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, ...

 " September brings up spring: a clearer sky, a warmer air, bluer seas. Flowery battalions different in every state, come to delight us. Birds sing. Everywhere flying wings beat down on us swiftly and passionately as the violins beat down in the Tannhauser Overture."                                                                                               The Home, September 1929 As the seasons start to change I can't help but reflect on how aware I am of it this year. I am seeing buds blooming earlier than I would, seeing the return of the rosellas in my garden and feeling a warmth in the sun that wasn't there before. The wind is still cool, and there has been a fair bit of rain over the last couple of...

"As spring came on, a new set of amusements became the fashion, and the lengthening of days gave long afternoons for work and play of all sorts. The garden had to be put in order, and each sister had a quarter of the little plot to do what she liked with."                                                                           Little Women - Louisa May Alcott Spring arrived this week! It was a beautiful few days after the cold winter we have had. But then the rain started early this morning and hasn't let up since! It's a good time to put out buckets and collect rain water, that's for sure. It's still a bit early for us to be planting straight out in the garden (we can get frost as late as November!) but it's a good time to start planting seedlings inside and getting t...

  The sweetest smelling blooms on the plum tree = lots of summer fruit! They say that hindsight is 20/20 and I suppose that if we had known what was coming to the world the last two years then we would have been a lot better equipped to meet those challenges without panic or fear. We would have been in a position to help others, to share what we have, and to promote a sense of calm and preparedness when everything else seemed to be spiralling out of control.  But then, if we continue to look towards the classics as a form of inspiration, then we should not be surprised when life does not go exactly as we planned it. Think of the quote I used in my last post on Preparedness from The Long Winter. Pa Ingalls said: "These times are too progressive. Everything has changed too fast. Railroads and telegraph and kerosene and coal stoves--they're good things to have, but the trouble is, folks get to depend on 'em.” I think it's particularly relevant here because, we have all co...

                                                                        As the weather starts to warm up we are all shaking off the blankets of winter and getting ready to emerge in the sunshine. Perhaps it is a spring picnic or a lie in the hammock that calls for a book. Or, on a drive into the country to see all the trees as they burst forth in happy spring time bloom. Or, as it is here today, cloistering ourselves indoors once more as the spring rains bring nourishment to all the plants and animals blooming. Choosing books to escape into spring with is not a daunting task. There are many classics perfect for this season. This list includes modern and ancient classics, to get you in the mood for spring.  1. Aesop's Fables . Although this book is believed to have been w...