June has been hot, and the outfit I've been reaching for most is this one. It's made up of a pair of linen shorts + fitted tee. I knew I loved these shorts from Black Crane the moment I saw them. They somehow feel very modern + minimal to me..and at the same time they remind me of summers in the (not so modern + minimal) late 80's. Shorts weren't so short, and clothing was oversized. Summer, for me, was full of sun-kissed shoulders + sand between my toes. 

Today, I wear these shorts with a little tee that reminds me of 90's, tiny tees worn over + under slip dresses. Tiny-tee summers were, for me, full of a different coastline's sand + salty breezes. This summer, these two pieces feel just right together. There is no sand where I live these days, but we have a trip planned. This outfit will come along to the beach, no doubt.

The pieces:
-Black Crane shorts :: made in the USA from natural materials - linen :: they get wrinkly + it just doesn't matter to me 
-It is Well LA tee :: made in California from natural materials - cotton + modal :: this tee has held up well to weekly wear over more than a year
-Birkenstocks :: made in Germany from leather, cork + synthetic material :: I wear these year round with socks or without

My small wardrobe offers plenty of variety...but also...I have no problem wearing my favorite things (also know as "the same things") over + over again!  :)

Love,
Jane

The dollars spent added up quicker than the days did this month...meaning there were more meals to be made when we'd spent most of our food budget. It's discouraging to be sure...but on a day where I felt more determined than defeated...I saw the bright side.

• The bright side is that I'm pretty resourceful, and I'm willing to bet that you are too!
• The bright side is also that our fridge's + cupboard's state of bareness was a great time to get in there + clean.  :)
• One more bright side is that getting to the bottom of things brings all the left over bits + bobs into the spotlight. 
• I can get a bit excited about using it all up + not wasting things that have been waiting to be used.

And so...making the most out of all those bright sides...the last four meals we ate were made with a laugh + what must have been a bit of magic. Oh, and they got compliments too! Ha! Here's what I've got to say about that:

• Make it a challenge! Might as well have some fun with it!
• Meal 1 :: Add cheese + call it a casserole. A can of beans, a few handfuls of frozen corn, 4 tortillas + a can of enchilada sauce layered with cheese. (A hit!)
• Meal 2 :: Call it (almost) risotto. Rice, two kinds of cheese (because there wasn't much of either left), peas, butter, salt + pepper flakes. Add a second course of the last carrots + the last of that chip dip. 
• Meal 3 :: I was asked if I needed anything at the grocery store...Oh, can you grab me a box of pasta? Pasta, lemon, parmesan, chives from the garden, half a can of chick peas, salt + pepper flakes. (Well, this is pretty close to one of our favorites...so...winner.) And also...a few kiwis. 
• Meal 4 :: Add cake (that egg is only a few days past the expiration date) + sun tea. All the last bits of beans + two kinds of salsa + corn + cheese + were mixed into rice + topped off with hot sauce. (I think the tea + cake saved the day on this one!)

A few good meals to consider when seeking to stave off the next trip to the grocery store:

• frittata :: when I've neglected to use most of the eggs + have a bit of veg to throw in too
• roasted vegetables topped with nuts + seeds :: can save some of those past-their-prime veggies
• cereal :: oatmeal, if ya wanna get fancy :)
  
• soup :: stone optional
• fried rice :: a couple of eggs = protein
• taco casserole :: I try to keep beans on hand + often have some left over tortillas...add some cheese + salsa = a favorite​
• salad :: the last of the veg (fruits too), bits of beans, nuts, seeds, cheese, a squeeze of citrus + a glug of olive oil...anything goes
• pizza or focaccia :: sauce + cheese optional

​
Love,
Jane

My thoughts have turned toward things I'd like to change about my kitchen periodically over the course of years we've inhabited it. In all the homes in which we've lived, I've focused on ways to change things that cost little + are often subtractive rather than additive.

Here, I've removed most of the doors on our upper cabinets + painted all of the insides + outsides clean, light reflective white. This provides open shelving for functional ceramics + jars full of bulk ingredients. The bottom cupboards were painted a warm, latte tone that doesn't fight with the red tones in the flooring which came with the house. Drawer + cabinet pulls were swapped out, cracks were caulked, the ceiling was painted, and we got down to living.

These days, we're thinking we might be able to embark on a bigger shift, and it's both thrilling + terrifying. Money is a big barrier...and so are my thoughts regarding waste. It's difficult to reconcile thoughts of ripping out a finished kitchen just because I have a desire for a different one. No matter how "eco-friendly" the new choices are, doing nothing at all is usually the most environmentally-conscious choice.

Minimalism is often useful both monetarily + environmentally. Most of the changes I'd like to make, at this stage, are again subtractive rather than additive: removing a wall, upper cabinets, soffit, and the dishwasher (which we haven't used in eleven years). I've thought through the value of each item I'd like to keep in the pared down space. My hope is that everything would be useful + nothing would be superfluous.  

People like to caution that removing storage space in the kitchen always leads to regret. I'm not worried. There is a wall that could be great lined with tall cabinets, if we (or the next home owners) decide to add them. I'm so grateful for the mind shifts that I've lived into over the years. It feels like freedom + confidence + lightness. 

As far as additions go, I'd like to add a larger window which means the addition of lots of light. One long, wall-spanning shelf would provide space for those functional ceramics + jars. For now, that's it. Space, light + clean lines are what I'm after...because it's all just the frame for all the rest...laughter, stories, good food, hugs, rest, celebration, life.

Love,
Jane

A conversation regarding yesterday's US Supreme Court decision led to talk of core values. I firmly believe that the simpler we can make our core values...the easier it is for them to inform our beliefs + actions. My most core value is love. Simple.

There will always be abortions. Banning safe abortion is not love. Creating suspicion, criminality + lack of access to treatment around miscarriage + nonviable pregnancy are not love. 

Possible. 
​Together.
Oh, yes they (and we) can.
How will it be used it?
Yes, please.

A theme of "possible" runs through the links this week. It's up to all of us to choose the sort of world we want to live in + to act in that direction. We are all influencers.  

Have a thoughtful weekend, friends.
Much love,
Jane

Satisfaction =
what you have 
divided by
what you want.
~Arthur Brooks

Simple living is about freedom.
It’s about a freedom to choose space rather than clutter,
to choose open and generous living
rather than a secure and sheltered way.

Freedom is about choices:
Freedom to choose less rather than more. 
It’s about choosing time for people and ideas and self-growth
rather than for maintenance and guarding and possessing and cleaning.
Simple living is about moving through life rather lightly,
delighting in the plain and the subtle.
It is about poetry and dance, song and art, music and grace.
It is about optimism and humor,
gratitude and appreciation.

It is about embracing life with wide-open arms.
It’s about living and giving with no strings attached. 

Simple living is as close as the land on which we stand.
It is as far-reaching as the universe that makes us gasp. 
We will not be happy living selfishly in a small world.
We must live in awareness
and in association with the whole real world.
Our universe. Our cosmos. Our environment. Our earth.
Our air. Our water supply. Our country. Our neighbor.
Our car. Our homes.
All are part of simple living.
~José Hobday

I had a hard time thinking of what outfit I'd highlight for May. The weather was quite rainy + then it was hot + then it was cooler again. When it comes down to it...the outfit that I wore most in May is the one I have worn almost every day for the past year. It's the outfit I wear to work as a coffee roaster: a tee, jeans, socks, trainers + a watch. 

I thought I'd check in with myself + answer a few of the questions I'd have had about wearing the same thing every day...before I did it.  :)

Do I get tired of wearing the same thing every day?
Not really. There are times that I think I'd like to have some different things to wear, but I don't think I've actually felt that way as I'm getting dressed for the day. Whenever I've worn something else...like a button-up or a sweatshirt...I find out why it that piece doesn't work as well as my regulars. A sweatshirt is usually too hot + a button-up gets in my way. I wore different shoes one day + immediately stained them with coffee. On the other hand, this outfit just works.

Do my coworkers notice that I wear the same thing every day?
I don't know...maybe. They most often wear some version of this uniform too...though they probably have more of each item.

How are my clothes holding up?
I spend most of my time on my feet, dragging 150 lb sacks of green coffee, carrying the chaff bucket out to the dumpster, lifting + pouring + bagging + shipping coffee beans. My clothes have to work hard + get dirty + sweaty too. I not only wear these shoes to work, but work out in them too. They've logged a lot of miles this year. Everything has held up very well. 

What are the benefits of wearing the same thing every day?
There are so many!

• No decisions to make in the morning. I wear the same jeans for a week (or two) + grab the next tee on the stack...clean socks (they're all the same) + same shoes + my watch. Done.
• No urge to shop. I have everything I need + I know it.
• If my weight changed (which it had at the beginning of last year), I know that all I'd need is a different pair of jeans.
• There isn't much to take care of. At the end of the work day, I fold up the jeans + lay my watch on top...ready for tomorrow. 
• Less expensive than always adding to the collection.

Will you do it for another year?
Quite possibly, yes! Maybe I'll find the perfect pair of overalls or start wearing my olive pants to work (I'd like them with a different pair of shoes). I'm not looking to make a change...but I haven't really made a commitment to only wearing this uniform either. It just kinda worked out that way...and it does work.

Do you wear a sort of uniform to work? I'd love to hear.

Love,
Jane

Would you consider a cotton "swimsuit"? I grew up in a beach town going to the beach a lot more often than I do these days. I've had a couple cotton swimsuits, and I don't remember the cotton being too much of an issue (not that I swim a ton)...so...yes. Yes, I am considering wearing a cotton swimsuit on our beach vacation this summer. :)

My minimalist heart loves the idea of a two-piece option that just so happens to double as an "everyday necessity". It's all in the perspective, right?

My perspective is greatly helped along by seeing these types of items worn in the beach-like spots.  :)  (Thank you, Pansy.)