Slow Living 2012 - May

June already..... almost half way through the year..... unbelievable, really, how fast this year is passing. May flew by and I can't say I took notice of the weeks as they went. This time of the year seems to me to be a time of just surviving somehow. I feel like a wild animal slowing down, getting ready for hibernation, settling cosily in a cave until Solstice and then slowly awakening as the days gradually lengthen and spring flowers appear. Introspection seems to be an autumn/winter theme for me and this year is no exception..... although I do have some exciting happenings coming up in my life which I will share next week! They are enough to brighten my days considerably! 

So once again joining in with Christine at Slow Living Essentials for a look at whats been happening here in May - 

Nourish - Hmm, not much coming from the garden now except some very nice carrots, spinach and kale. Oh and potatoes and garlic - which are actually coming from the storage shed! I've been buying boxes of cheap bananas for breakfast fruit as well as freezing them to have in smooothies. Yes, I know it's weird having smoothies in winter but there's no accounting for my children's tastes! 

Prepare - I can't say there's been much preparation going on here, at least not food wise. I have been unpacking boxes of 'stuff' in our shed, preparing to make a sewing area in the loft space up there. Also books, lots and lots of books (have I ever mentioned my second hand book fetish?) have been shelved in some very homemade shelves. 

Reduce -  I have started going to the Farmers Market again regularly and aim to avoid any packaging as well as supporting the small number of organic growers. I now purchase local milk in glass bottles, local free range eggs and most of my fruit and veg from local growers.  

Green - Yes, I'm feeling a nice shade of dark green this month...... we have our Tassie Barrel heater going 24/7 now, so it's always available for some extra work! I haven't had a dryer for a number of years so for most of our winter I hang a load of washing above it overnight and occasionally during the day. But we also have a bigger cooktop on the heater this year, so I've been cooking soups on there 2 or 3 times a week! The fire is warming us, drying our clothes and cooking our meal - I get really excited about this and tell my family at least once a day!!   

Grow - I planted garlic! Yes, thats it for the month! Not much enthusiasm for gardening when the wind is cold and the remaining plants are struggling.

Create - Once again, not much to say here..... I'm working on a knitted beanie, gathered a pile of frilly fabric for a fairy gown and stitched up a drum bag from an old army blanket for my mans birthday. 

Discover - It's been a journey into myself this month..... I've discovered some positive things and thrown out some not so useful beliefs and I'm working on blossoming into the confident woman that I am meant to be! 

Enhance/connect - For a couple of years now I have been co-ordinating a buyers group in my area, so every two months I collate the order, send it through and then weigh, pack and price all the goods. I've always looked at it as being a benefit to me (which it is) but I now realise that it's benefitting the environment and the other buyers a whole lot more than I had believed. 

I hope the idea of my colour posts has connected some people in blogland too!  

Enjoy - I have finally started exercise classes!!! It's been on my mental must do list for months but seeing as I'm not a sporty type and a bit busy as well, it was easy to keep putting it off!! Now I'm going and I love it! I have discovered muscles I didn't know I had and have permanently sore legs but I still love it! Three times a week in fact! And as it's only one minute from home!

So here it is...... not as prolific as the first few months, probably more prolific than the next few months and definitely just as it should be. Right. Now.