we've been enjoying tomatoes straight from the garden for weeks now.  can't get over how amazing it is that these grow right in our back yard!  here's one of the ways we've been enjoying them.

tacos:  black eyed peas (no soaking + they cook faster than other beans) + farmer's market cucumber + roasted tomatoes from the garden + salsa + pepper jack cheese + corn tortillas

love,
jane

i know i just got around to posting my minimal summer wardrobe, but september brings a bit of a shift.  i anticipate a move away from extreme heat toward more bearable, completely lovely days.  i am putting away my white linen tank and exchanging it for an indigo cap-sleeved top.  i am excited for these little changes.  it's just what works for me right now…playing with my simple wardrobe in a different way.  

i already owned the four pieces i traded out for what i'll call transition 01.  i know that i'll be reaching for jeans more often than jean shorts in the next month, so that can signal transition 02.  :)  i'm not going for rigid rules with my wardrobe, just playing with what i've got.  just to make sure i don't have too much (because i realized i had items to switch out), i listed out all the pieces i own…including workout wear, pajamas, shoes and accessories.  it is more than i need, but a manageable number that i am satisfied with for now.  it's not about the number, but a sort of range i feel comfortable with.

a few trade outs will keep my simple wardrobe feeling fresh…and i like that!  (seasonal changes: 01 here)

what are you loving wearing right now?

love,
jane

with each fewer ends post, i am noticing my desire to add, "and it's good for the environment".  this urge causes me to reflect on simple living as a topic of interest.  some approach simple living because of a desire to live on less money.  some desire to live more simply in order to reduce stress or to experience other health benefits.  some want to provide a more natural environment for their children.  some arrive here as a result of a decision to live zero-waste or in an effort to preserve the planet for future generations.  a response to God's assignment as stewards of creation could lead to simple living.  

what intrigues me is that each of these desires points one to the same principles…less, simplicity, respect for nature.  what saves us money is the same thing that is better for our planet.  what reduces stress is the same thing that produces less waste.  it is no surprise to find that God's assignment would result in our own flourishing.  

all these good things beget other good things.  
 
this post is one of a series originating here. 

simple on, my friends!
love,
jane

my favorite new way to think about decluttering

Simplifying is not merely seeing how little you can get by with – that’s poverty – but how efficiently you can put first things first, and use your time accordingly to pursue the things that make a difference and mean the most to you. ~here

so articulate- i'd love to become that focused and concise about what i believe

simple wardrobe (thanks for the blog recommendation kj!)

good stuff

i choose to line dry every time.  (more about my laundry routine)  keeping those pennies in my wallet most any way i can.

inspiration to make it work:
~indoors (this post sticks in my mind)
~only one tree
~the real deal
~the type i grew up with
~maybe not

this post is one of a series originating here.

also, i'll be watching this livestream on climate change tonight.  you?

love,
jane

thought i'd pass on this little gift.  25 prints for free from artifact uprising (plus shipping).  above is a little book of pictures from last year's road trip i had printed by artifact uprising.  i am not receiving any kickback from them, just got this gift in my inbox and thought you could benefit too, if you like.

love,
jane

it doesn't get much more zero-waste than having a garden!  we are enjoying tomatoes fresh and making sure we can enjoy their summer sweetness all winter long as well.  lots of tomato sauce is getting made over here.  two by two those jars add up!  i like to have different sizes of jars available…the bigger ones are great for pasta and salsa, while the smallest are perfect for pizza.

simple tomato sauce

wash, destem, and cut large tomatoes in half.  blend lightly- my goal is to break them up, but still have pieces.  bring to a boil and boil over medium heat, stirring as needed (i start by setting the timer for 8 minutes and slowly decrease the time between stirring down to about 4 minutes).  boil down to desired thickness (time needed will depend on the consistency and amount of tomatoes used).  pour into jars and let cool before storing in freezer.
​
over time, i've decided that i like to freeze this simple sauce and then add the flavors later. in the past, i made it into salsa and pasta sauce, but the flavors seemed to disappear over time.
 
(also this would work well with all the in season tomatoes from the farmers market…go close to closing and i bet you could get a good deal on the ones they don't want to pack up and take back home!)

love,
jane

this weekend i switched out my white linen dress for this thrifted red mexican dress.  i'm glad i kept it tucked away, because it feels perfect (and new) for right now!  hope you are having a restful long weekend…if you are lucky enough to have one!

love,
jane

this year when those tiny black flecks showed up on the edge of our garden beds, i knew that they were fly eggs.  last year's experience let me in on that bit of knowledge.  once the flies took hold, i lost about half of my yield to them.  the tomatoes that i was able to pick before the flies got into them were quite a chore to wash clean.

the words i chose for my fly remedy google search led we to all kinds of articles about how many fly eggs and maggots are allowed by the FDA in our food.  they allow up to 30 fly eggs or 2 maggots per 100 mg of tomato sauce.  um, gross.  so…i guess this is not just a problem for me.  i feel better knowing that i've meticulously worked at removing such things from our food.  i guess i feel like that's another point for the garden!

this year at the first sign, i mixed up some organic fly spray and got me some serious trigger hand from blasting all my tomato and pepper plants with it (plus the edges of the beds).  

it's been about a week now (since i first noticed the eggs) and i really think it is working.  i'm going to keep at it, spraying every three days or so to keep them away.

organic garden spray (to keep flies and aphids off plants)

a spray bottle full of water
a tablespoon or so of natural dish soap

that's it!  cheap and so far effective!  recipe via

love,
jane

money is tight this year.  we've had some unexpected expenses.  at the same time, we are trying to not work quite as many jobs as we have in the past.  this is working so far, because we are working with fewer ends.  we are focusing on contentedness and seeing the abundance in what we have.  

…and i am truly wanting less…and less.

i've had to get creative in order to find money to buy some things lately.  in looking around for things to sell this summer, i was actually surprised to find so much.  i thought i had gone through things over and over, but i saw things with an even less attached heart and let many things go that i had kept in the past. 

julia keeps growing and needs some "new" clothes this autumn.  we've gone through her clothes from last year and listed outgrown items on ebay.  i am trying to make prudent purchases with the money we make.  julia has specific desires when it comes to what she wears.  she likes the one-piece-dressing ease of dresses and likes to cozy them up with leggings.  the desire for comfort leads to a preference for knit dresses and lightweight sweaters.  i place value on finding clothing that treats both people and the environment with respect.  i cannot spend too much money, and i value second hand to decrease consumption of resources and waste.  and i do like fashion, so i have to like the piece of clothing.  :)  again, when it comes to clothing, i'm striving for contentedness with the idea of enough.  julia is amazing at this, and my resolve benefits from her example.  whether at target or the thrift store, when i show her something she responds with, "yeah, it's cute…but i don't need it."  i'm so grateful for her spirit, because i still need that reminder sometimes!

i long for my shopping to go as smoothly as bea's (two scheduled days/year of thrift shop shopping for her family of four)…and maybe if julia's desires were jeans and tops, it would.  our desires take a little bit more work, but i really hope to meet the challenge of meeting both my values and hers.

i have a plan- a very limited list of things to search for…comfy dresses (knit if possible), leggings, and a sweater.  it can be an exciting challenge, because achieving good goals feels good!  i like seeing my goals accomplished by recording every sale (on etsy, craigslist, and ebay) and every purchase.  i like to be able to track my money on paper, so it doesn't just seem to disappear.

this process can all bring happiness... and it can feel like enough.

in case i haven't been clear, the tip is to want less (always).  :)  sell what you can in order to make some money for what you need.  make a list of exactly what you need and to what values you want those items to adhere.  be patient as you set out to meet your goal.  :)

this post is one of a series originating here. 

love,
jane