It's a Classical Life

Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of travelling. Margaret Lee Runbeck I can't believe how quickly November passed us by! It felt like chilly October hung around a bit too long, but this last month has flown by. Spring, in all its variable and unpredictable glory, has come to an end and I thought I would share with you some reflections of life in general around here lately. The quote above was in a book that I was reading this weekend and it was a perfect reminder that the simple things really do matter and play such an important role in our day-to-day contentment and appreciation. In the garden Spring is always a tough time around here. We can get frost as late as November, so often we wait before planting out tomatoes, zucchini or other cold-intolerant plants. However, because there was so little frost this winter we took the chance and planted things a bit earlier. We are already enjoying zucchini and there are some tomatoes growing. We have three lots of tomato...

  I know that many of you are entering autumn and getting ready for the winter season, but here spring has well and truly sprung! We have had above average temperatures all week and the weather has been warm and pleasant. It's a nice change after our cold winter, but I don't believe we've seen the last of those wintery days just yet. Our spring can be so variable, even knowing when to plant seedlings can be a challenge because frost can occur as late as November! This quote by Joan Chittister, one of my favourite authors and theologians, is right on the mark. I recently spoke about a winter reset and how by living seasonally we can ensure that our plans for the year are on track, we are producing what we want (or don't want), and that we finding joy and contentment in our everyday lives. The beauty of spring.- literally and metaphorically - is the perfect time for this sort of reflection, to consider the "endless possibilities of life," and more importantly, ...

Good morning (or afternoon!) and welcome! If this is your first time, I'm so glad you've found us, and if you are returning then it's lovely to have you back. A few weeks back I mentioned Flora Thomspon's 1938 classic, From Lark Rise to Candleford in a post on happiness. This trilogy of books, which has since been turned into a television series, focuses on life in a small village, Lark Rise, towards the end of the nineteenth century. There were a lot of little observations which I found quite inspiring and enlightening and thought that you might enjoy them too.  "There were no bought pleasures, and, if there had been, there was no money to pay for them; but there were the sights, sounds, and scents of the different seasons: spring with its fields of young wheat-blades bending in the wind as the cloud-shadows swept over them; summer with its ripening grain and its flowers and fruit and its thunderstorms, and how the thunder growled and rattled over that flat land ...

We are deep into autumn and winter is knocking on the door. We've had the gamut of weather lately - beautiful sunny autumn days, freezing cold nights with frost, blustery winds and grey drizzly days. Last Monday as I drove to work I saw that there was snow on the mountains! I wasn't really surprised because Sunday had been freezing and wet. Autumn is absolutely, hands-down my favourite season and it inspired me to get creative. Earlier, when summer was weighing us down with her heat, I did a bit clear out of things and went for a whole "minimalist" look. I always think I like this look, but quickly learn I like it better in pictures than in my own home! I thought I would share with you some autumn shots from what's been happening around our home lately. So, grab a cuppa and come enjoy some autumn goodness. The lounge room got a bit of colour injected into it! I bought out all the things I had packed away over summer - the deep navies and ruby...

Last week we talked quite a bit about the change of seasons, and reflected on Charlotte Bronte's work Jane Eyre . This novel is a beautiful example of how our lives change and our circumstances change - often times outside of our control. If you haven't read it already, please consider doing so, especially if the change of season is passing you by.  How has your week been? Have you seen changes in nature this week? Perhaps there are leaves turning glorious orange and amber, or the first new buds are blooming. Autumn and spring are by far my two favourite seasons and bring the most gorgeous colourful changes into our world. It is so easy to take advantage of this colour burst by bringing cut plants or leaves into our homes as decor. Listen to the animals. The cuckoo doesn't usually arrive here until December, and I love to hear it when it does. It says summer to me. Today, I thought we could continue our seasonal theme by listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons. But firs...

  Seasons of life and seasons of the year have a way of sneaking up on us, which is funny because we know that are always coming. Whichever way you look at it, seasons usually have something to do with change. Sometimes this change is expected, anticipated, even longed for. Sometimes change can be thrust upon us when we least expect it or want it. We all know that change is an inevitable part of life; simply watching the passing of the seasons each year reminds us of that, no matter how much we may wish to slow time. Spring has arrived where I am, and by following friends in the northern hemisphere, I can see that signs of autumn are reaching there also. Watching the seasons change is a wonderful, natural thing. It is a time to remind us that one season is ending and a new one is coming. We shan't see the likes of winter for a while now. Although we may get the occasional frosty morning or low lying fog, the depths of winter have passed. The days are longer. Buds and new leaves are...

  I know that many of you may be experiencing hotter than usual temperatures, and I really feel for you. Extreme summer can be such a tough time to endure. I hope that wherever you are, you can find cool moments in your day to rest and relax. For those of you that are walking through winter with me, how is your winter garden going? Extreme weather can really impact our food supply, especially if we are dependant on our gardens for food security. Additionally, it can affect our farmers who provide produce for our local shops and markets. We haven't had much luck at all in the garden this year - even summer was a dud after a severe hail storm took out our flowering fruit trees and plants. But, on a more positive note, I thought I would take you all on a little walk-through my winter garden in which I have been working this past week. It doesn't look like much, I know, but every little bit helps! As Charles Kingsley tells us in his poem, My Winter Garden, is it not worth mor...

Simple living is one of my favourite topics to discuss here on the blog. There is so much inspiration to be found on this topic in the classics, and for me living well  is much easier when I'm living simply . This is in part due to the fact that when the classics that we discuss here were written, life was in many ways simpler. I don't necessarily mean easier, but certainly simpler, less hurried, less distractions, less of always chasing more. The proponents of simple living are different for everybody, so I've just chosen some of the easiest and most enjoyable ways I know to embrace simple living.  In this article I thought it would be fun (and helpful) to refer you to certain books for certain aspects of simple living. That way, you can use the book as a sort of guide to direct you to certain aspects of simple living, whilst offering a entertaining and in some cases, a rollicking good read (I love that old-time expression!) Where possible, I also add a link to other art...