Slow Living: March 2013

Somehow it's already time for the March installment for the Slow Living Project.  I guess that means it's been a busy month.  ;-)

NOURISH: Make and bake as much as possible from scratch. Ditch overpackaged, over-processed convenience foods and opt for 'real' food instead. Share favourite links/recipes/tips from the month here.

We've been experimenting in the food department, and I've been feeling little bits of inspiration... We've had several versions of Brussels Sprouts, which I've recently learned can be quite delicious and not at all like the nasty, yucky things my mother made me eat as a kid.  I made up a pork stir-fry and my first-ever leg of lamb.  We went out for a Korean feast with Hubba's coach, who is originally from Korea and tried all kinds of new-to-me foods.  We made Sushi Rice for the first time and experimented with a few new-to-us recipes.  Cooking is a lot more fun when you're feeling inspired.  :-)

PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve. Freeze extra meals or excess garden/market produce. Bottle/can, dehydrate or pickle foods to enjoy when they are not in season. Aim to reduce dependency on store bought items especially those known to contain BPA and other suspect additives. Stocking up on dry goods when prices are low counts too.

I finally got to do some garden preparations yesterday (!) and received my first ever SCOBY from a friend earlier this month.  There will be veggie planting and Kombucha making soon.  :-)

REDUCE/Reuse/Re-purpose/Repair: Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing. A ladder into a strawberry planter? A sheet into a dress? Share ideas and project links here, allowing others to be inspired.

I don't believe we accomplished anything out of the ordinary in this category... but are taking some steps that should reduce a large amount of waste... fingers crossed that these plans work as intended.

GREEN: up our lives. Start (or continue!) using homemade cleaners, body products and basic herbal remedies. The options are endless, the savings huge and the health benefits enormous.

I might be reaching for this one... I use a Neti Pot fairly often.  Especially after sweeping, dusting or digging in the dirt.  It's just warm water and salt and keeps me from having to use allergy and cold meds, for the most part.  It keeps those sinus related headaches almost non-existent.  I do still occasionally get sick or have bad allergies but usually that's because I've been running myself too hard.

GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month? What's being eaten from the garden? Herbs in a pot, sprouts on a windowsill or and entire fruit/vegetable garden -opt for what fits space and time constraints. Don't have a backyard? Ask a friendly neighbour or relative for a small patch of theirs in return for some home grown produce, they may surprise you!

We had a fair amount of snow in March and a little bit of rain which has been wonderful.  It means though, that I wasn't able to get into my garden until yesterday, 3/31.  I, hopefully, will be able to get my early-season seeds into the ground next weekend.  In the meantime the pastures are turning green and the trees are on the verge of budding out.

CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others. Create something as simple as a handmade gift tag or something as extravagant as a fine knit shawl. Share project details and any new skills learnt here.

I have been spinning up a storm.... wool/mohair and Qiviut as well as a few other fibers that I have yet to share.  :-)

DISCOVER: Feed the mind by reading texts relevant to current interests. Trawl libraries, second hand shops or local book shops to find titles that fill the need. Share titles/authors of what is being read this month.

A little tease from a friend launched me into a mini research project about Qiviut and Muskox and an opportunity for a SCOBY from another friend  has had  me reading up on how to make Kombucha.

ENHANCE: community: Possibilities include supporting local growers and producers, help out at a local school/kindergarten, barter or foodswap, joining a playgroup or forming a walking or craft group. Car pooling where possible and biking/walking instead of driving. Even start up a blog if you haven't already - online communities count too! Or maybe just help out someone trying to cross the street! The rewards for your time are often returned tenfold.

I sent off my 3rd Pay-it-Forward Project... one more to go.  :-)

ENJOY: Life! Embrace moments with friends and family. Marking the seasons, celebrations and new arrivals are all cause for enjoyment. Share a moment to be remembered from the month here.

Puppy Therapy... in early March.

More Puppy Therapy.... at the end of March.  :-)

Even though we've been getting a fair amount of snow, and had our first two (!) wild fires already, I am loving all of the little signs of spring... red-winged black birds, Flickers that chatter like monkeys, shedding dogs, green-tinted fields, budding trees and lady bugs.

Happy Spring.