It's a Classical Life

While we are not deserted on a tropical island like the Swiss Family Robinson, we are still able to look over our supplies and be prepared for whatever may come. This is something that our grandparents and grandparents did, although they managed to get by with a lot less than we do today! It is such a classic thing to be prepared. The books and quotes that I have shared during this series are only a fraction of books that talk about preparedness. We can't always predict what will be waiting for us around the corner, but we can ensure that our we, and our loved ones, are as prepared as we possibly can be. Shortages, job loss, sickness, strikes and more all a part of our daily life, and while many of these things are out of our control, to live a refined and simple life, is one of intelligence and preparedness. We need to be formed by reliable sources and make intelligent purchases that will benefit our family and not waste our money. By having a little bit extra we can help those wh...

  Have you heard of the Australian artist Margaret Olley? Don't worry if you haven't as we are going to be discussing her life and designs here on the blog today. Photos and biography details are courtesy of the Art Gallery of NSW. The reason that I chose Olley to be the first Artist in Spotlight here on It's a Classical Life  is because I have long admired her work and the beautiful and warm simplicity depicted in her paintings. Predominantly her work consists of still-life and interior paintings, from the late 1940s all the way to the early 2000s. And honestly, they remind me of my grandmother's place (and perhaps your grandmother's too!) They exude a feeling of welcome and love and are, to me, what home should be. She focuses on simple pleasures in her painting, flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables, well-worn furniture and china crockery that is treasured yet still used on an everyday basis.  Biography Born in 1923 in Lismore, New South Wales, Olley studied art a...

Normally, I unashamedly only read books that I consider classics  (not everyone agrees with my definition!) but sometimes books, especially non-fiction books, come my way that were written recently but hold the allure of potentially offering advice that is timeless and classic. When my good friend Jenny, a retired English and History teacher, told me about Eddie Jaku's book, The Happiest Man on Earth, I was intrigued. Jaku is a Holocaust survivor, and in his book he "shares how he found gratitude, kindness and hope in the darkest of places." I knew that my friend had met Eddie Jaku on several occasions when she took History students to the Sydney Jewish Museum to hear him speak. After reading the book in only one sitting, I knew that there was so much enduring wisdom that I wanted to share it here with you. The content can be quite deep and troubling, but the writing is easy to read and, honestly, it's hard to put it down! Without giving too much of Eddie's story...

I'd like to thank all of you who have been following along with me on this Preparedness journey and a big Thank You shout-out to Annabel who keeps inspiring us daily on this journey. I hope you enjoy what you are reading here on my blog and consider leaving a little message or introduction of yourself. As for me, I am Kirsty, a languages teacher and mother of three. I am also a trained History teacher and it is my true belief that we can learn from history and from the classics (novels, movies, philosophies, music, you name it!) to live a refined yet simple life. I talk about different things here on my blog and hope you will settle in with a cup of tea or coffee and have a look around. If this is your first time here, please consider reading my previous posts on the 30 Day Preparedness Challenge.  Now, without further ado, let's continue on our journey to being prepared.   Day 20 - Security Annabel covers the idea of Security very thoroughly in her blogpost  so I w...

  Last week when I was reflecting on my Preparedness Challenge , I turned to some Italian classics to get me started. The books by Machiavelli and Boccaccio are indeed classics, and they, along with Dante's Inferno, formed the basis of my Italian Renaissance education at university. I love the Italian Renaissance and everything to do with it, but as I was reading over those books last week I started to thinking about the Italy that I know. The Italy that I first visited when I was 22 and then again when I was 24. On the second visit I lived in the northern city of Padua for six weeks, to consolidate my Italian language learning. I love Italy. I love all things Italian and just by having those two books out last week, reignited my love. The first thing that I turned to satisfy my desire for Italia  was the classic 1953 movie starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, Roman Holiday.  Have you seen it? If not, you can watch the movie trailer below. Besides starring the amazin...

The only sound, sure and enduring methods of defence are those based on your own actions and prowess.  Machiavelli, The Prince We are continuing today with Annabel's 30 Day Preparedness Challenge and I am reflecting on where we are in our preparedness. I love this quote by Machiavelli, as really, we have no one to blame (or thank) except ourselves in certain situations. How well we plan and prepare, how we live, the risks we choose to take, the things we believe in and the things we fight for are all on us. Our actions and our prowess are what matters here, and I think we are naive if we expect others to step up for us in times of need or rely on others to help us. Of course, we all want to help, but how can we be in a position to help others, if we haven't helped ourselves? Day 15: Your Vehicle Annabel offers such a comprehensive list of things to keep in your vehicle as a matter of course. As of today, we have a First Aid kit, including things necessary for snake bite (they...