 of my 55 years. We have had tanks of varying quality during that time. Truth to tell if the old galvo tank had seen better days and we found a frog or two in it we didn't drain the tank we just got them out and joked about "frog water". We are still here and in good health. As I said we have the best cuppas , home made cleaning products work extra well with soft water and our original old electric hot water system which was bought 2nd hand in the first place lasted us 25 years because it was only dealing with soft untreated water. It has just been replaces by a solar system.<br />I think paticularly in the driest continent we should really look to be self sufficient as much as possible in the water area.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-54556117916441939652010-06-24T08:12:01.987+10:002010-06-24T08:12:01.987+10:00Remarkable isen't it how long the produce you ...Remarkable isen't it how long the produce you grow stays than the freshist LOOKing ones in the markets! Yes goodness knows we are loosing out of some fun in life learning how to make new veggie dishes and doing things for ourselfs round our own homes! Invite the neighbors over and have a snack and learn what they know you don't and barter your talents and teach each other! Neighbors are also becoming indangered. Ya need to take the time to get to know your fellow townspeople! :) JamieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-17581810621948868762010-06-24T07:00:41.377+10:002010-06-24T07:00:41.377+10:00Thanks for picking up the typo, Annie.
Anonymous ...Thanks for picking up the typo, Annie.<br /><br />Anonymous June 23, 2010 9:30 AM, I send you my very best and hope that your changes will make a great life. Please keep in touch.<br /><br />Mountain Thyme, I am absolutely amazed that in countries like America and Australia, with our climates and land mass, we import food. Why does that happen? It's mad and unsustainable.Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-12697719962815795182010-06-24T05:17:03.356+10:002010-06-24T05:17:03.356+10:00Rhonda, if you lived in the United States, I would...Rhonda, if you lived in the United States, I would vote for you for President! I swear! What a wonderful post. I think about these things every day. <br /><br />I was in the market this morning and could not....no, could not find yellow, summer squash that had been grown here. Even the organic squash had been grown in Mexico. When did our farmers stop growing squash...in the summer....easily?? What happened?<br /><br />You want to know why different cultures and countries have certain foods and food preparation? Because you are supposed to use what you can get locally and in-season and fresh. Or, grow yourself! Until I was an adult, I never had an apple in summer unless we were storing a bushel in the dirt basement or an orange in winter unless it was in the form of juice.<br /><br />Oh, sorry for the rant. I just wish we could instill some sense of self-sustainability in our young people. All it takes is a little thought and a little effort and a little planning ahead. You don't have to move mountains to have a better, cleaner, healthier, more productive and satisfying life!Peace Thymehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361079101751470855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78464960706807458632010-06-24T04:18:50.749+10:002010-06-24T04:18:50.749+10:00I read you 'once again wonderful post'. My...I read you 'once again wonderful post'. My husband works in the health sector and about five years ago a Walmart was coming to the city. The health community fought them coming, not because they didn't want a Walmart but that the grocery section was boxed, canned, high salt, sugar ingredient products. With diabetic and heart problems on the rise, the last thing people need are these products. As the saying goes, eat the outside of the grocery store and if you can't pronounce the ingredient....Why would you eat it?Lokshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17744393319879735773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-62329229598076120992010-06-24T03:34:26.553+10:002010-06-24T03:34:26.553+10:00My husband and I woke at 5 AM so we could pick wil...My husband and I woke at 5 AM so we could pick wild blackberries before the heat set in for the day. We spoke about this very topic! Thankfully, we're old enough to have learned how to gather and hunt but many weren't taught these skills. If not for grocery stores, I'm convinced that a lot of people would starve to death or otherwise perish because they simply don't know how to do anything for themselves. As for our blackberries, they will be used to make simple homemade wine and jelly.Lisanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-24583096417139779142010-06-24T03:15:03.838+10:002010-06-24T03:15:03.838+10:00Alex, unfortunately there is a generation gap happ...Alex, unfortunately there is a generation gap happening right now. Dads don't know how to fix washers, so who will teach our kids? I'm not saying it belongs in the schools, but it might, or maybe in Guides and Scouts and 4H clubs? I do think that schools need to be more hands-on though, teaching kids math through measuring boards for raised garden beds, or the strength of triangles through building a simple framed structure, or chemistry through the interaction of baking soda and vinegar or yeast and sugar. Schools can help where parents have failed.Evelyn in Canadahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16273654056979750579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-49211684785085448672010-06-24T01:42:33.298+10:002010-06-24T01:42:33.298+10:00I loved this post! Amen, friend! We need to take...I loved this post! Amen, friend! We need to take back our independence from the big chain stores and manufacturing companies. We need to do more for ourselves and put less money into their pocket books!!! We can do it -- one mastered skill at a time!<br /><br />KristinaKristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08786701630899891688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-82881751024897098362010-06-24T00:38:42.745+10:002010-06-24T00:38:42.745+10:00I really appreciated this post, and think it's...I really appreciated this post, and think it's so important to remember. In a lot of cases I think we've been trained to think that we couldn't or shouldn't do things, or that someone else can do them better (or sell us something that will be better, I suppose). It's so important to take that back and regain control.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-935010001298654372010-06-23T23:28:25.256+10:002010-06-23T23:28:25.256+10:00The hygiene thing really gets me. I heard of a pr...The hygiene thing really gets me. I heard of a preschool a while back where they stopped using toilet roll tubes in craft for fear of Germs!<br />And only recently a someone I know proudly told another father at soccer training how thrifty his wife was, buying all the kids' clothes at Vinnies. The other man thought this was really shocking and unhygienic!Chookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07230973711859964063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-58231795849508840252010-06-23T23:16:36.191+10:002010-06-23T23:16:36.191+10:00This is so true, we have begun to think we need a ...This is so true, we have begun to think we need a specialist for everything and that we are incapable of doing things for ourselves. And don't even get me started on antibacterial soap.<br /><br />I love visiting with my 95 year old grandmother about homemaking skills and life on the farm.<br /><br />-BrendaSense of Home Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06670637532208860258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78989906593888813122010-06-23T23:16:36.192+10:002010-06-23T23:16:36.192+10:00Wow!! Love this post. You put all those thoughts...Wow!! Love this post. You put all those thoughts I've been having all in one place. Inspiring. Really. Makes me want to jump up and learn another skill today. Water bath canning and bread are on my list for this year. So is dehydrating and adding more 'from scratch' items to our menu. Love that you're here to remind us to think and do for ourselves. Thanks a bunch.Debbie, Ontario, Canadanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-37659654251474570072010-06-23T23:12:47.189+10:002010-06-23T23:12:47.189+10:00Excellent post, Rhonda.
I was surprised to find ...Excellent post, Rhonda. <br /><br />I was surprised to find that many in our community have no idea at all about gardening, and not just the younger generation. When we started the community garden at church, several of the men wanted to help, but told us they knew nothing about gardening at all. <br /><br />When people find out that I make yogurt and cheese at home they often act like it is some very strange, difficult thing that I am doing LOL! <br /><br />It is sad that these once everyday skills have become so scarce. Thank you for encouraging others to learn them once again! <br /><br />My condolences at the loss of your dear friend. <br /><br />Blessings,<br />CatherineAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17556890643837806571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-4476399574071615692010-06-23T22:18:16.269+10:002010-06-23T22:18:16.269+10:00This is a very inspiring post Miss Rhonda!
I want...This is a very inspiring post Miss Rhonda! <br />I wanted to let you know that I've changed a lot in how I live and how I look at life- and a major part of that is due to your blog. I've actually stopped to think about what happens to disposable anything (containers, food, cleaning products, etc.) <br />Even people who don't much believe in global warming DO have to realize the terrible fact of garbage waste and pollution. This is a big problem that I made myself think and learn about. <br />Since reading your blog, I have:<br />listened to my Grandma- you would like her. She's just like you.<br />I've taught myself to cook and bake without using condiments, flavourings, instant foods, etc. Just the natural stuff, the way food really is.<br />I make my own cleaners and laundry detergent- no more disgusting chemicals.<br />I grow a large garden (organically)- enough to live on through the summer and still have enough to preserve for winter. (Lots of snow here in Canada!)<br />I've cut back on shopping...if there is any way possible I can make the product or find it at a thrift store, I'll do that.<br />I've actually learned to knit and crochet! And I love it! <br />I've stopped rushing (most of the time...)<br />Above all, I think just from reading your blog that I have realized as a homemaker and a person, I have responsibility: to my family: healthy meals, a healthy, happy home, to my planet: stewardship and management, and to myself: not to be lazy and give in to the easiest solution that may have such harmful consequences. I have responsibility to the future generation as well. Thank you so much for speaking out. <br />Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that your blog has made such a difference to me, and probably to many others around the world. <br /> I wish I had learned this growing up, but it's never too late to start. I'm off to can beet pickles!<br />The Girl in the Pink DressThe Girl in the Pink Dresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00250837836714463827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-72543669235049896322010-06-23T21:53:25.018+10:002010-06-23T21:53:25.018+10:00Thank you for the post, Rhonda. I just found your...Thank you for the post, Rhonda. I just found your blog. I'm from the the US and grew up in the suburbs and had never so much as put a towel out on a line to dry before last year. My husband and I are trying to reclaim our self-sufficiency slowly but surely.<br /><br />My family thinks we are nuts for using cloth diapers for our baby, having a vegetable garden and making our own laundry soap. "Why make things when you can buy them and throw them away?" they ask me. Your blog has put into words what I've been thinking in such a succinct way. I'm forwarding this post to several people I know. Thank you so much!UsefulMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15197362416030531427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-50690169112934960892010-06-23T21:51:52.280+10:002010-06-23T21:51:52.280+10:00Thank you Rhonda for your words of wisdom, you are...Thank you Rhonda for your words of wisdom, you are truly an inspiration to us all.<br /><br />My Nan was born during the depression and was bought up on whatever food was on offer, her father worked at the meat works at one time, and if he was lucky might get to bring home some offal, they also ate a lot of Gruel when things were really tough. She always cooked EVERYTHING from scratch and made the best cup of tea ever!!! Left over roast was always kept in the cupboard on a china plate covered with a tea towel and used for sandwiches for lunch or to go with a salad for the next few days, we never got food poisoning and Nan lived to the ripe old age of 80. She sewed all my mother's, her sister's and her clothes and was always knitting or crocheting something.....a new jumper for Pa or a baby set for a newborn, something for the grand/great grandchildren. She was very disappointed at not being able to make a new set of curtains for her lounge, and having to have them made as she was very sick in her last year. Knitting, sewing cooking, gardening and looking after her family was what kept her "alive", once she lost the ability to do those things she gave up, she was an Amazing homemaker/housewife who would tackle anything.....I really miss her guidance...she was always more than happy to teach us her skills. The "olde folk" can teach us much!<br /><br />Di, LauncestonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-4503947977435662452010-06-23T21:26:13.314+10:002010-06-23T21:26:13.314+10:00Dear Rhonda,
Thank you so much for making us real...Dear Rhonda,<br /><br />Thank you so much for making us realise that we too are a part of nature! I know what you mean - when I was young I used to play in puddles, stay out in the rain sometimes and swam in the river. But my grand daughter is very much protected from all the elements so much so that I feel she has missed the fun of growing up!<br /><br />Anyway what I wanted to tell you is that I have made the bread you taught us in one of your older posts. And a big thank you! It is turning out very well - its in the oven as I type this and it does look as if it hasisen beautifully! It never did before your tutorial but I followed your recipe and instructions to the letter and it happened!! Yay!! Thanks again.Kathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06391430708117266742noreply@blogger.com