It's a Classical Life

  In the last one hundred years we have become very good at entertaining ourselves purely for entertainment's sake ( this , by the way, is a really interesting article on the history of mass entertainment if you get the chance to read it). We look at ways to "escape the everyday" through the pure consumption of entertainment - television, movies, music, and more recently, the internet and social media. This amazes me because over the last one hundred years we seem to be more time poor than ever before. So the precious time we do have is spent on consuming entertainment.  Wouldn't it be great if during our entertainment time we were also improving ourselves, learning something new or taking the first steps to creating something ourselves? Wouldn't it be wonderful if all content creators also had the same goal in mind as our friend, German composer Handel- to improve the lives of the consumers? (Click here to hear my favourite Handel piece). Unfortunately not all d...

I don't think it comes as a surprise to any of us to hear that the cost of living is going through the roof at the moment. Everything that we need to live on, is increasing in price. Fuel, groceries, pet food, essential health products - you name it!  As I was compiling last week's Tidbits , I was thinking that it was probably very timely to look at what the Classics can teach us about living well, on a budget. Although many of our favourite classics deal with the wealthy, middle and upper class of British Society (a la Jane Austen), there is still so much to learn and many others from whom we can take our example.  1. Keep a garden Initially, the set up of keeping a garden can be a bit cost prohibitive but it can be worth it in the long run. The more that we can produce at home, especially essentials like fruit and vegetables, the less we need to pay at out at the shops. There are also the additional benefits that food grown or made at home tastes so much better than st...

  There was no Inspired by the Classics article on Saturday. That's because I was busy "doing the good things," as Tolstoy says. I like to read and reflect on the classics, think about how they can have a positive impact on our lives, and share those thoughts and ideas with you here. But we must remember that this is only the first step. To have a good life, we must actually do things. All the talking, reflecting and planning in the world is not going to give us the life that we want to live.  On Saturday we built a new chicken coop for some of our old girls who aren't laying much anymore and are being bullied by the others. We love them as our pets and want them to enjoy their twilight years in peace and now they have a lovely run where they can scratch and live out their days without being pecked by the others.  On Sunday we went to the zoo. It was a perfect day. This morning I am back on track in my home, cleaning, baking, gardening and getting read...

Gosh, the weeks are just flying by now! Time for another Tidbits here at It's a Classical Life. I've enjoyed compiling this week's article for you, even though it touches on a couple of serious issues. So, grab a cuppa, have a browse and please let me know if there's anything here that strikes a note with you. Happy reading! 5 Things Introverts Love About Reading Novels  -  do you agree with this? It feels a bit simplistic to me, but I have to agree with most of what author Suzi Schwartz says.  My Grandma Swears By This Decorating Choice, and It’s in Every Room of Her House  - We hopped on the white Venetian blind band-wagon a few years ago when they were all the rage, but I find them so difficult and fiddly to keep clean. I'm appreciating more and more this tip for my windows and may consider making the switch.  The Lakes with Simon Reeve, BBC2, review: This is what happens when a proper travel journalist explores the UK  - The Lakes District always brings...

  After seeing Van Gogh Alive last week, art has been on my mind. I studied philosophy briefly during university, and had the opportunity to teach it for a year to senior high school students. We had a lot of fun, delving into the history and different philosophical movements.   Schopenhauer is today's Bitesize Inspiration and I think that this quote is wonderful advice for people who are just starting out with art or any creative pursuit - literature, music, poetry and so on. I often ignore the introduction or forward in a piece of literature so that the person writing that forward does not impose their thoughts and ideas on me before I've even read the book! I also think this advice is timely for those who may be connoisseurs of the arts, or have a long experience with studying it. We don't want to go in thinking we know all about it, before we have fully experienced it. Schopenhauer's quote touches on so many important things: manners, reverence, the art of listening...

L.M. Montgomery's classic series, Anne of Green Gables has so many ways in which it can inspire us and encourage us to live our lives well. The main character, Anne Shirley views life in a way that seems excessive to our more modern way of thinking, which is one of the reasons why I love her so much! Her deep way of feeling - both the highs and the lows - can sometimes be exhausting to bear (just ask Marilla!) but it also shows a profound love of living. Life is made up of these tiny awesome moments. We deserve to take the time to savour them. To feel deeply is just one way that we can savour moments throughout out day, something that seems to be shouted at us from every self-help website around! Mindfulness is not necessarily Anne's aim, in fact, I don't think she has an aim to live in any particular way. She is true to herself and confesses that she simply cannot be any other way. It is the way that Anne savours the moment that I want to focus on today. I hope these four ...

Well, the world is a rapidly changing place at the moment. I want to thank you for taking the time out of your week to stop by here, I hope that you are able to find some classic inspiration to bring some joy to your home or life this week.  There's a lot going on, so I've decided to keep this week's Tidbits a little bit shorter, and hopefully sweeter.  Van Gogh Alive  ~ We have tickets to see this exhibit this weekend and I can't wait! From the website: Created by Grande Experiences, Van Gogh Alive gives visitors the unique opportunity to immerse themselves into Van Gogh’s artistry and truly venture into his world. Traditions of tiptoeing through silent galleries and viewing paintings from afar in quiet contemplation are forgotten as visitors find themselves interacting with art in ways they never imagined. From start to finish, visitors are surrounded by a vibrant symphony of light, colour, sound and fragrance that has been called an ‘unforgettable’ multi-sens...

Rumi was a Persian born Sufi mystic and poet. He has left a legacy of deep mindfulness and words that have touched the souls of generations. He is known for many inspiring quotes, thoughts and poems, but I chose this one in particular simply because I thought now, if ever, was the perfect time to think of those around us and to be a light for them.  So many people are suffering at the moment. It is so easy to be brought down. Now is the time to reach out and help, even if we ourselves are struggling. Our culture tells us now is the time for "self-care" but I believe that more than caring for ourselves, caring for those we love and those in our community will do wonders for our own sense of well-being. Perhaps it is as simple as donating your time or money to a charity close to your heart, reaching out to a friend you haven't spoken to in a while, or having a cuddle with a child who is feeling a little worried.  What do you think? Is now the time that you co...

My daughter was recently given an Inquiry Task for school on leaders. She had to identify a leader, examine their life, and then evaluate what made them a good leader.   This and recent articles I have seen on Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee year celebrations got me thinking. Who are some of our favourite lady leaders in classic British Literature? What makes a good leader? How were women leaders in a time when they weren't necessarily expected to be? As we approach International Women's Day (March 8), why not share your own favourite fictional lady leader - British or otherwise?  I have chosen my top five, and here they are in no particular order. 1. Miss Marple  How could I not begin with this wonderful creation of Agatha Christie's? She is quintessentially English, with her Victorian lace, twinkling China-blue eyes, classic manners and keen, British wit. Yet despite her deceptive appearance, even Sir Henry Clithering ex-Commisioner of Scotland Yard had "come to think ...

  Welcome to the first Tidbits for March. As February has come to an end, the change of seasons is once again upon us. For those of us here in the Southern Hemisphere, another wet and wild summer is coming to an end. This week, our friends and family in northern Australia have been inundated with more rain that has ever been recorded on history! They are calling the weather system "rain bombs" and they are really terrifying with lives lost and whole towns underwater. We've had some rain this week, more than usual but nothing compared to our northern friends. Where we live, though, they are predicting a warmer than usual autumn, hopefully full of all the beauty and colours this season brings.  Above you can see one of the few sunflowers that survived the destructive powers of the cockatoo, who has a bad habit of chomping the top off them before they have bloomed! For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope that a pleasant spring is on your doorstep. I can't wai...