Slow Living in Spring

It is the 2nd of September.

The spring rain is falling outside as I write this but that is not dampening my excitement for this season!

I am sipping on my second cup of tea this morning and I am so glad to be back in the blogging world.

Today I thought I would welcome the new season with a few ideas for slow living activities to get the most out of this season of sunshine, rain, spring blooms and new beginnings.

My mind is full of ideas & aspirations for the warmer months and I cannot wait for all the seasonal delights that come with the sunny weather.

I say that as it is now raining cats & dogs outside my window...

But for now, let's get into these simple slow living ideas for Spring!

Have a picnic (weather permitting!)

Nothing is nicer than eating outside in the sun after months of being cooped up inside. 

Pack up a simple meal, wear a springy outfit (optional) and grab a blanket and head to your local park or even your own back yard to enjoy the outdoors and the spring flowers.

Turn over your wardrobe

As soon as the weather got warmer, I brought out all my spring and summer clothing. I couldn't help it! I was so excited to wear them.

If you are like me and you store your out of season wardrobe away while it is not in use, now might be the time to switch over to some warmer weather pieces.

But Spring weather is unpredictable, so make sure to keep back a few sweaters in case it gets chilly.

Clean + declutter

It's time for spring cleaning! During winter, the house tends to get a bit dustier & dirtier because we are indoors more and if you are using a fireplace, that will also create dust from the ashes and wood you are using. So take this time to give your house a good clean and declutter some things too.

We want to begin the Spring & Summer with fresh clean homes!

Dust surfaces, wash linens, clean the windows, and declutter the things that have been sitting around taking up space.

Plant a garden

This is quite an obvious thing to do in the Spring but I thought I would include it anyway. We are slowly planning our garden and using up the last of the winter crops (which didn't grow very well this year). 

I also want to bring some new life into my cut flower garden which all but died out in the summer because of drought. 

Get out into your garden and plant something, even if it is only a pot of flowers or herbs, it is so rewarding to grow something yourself!

Eat the new seasonal foods 

Check what's in season in the Springtime around you and try to make meals using them. 

For New Zealand, see this helpful list of in-season fruits and vegetables. 

Also, try and shop locally for these ingredients to support your local shops and farmers. It is so wonderful and important to know how your food is grown and where it comes from.

You can make fresh salads, lemon curd, delicious vegetable soups and much, much more in the springtime!

Wake up early

I usually try to wake up early all year round but it becomes a lot easier during the Spring & Summer because the sun comes up earlier so it isn't dark and cold when you get up.

If you don't already, set your alarm for an hour earlier than you normally wake up and get a head start on your day and take advantage of that extra daylight.

Sew something

Whether you mend or alter something, thrift flip something or sew an item from scratch, get out your fabric and sewing machine and create something this Spring.

I have a top that needs altering that I plan on sewing and I might make a few other fun projects too!

That's all my ideas for now! 

Let me know what activities you like to do in the Spring months in the comments!

keep blooming,

Hannah

A Simpler Way of Life

Recently, I have been dipping my toes into the whole simple & slow living lifestyle. 

The whole idea really interests me and I have been inspired by various Instagram accounts too.

So I have decided to be more intentional to take the steps to choose slow & simple everyday.

In the words of Kaetlyn Anne ," simple living is not something we arrive at or accomplish. It is something that we nurture throughout our entire lives. "

So after learning more about this way of living, I sat down a wrote down some of the ways I wanted to incorporate these ideas into my day-to-day life.

These a few of my ideas:

- pursue full & lasting pleasure in God

- treasure time spent with family

- create a simple schedule--not too overloaded--each day and stick to it

- get out in nature daily

- spend less time on tech and more time on creative pursuits

- help my mum keep our home clean & tidy

- cherish & pour into friendships

- write more letters

- nurture our garden 

- work towards becoming more self-sufficient

It may look different from person to person but these are the ways I intend to pursue a slower, simpler life.

Why do I want to pursue this lifestyle?

Firstly because it makes me feel happy, at peace and I find it fulfilling.

It is also a Biblical way of life. Jesus continually took time by himself to rest and commune with His Father. He took time to spend with others and nurtured relationships with those around him.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, Paul writes "aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you. "

The Christian life should not be one of idleness, but of hard & honest work. Paul himself worked to pay his own expenses when planting churches so that he wouldn't have to depend on others during his ministry.

Part of simple living is living in alignment with the seasons. 

" Simple living is living deeply rooted in each season. Simple living is eating seasonal fruits and veggies. Simple living is being present in each season, connecting with nature. Simple living is  slowing down enough to recognize the different beauties that each season brings. Simple living is seasonal living. " - Kaetlyn Anne, What is Simple Living? 

I want to live in a way that is rooted in the changing of the seasons. To get out in the garden in the spring, to enjoy the delights of the summer, reap the harvest of autumn, and turn inward to rest in the winter.

I want to eat what's in season and curate a thoughtful seasonal wardrobe and grow closer to God as I learn to be still enough to hear His voice.

I want to learn to treasure the little things in life and value time spent with my family. I have the tendency to sometimes live for myself and in my own little world (the introvert in me) and not pay much attention to the needs of my family. I want that to change.

I want to spend less time scrolling and more time living and working on creative pursuits like watercolour painting, drawing, knitting, and cooking.

These are the things that actually matter in life not how many comments my post gets, what my Pinterest boards look like or watching hours of YouTube a week.

Friendships matter.

Relationships matter.

My health matters.

My family matters.

Most importantly my personal relationship with God matters and I can fully devote my heart to Him if it is distracted with many things.

I am excited to see where this new venture takes me and what I will learn on the way!

keep blooming, 

xo, Hannah

Slow Living in Winter

Coming to you today from the couch in our living room, sipping a cup of earl grey (my current favourite tea) and with a view of the golden leaves outside.

Though there are still a lot of leaves still clinging on, with the arrival of June I consider winter to have arrived with it.

This winter, as I mentioned in my last post, I want to be intentional to slow down, enjoy the seasonal delights and use the time to rest and work on some projects. I want to fully embrace the season for all it's beauty. 

So I decided to put together a list of some slow living activities to do in the winter months.

Knit something (scarf, sweater, blanket etc.)

This is perhaps my favourite winter activity! I am working on a throw blanket at the moment and I love pulling it out in the evenings to work on while a watch a TV series or listen to an audiobook.

The process and time that goes into it makes the end result worthwhile & pleasing too!

Bake a sourdough loaf

There is nothing like the smell of fresh bread to warm the home! 

Again, the slow process of mixing simple ingredients, kneading or folding the dough and producing a warm, fluffy loaf holds so much satisfaction. 

Take some time to master the art of bread making if you are new or experiment with a new recipe if you are a seasoned baker.

Read a beloved book series

Take the time to revisit an old favourite book series and read through it during the cold months of winter.

I am currently reading through The Chronicles of Narnia and I am quite enjoying them. They are light reads but full of nostalgia for me.

Go for walks 

Despite the cold, I still want to get outside to get fresh air in winter. I have to take Molly, my little dog out for walks daily anyways so I want to take the opportunity to embrace the rain & cold and get outdoors!

Fresh air support the immune system, cleans your lungs and even boosts your mood. So it is especially important to get lots fresh air in the winter to help ward of the winter bugs.

Unplug

To full be able to rest, set aside a day to fast from social media or limit your usage in general.

I decided a little while ago I was going to keep my Sunday's social media and YouTube free and it has been truly a blessing. 

I am so much more present & in the moment when I forget that my phone exists!

Spend time in front of the fire

Sit by the fire with a hot beverage and simply watch the flames while sipping. Or play a game with your family while the fire warms you up.

A wood fire crackling in the room certainly adds a homely & cosy ambiance for winter. 

Eat seasonally

Instead of shopping for imported or out of season produce, opt for in season root vegetables and groceries. It may differ depending on where you live but typically pumpkin, kumara (sweet potato), cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, silver beet, leeks and potatoes are in season around autumn/winter.

There are so many delicious recipes to make with winter veges. I'll link my recipe board (link) on Pinterest so you can see some of my favourites. 

Do you have any activities you would add to this list?

keep blooming,

My Sourdough Experience

I have been keeping a sourdough starter for a little over a year now. It has been fun (and frustrating at times) experimenting with different recipes and learning little tips and tricks along the way.

My family isn't new to eating sourdough. We eat sourdough breads on a daily basis (ordered in a great big box from a bakery) and I actually get an unpleasant reaction to normal supermarket breads so I like to stick to sourdough & organic breads.

So last year I decided I wanted to try making my own and my sourdough starter was born!

You might be asking, "what is a sourdough starter?" 

Sourdough starter is a fermented mixture of flour and water containing a colony of microorganisms including wild yeast and lactoacilli. 

This fermented starter is the rising agent in sourdough bread and also develops a wonderful flavor. 

Sourdough bread is healthier for you as well because it has a low glycemic index, making it easier to digest. If you want more info on the science behind sourdough, feel free to do your research, but for now that is my brief explanation! 

For my starter, I used the instructions on Lisa's blog Farmhouse on Boone(link).

I kept my first starter for almost a year, but at the beginning of this year while I was away from home, my starter was thrown away by accident so I had to start all over again.

Here is my current sourdough starter (my second one) that I have had for over a month.
It is happy, bubbly and active and I have made several breads with it already.
Now, I will note that I am by no means an expert! To be completely honest, I haven't had a ton of success with any of the breads I have made.
I am still working on getting it right and perfecting my technique. But with practice, I hope to bake a perfect loaf one day.

Sourdough bread requires more tender loving care than your normal yeast breads so be patient with it. It takes longer to make, rise and bake but it is totally worth it!

Like with a lot of things and especially anything worth doing, making sourdough bread at home takes a lot of practice. I know this first hand as I have made sourdough bread a significant amount of times and I still haven't gotten the technique down.

When it comes to maintaining my starter, I have been experimenting with feeding my sourdough starter and I think I have found what works best for me.
What I like to do is feed it 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of filtered water, then mix well. 
My starter lives next to the oven where it stays pretty warm. Temperature plays a key part in the well-being of your starter, so you want to make sure yours is kept nice and warm. 

I just place a little square of fabric over the mouth of my jar to allow for air to go through but keeping the bugs out. 

Rescources:

How To Care For A Sourdough Starter

The Best Beginner Sourdough Bread Recipe 

So that is a little glimpse into my sourdough journey so far. I'm still learning and I am by no means a professional!  But I enjoy it and that is what matters. 

The process, the journey, is what makes it appealing for me. It takes time but it is worth doing because of the result. 

Let me know if you try making your own sourdough starter!

keep blooming,

A Slow & Quiet Life

Hello darlings!

With everyone basically being forced to stay home for a while, I think one lesson that many will take away from this experience is to slow down!

Our culture today is very much focused on being busy, productive, accomplishing everything and just overall living a very fast paced life.
Many people are starting to wake up to this over time and realizing that they just can't do it anymore.

For me personally, I don't have a very busy schedule or a demanding job. I am just a teen living at home, studying at home and writing this blog.
But even I have been caught up in crossing off all the things on my to do list and getting things done.
I actually went through a season not long ago where this mindset of always having to be doing something kept me from being still and spending time sitting in God's presence.

It is not a healthy way to live, nor is it biblical.

Even God Himself rested after He created everything (Genesis 2:2-3). This was an example for us to follow because He knows that we need rest from our work.

Matthew 11:28-30 tells us to turn to Christ when we are weary and burdened and He will give us rest, that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Matthew 11:29

His burden is light because He does not leave us to carry it.
If we are willing and lay the burden of our busy life at His feet, He will carry it and we will be at rest.


So surrendering our schedules to Him is the first step but how do we live slower, quieter lives in the midst of the mile-long to do list?

Dwell in His presence
By spending time in God's Word early in the day, you are allowing yourself to have some quiet moments before the day starts and you are filling up with His love & grace which are vital to surviving each day.
You will be better equipped to deal with challenges and blessings that come along your way throughout the day. You will be able to handle things with grace.
I usually find my days go much better when I have taken the time to read the Bible in the morning.


Limit Social Media
I don't know about you, but I find that often spending any extended amount of time doesn't leave me feeling at peace or restful.
It usually leads to some discontentment or restlessness.
So in the pursuit of a slower, quieter life I think limiting time spent on social media is a wise step to take and I speak to myself here also!


Surrender to the Lord
This is probably one the most important step on this list. If you feel weighed down by everything, the best and first thing to do is to surrender it all to the Lord.
Just tell Him what is on your mind, all of the things you feel you should be doing and leave knowing He hears you and He will give you peace that passes understanding.


Declutter & Simplify Your Space
Decluttering is almost the 'trend' at the moment. I have seen countless 'declutter with me' videos on YouTube and I enjoy watching them. I also find them motivating to start decluttering my own space.
It is quite freeing to get rid of unnecessary items in your home or bedroom and create a simpler space to live in.
Decluttering my physical surroundings often clears some head space and leaves me feeling refreshed.


Do Something You Enjoy Outside of Working
Do something creative that you enjoy or pick up a new creative hobby! I personally enjoy painting, knitting, photography, reading, and more recently art journaling/scrapbooking.
Whatever it is that you enjoy, do it more often and have fun with it!


Notice Everything & Delight in the Lord
Something I learnt in my quiet time recently is that part of delighting in the Lord is delighting in all of the blessings He gives us.

"All through the day, every good thing that gives us pleasure should be an instance of delighting in God." (John Piper, How Do I Delight Myself in the Lord?)

"Notice everything. The way the snow falls. The way the light comes through the curtains. The way your morning coffee smells. The way the wind blows. Notice everything." (Kaetlyn Anne, Winter Rest, Roots, and Reflections)



I chose to place some spiritual things on this list because I believe it is an important part in all of this but I also included some practical steps on this list because our physical surroundings often influence our mind and feelings.

For some further reading, I suggest this blog post from Calico + Twine.

Let's stop and think about the way we are living and make the necessary changes to start living at a slower pace.


keep blooming,

An Autumn To Do List

Hello darlings!

With Autumn approaching fast (some might say it has already arrived), I have been thinking about some seasonal activities I want to do to get the most out of the season and enjoy it.

Each season is beautiful it its own right and so this Autumn/Winter, I want to make the most of them and learn to enjoy each day.

So I'm sharing my ideas with you and maybe you'll give some of these ideas a try too!

~ ~ ~ ~

- Go to a farmer's market

- Collect leaves to be pressed

- Decorate with dried foliage & flowers

- Make cinnamon rolls or cardamom buns

- Switch over your summer wardrobe to more winter appropriate clothes

- Make your own candles

- Bake these amazing pumpkin cookies

- Start a new knitting or crochet project

- Make a batch of chai tea (link to recipe)

- Go apple picking

- Read a mystery novel or a beloved classic

- Plant flowers that need to be planted in Autumn

- Eat your perfect bowl of porridge for breakfast

- Get some warm socks

- Have a cosy night in by the fire

- Simmer some Autumn potpourri on the stove

- Play in the leaves

- Go thrifting for warm jerseys

- Bring some baking to a neighbor or friend

keep blooming,