Living simply is the answer to just about everything. It reduces the cost of living; it keeps you focused on being careful with resources such as water and electricity; it reminds you to not waste food; it encourages you to store food so you don't waste it and doing all those things brings routine and rhythm to your daily life. Consciously connecting every day with the activities and tasks that create simple life reminds you to look for the meaning and beauty that normal daily life holds. It's all there in your home if you look for it. Seemingly mundane tasks like cleaning and cooking help you with that connection for without those tasks, the home you want to live in won't exist in the way you want it to. Creating a home you love will make you happy and satisfied.
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I've been restoring routine and rhythm to my backyard lately. I pulled up the extensive vegetable gardens we used to have and now, three years after Hanno died, vegetables are growing again in raised beds. My good friend Nicole Lutze came over on Friday and helped by weeding and moving a lot of heavy stuff around for me. Thanks Nicole! Unfortunately, it's a job I can't do anymore. Hopefully, by growing everything in raised beds and a variety of pots, I can overcome that hurdle. It also takes me four times as long to do anything in the garden now because, at 77 years of age and with a brain tumour, I'm often unsteady on my feet when I'm walking around on the uneven ground out there. Inside the house I'm fine and I'm happy that I can still easily do my housework, cleaning and cooking. I'd be miserable if I couldn't do that work.
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The fruit trees are doing really well, mainly because we had so much rain earlier in the year. The oranges and lemons are ready for picking; blueberries and elderberries are flowering; I've collected about 50 pecans so far; the Brazilian cherry and loquats are healthy; I have just planted a miniature Eureka lemon in a pot and have a passionfruit ready to plant. Life's good.
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Are you creating the kind of home you want to live in? I hope you are because this way of life only happens if you put in the work. But remember, life comes in stages for all of us. I have time to do the work, if you're still working for a living try to do as much housework as you can because it will help you save money, hopefully you'll be cooking from scratch a few days a week and doing all that will slowly create the home you want to live in. Living on less than you earn is a constant goal that pays off on a weekly basis and in the longer term. I know quite a few young couples who are living on one pay packet while the other partner, male or female, takes care of the house, cooking, organising and child rearing, with daily help from the partner who goes out to work. Living like that sets up a firm financial base and a happy home with less stress than when both partners are working away from home. Of course, it's not always possible but if it is, here is a post I wrote about Living on One Income.
I hope you'll all take a look at my DIL's and grandkids new IG page. They're showing us their duck and rooster. There's also a recycled duck home being made. https://youtube.com/@kiwiandmandarin?si=Ghd5S130xEw3gVXI
I hope you have a wonderful week ahead. xx
Always lovely to read about what you are growing in your garden Rhonda, and I am loving this time of year in Mackay in the tropics as well. I am slowly planting vegetable seedlings, and my pak choy seeds which I bought in Maleny at the co-op on a recent trip, have grown into healthy young plants. Our back yard isn't as big as yours, by the look of yours, but I like to mix flowers with herbs and veges too. I hope to find some healthy silverbeet or spinach seedlings soon. You are always inspiring with your thoughts. Take care, Pauline x
ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda, I just wanted to say, I think you are doing a great job! I always love reading your blog posts, they are very inspiring! Here in Victoria we are in a severe drought & my citrus trees are dying, I don't know if they will survive, even if we get much needed rain soon.
ReplyDeleteWe are on a farm & rely on tanks for our water. It's quite heartbreaking.
I so sorry to read about your citrus. They're often the backbone of a backyard garden. I have tanks here too and would have never started a garden without a tank in the yard. I hope you get rain soon. xx
DeleteYour garden Rhonda seems to be doing very well but it needs a lot of work,
ReplyDeleteI grow a garden and I know.
Rain is the best thing for a garden to grow!!
I know too, Katerina. Have a look at the title photo at the top of the page. That's one of my old gardens.
DeleteYou really give me hope, Rhonda ! I'm almost 68 years old and over a year ago I broke my ankle and then my wrist 6 months later ... Since then, I'm always afraid of falling an I feel like I'm slowing down , like I've aged ! Your article proves to me that we can continue to do what we love, just a little differently. I am starting to have confidence in myself again while being careful and accepting to go slower. Your articles help me a lot, and I 'm always delighted when you publish a new one. Thank you for everything.
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful thing to have hope, Pat. I understand your fear of falling. I think most older people have it. I doubt there is only one way to do most things. When I come up against a hurdle, I take time out to think about it and work out ways to do it another way. I sometimes use a walking stick in the garden and I have an Apple watch with a fall detector on it. Take care, love.
DeleteHi patdub, I read an article about a celebrity here in the UK who had a fall and was asking a doctor what he could do to help himself going forward. The doctor advised him to improve his balance and help his confidence by standing on one leg when brushing his teeth, alternating the leg after a few seconds. It is easy to work into your routine and there is something solid to hang onto if you do wobble. Perhaps you could give it a go and see if it helps. x
DeleteRhonda, so good to see you posting again. I also enjoyed the pictures of your garden.
DeleteI'm 79 and my balance isn't much good. I've fallen several times and worry a lot about the next time. Something I did is to replace my green garden hoses with yellow hoses (orange works well, too--black not so good). Orange is also good for extension cords. Most hoses in the US are green because they hide the grass--which is exactly why I got rid of mine! I took quite a fall when I tripped over it a few years ago. There are lots of alternatives for tripping hazards if you take the time to think about it.
I’ve bought a few raised beds over the years and now wish I’d bought deeper ones so that’s my next plan. Your garden looks very inviting Rhonda. Id be lost without some sort of garden. I planted a whole lot of snow peas a while ago, not sure if they were still viable. I think they’ve all popped up so I’m looking forward to fresh snow peas. Thank you again for sharing your space. Katie
ReplyDeleteRhonda, I had no idea about the brain tumor! I'm so sorry! But your posts are always such a pleasure to read and I even love going back to your old posts about budgeting and other topics. So much wisdom :) Thanks for sharing your home and tips for living. I look forward to them!
ReplyDeleteInspiring as always Rhonda and really cool that you have pecans! Never thought about planting a nut tree, but now off to research what might grow may area - thanks Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteHy, Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteI'm very glad, you weren't affected by the floods! Your Garden is beautiful!
It´s spring in Europe, that's why I'm currently planting young plants and sowing some seeds so that we can harvest them in the coming months.
It's been very dry in Germany over the past months. The rivers have little water, and the large lake (Lake Constance), from which our drinking water comes, has an unusually low water level.
I'm collecting every drop of water for the garden.
Please keep up the good work! I enjoy every post on your blog.
Sibylle
Your garden is looking lovely and quite productive! I'm so grateful that you have someone to help you with the more taxing chores. I hope to be able to garden into my "golden" years, but even if I can't do all that I do now, I can take inspiration from you and will modify as needed. Thank you for all that you share.
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks like quite the sanctuary. I agree wholeheartedly about creating the home you want, yourself, with your own two hands. It brings such comfort and also a sense of pride and accomplishment. I have been slowly re-creating my own home going on 4 years after the loss of my husband. Making it fit the life I live now, with an eye to the future.
ReplyDeleteNo, please don't say you'd be miserable if you couldn't do all your housework! Maybe if that day ever came, you would still find ways to sit restfully with whatever you can have in your lap and still feel interested, engaged, productive, and content while continuing to be grateful to whomever you may have helping you with the rest.
ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda, your garden looks lovely. Glad you are happy and adapting well to your new gardening style. I look forward to seeing it grow! I enjoyed my visit to your DIL/grandkid's page because I love ducks. I had a couple of them when I was in my teens and really enjoyed their personalities. Mandarin looks likes a fine fellow. It's nice that your family is carrying on the tradition of recyling too! When your DIL was talking about building his shelter my first thought was of snakes (learned that from things that have happened in your yard), so was relieved to hear her say it would be snake-proof. The finished product looks like a nice home for him. Beth in MN
ReplyDeleteCool garden, looks rustic and natural. I like the big containers for plants, I have a rooftop garden and use an ancient bathtub as a lettuce/greens planter. You might want to try growing nicotiana (flowering tobacco) easy and they perfume the whole area from dusk til dawn.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you have help, Rhonda. I am impressed at all that you are able to do. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHello Rhonda, your photos of the garden are beautiful! It is good that you have help. I love to clean, organize and cook as well. You have a lovely blog. Warm greetings from a 68 year old retiree living in Montreal, Canada.
ReplyDelete