Every once in a while I find a cookbook that looks interesting, but I'm not really a cookbook person. I often find cookbooks overwhelming. The recipes frequently involve too many ingredients + too many steps. And I get distracted with hunger looking at all those mouthwatering dishes.  :)

I do, however, like to discover new flavors. When I look at cookbooks, I'm looking for inspiration + for recipes that fit into my simple way of collecting ingredients + cooking. I like to buy (not too many) fresh ingredients that we use every bit of, and I prefer to spend less than an hour making dinner. 

I also like to take pictures of meals I've made that we really like + don't want to forget. Often the picture is enough to spark the concept, so no notes are necessary. Even a recipe that I make weekly for a season can slip my mind by the time the next similar season comes around. A little visual reminder is just the spark I need to get it back on the table.

This technique would also work on that shelf full of cookbooks that one might like to downsize.  :) Pass the books on to friends over the holidays along with a bookmarked favorite + a jar of jam...or take them to a book reseller + receive a little cash along with the lovely space created.

Top two photos in this post feature pages from Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredients: Quick Easy Food.

Love,
​Jane

well...that's motivating!
a little bit about how we hang dry our clothing year round
(which basically involves finding a permanent spot for two of these)​

image via Mate the Label

My girls have always enjoyed the sanctuary of their bedrooms. They each have desks, enjoy sitting on their comfy beds + sit on the floor sometimes too. My bedroom gets beautiful, southern light + provides me with a little space throughout the day as well. I prefer to sew + sometimes work at the desk in my bedroom. While I could sew at the kitchen table, I like that I don't have to move my projects for every meal...and that I don't have to worry about crumbs becoming part of my project either.  :)

The outdoors is another space we can use at this time of year when it's not too cold + not too hot or buggy. I've tried having outdoor furniture, but over time it has become our indoor furniture. We find it easy enough to just move a chair from the kitchen table in + out as desired. We also have a couple of camping/beach chairs to do the same with. 

I'm glad that we have a space where we can come together + also find a little solitude these days. I'm so grateful for this simple home.

Love,
​Jane

After having a hard time locating hand sanitizer in stores or even online this week, I searched for a homemade hand sanitizer recipe + eventually came across this one (via Julie). I thought I'd share in case anyone else is interested. 

​Homemade Hand Sanitizer ::

• 2/3 cup 99% rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) 
• 1/3 cup aloe vera gel 
• 8-10 drops essential oil, optional (lemon + grapefruit sound fresh + clean to me)
• 1 tsp vitamin e oil

Mix the ingredients + use a funnel to pour the mixture into recycled sanitizer containers.
(I noticed that it matters into which containers we put liquids involving alcohol. It seems that the container needs to be hard plastic rather than softer plastic.)

Other considerations: In terms of zero-waste + general cleanliness, I prefer hand-washing to using hand sanitizer. In the face of the current spread of novel coronavirus however, I do want to be vigilant about having an option for cleaning our hands when we are away from home. It is recommended that we use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content, + this recipe would meet that standard. I am not necessarily in favor of purchasing multiple bottles of ingredients for homemade recipes, because this can create more waste. We just need to make thoughtful decisions...which may be different at different points in time.

Hope you + those you love are healthy + remain so.  

Love,
Jane

Today's kitchen cleaning involved touching everything. There's nothing better for deciding what can stay + what can go...and for reminding me what needs to be used up. Zero-waste means using things up before they go bad, and that sometimes means getting a bit creative.

We've been doing the Autoimmune Protocol diet for the past few months, so I have a few things that we don't usually buy. A few of these things were transferred into jars. I clipped a bit of information about how they can be used up + taped those scraps inside the cabinet door for future reference. I'll substitute a little coconut flour for gluten-free flour until it's gone + use some arrowroot flour as an egg substitute in baking recipes. There were some leftover probiotic capsules (that I bought to make coconut yogurt with) that I will add to my vitamin routine.

For the past month, I've been trying to use up the tea that I have...but have to admit that I'm just not enjoying a couple of them. I sent them to work with Jo + she was sure that her co-workers would appreciate them.

A few wheat stalks that I used as an autumn decoration were still hanging around + were easily composted.

Every month or so I find a couple of things that need to be used up. It's a nice little creative exercise, and I feel great letting nothing go to waste.  

Love,
Jane

The conversation around choosing "less" seems to most often come from the perspective of more. This point of view sees the benefits of "less" as less to care for + maintain, less to clean, a smaller mortgage, less to furnish or fill with extra stuff, less to heat or cool. This perspective can, for many, feel like a foreign concept. Is there any benefit to choosing "less" for those of us coming from a place of just scraping by?

We've never had a whole lot of money, so we don't have a dramatic story of downsizing from a huge house, getting rid of 16 chairs, or 49 garbage bags full of stuff. Our story comes from the other direction. Being able to frame our situation as choosing "less" rather wishing for more is a perspective that is meaningful to us. It was incredibly affirming for me to be able to flip the story in my head from one of longing for a bigger, nicer, newer house...to truly loving the tiny, old, fixer-upper we could afford...to enjoying the search at garage sales, flea markets + junk stores...to feeling like we were doing something in line with our values + decreasing the resources (both monetary + material) needed to support our lives + lifestyle.

A few of the less expected benefits of choosing "less" ::
-I don't compare myself to others as much...and when I do it's usually to recognize the liberation I feel rather than the pressure to have a nicer car or bigger house. 

-I have a different idea of what it means to have a "finished" house. A few library books on the shelf (yup, there is now bookshelf space for library books)...a few rocks or shells collected on vacation...a candle...a cup of tea...a comfy place to enjoy that book + cup of tea give me pleasure...rather than waiting for a remodeled kitchen.

-I'm happy with a car that runs, a warm place to sleep, good food to eat, laughter, love + friendship. 

-I see beauty in simple things like a leaf, a handful of acorns, a rock...and those things have room to shine + be viewed as honored objects when we choose to bring them inside. We notice the light change in a room...sunsets + seasons.

-I see the beauty in aged things...useful things. I appreciate patina as a sign of a useful thing...which is beautiful in itself. Whether the object is rescued from a flea market, thrift store, my beloved's closet, or aged by me. The hole worn by a wallet or that place he likes to rub on his sleeve...now the person is visible in the object.

-There is less demand for the trade off of time for money. The freedom to be creative or curious or to choose enjoyable or service driven work (which often pays less) is an incredibly beautiful liberation.

-There is less fear of losing it all. It's not that we want to be cavalier or reckless, but the anxiety fades.

-It rubs off. Our lives bear witness to all these benefits of less. People notice.

"Less", for us, has resulted in freedom...liberation...and enlightenment. It wasn't until I did the work of changing my internal dialogue + started listening to the surprising things my mind was saying back to me that I felt that I understood a bit of what the word "enlightenment" could mean.

So much of it is about perspective...which is, I suppose, the root of happiness.

Love,
Jane

Movement + nature are another major component of self-care in this department. The wellness industry would like us to sell us personal trainers, books, classes, retreats, special clothing + equipment. 

We instinctively know that the true self-care comes from:
-moving...stretching, a few sun salutations, walking, yoga, whatever movement you enjoy
-getting into nature...walking, hiking + biking are great, but so is finding a shady spot for lunch...when it's hot sit on the stoop in the shade in the morning for a few minutes or at least by an open window

On these hottest of days...move, do yoga, or stretch under a fan...get the air moving. Play some vibey, soft music. Getting on the floor changes everything. Take a walk as the sun comes up. Play some happy, energizing music loud + dance. Sign up for a class or a membership, if it's in the budget + you know you'll go...but it's not self-care, if our budgets can't support it.  ;)

Whether or not I feel like tying my shoes to go for a walk in the morning, the outdoor air always holds something to notice...heat, humidity, a breeze, a change. I feel small in the bigness of nature...even in my neighborhood. I usually walk with my girls, so there is conversation + closeness. And back at home, I feel like I've done it (!)...the chore of exercise no longer looms over my head. My legs + my lungs feel stronger. There is a lightness + usually a smile. Now that is self-care...no debt...no guilt...less stress.

​A healthy diet, movement + a little time spent in nature can set us up for another crucial aspect of self-care...sleep. A regular schedule for bedtime + waking is helpful. A twenty minute nap can be a rejuvenating treat as well.  :)

While our circumstances + preferences will vary greatly, I think our thought processes can have something in common along the way. Self-care is not truly self-care if it leaves us feeling more stressed about our health, time or money. True self-care promotes true thriving.  :)

​Also in this series :: roots + time

Love,
​Jane

The promotion of self-care is everywhere, and that's no surprise. We live busy lives filled with obligation, and many (most?) of us are left feeling depleted. And when something can be sold...the opportunity is sure to be leapt upon with great vigor. A search for self-care on beauty + fashion websites produces lists of posh meditation + yoga retreat centers or lists of products to purchase. A search on instagram produces pictures of coffeeshop drinks + facials + sculpted eyebrows + toddler's hands painted with nail polish.

When we take a minute to think about what we would truly like to get out of self-care...we might desire it to spark healing + rejuvenation. The way we often partake, however, is more as a sort of quick fix. We look for hits of dopamine/pleasure that we can get from things like shopping + sugar. These indulgences act as a sort of inadequate bandaid used to patch over an unwell life...when what we are really searching for is a feeling of peace within our minds + souls. 

As a matter of perspective: 
--This whole understanding of self-care seems to be relatively new. Self-care has long been a term used in the mental health care field to determine a person's ability to care for him or her self + to perform the activities of daily living such as feeding oneself, bathing, getting dressed, brushing teeth + remaining continent.
--It's interesting to think about what self-care would have meant to the masses up until quite recently. Making sure that a family or tribe had shelter, enough to eat, firewood + appropriate clothing was a full-time endeavor. Surely this is + was considered self-care. This is the way many around the world would still view self-care today.
--Our own views of self-care will vary based on personal preferences + life circumstances. 

I think that many of us (and quite possibly even those mentioned above) could agree to some degree that the goal of good self-care is to enable thriving. Self-care can take many forms, but if we neglect the roots of our stress, anxiety + barriers the effects will be fleeting.

Effective self-care comes down to truly knowing ourselves + taking an honest look at the lives we are living. If self-care is, at least in part, about being able to take care of ourselves...we can start by asking ourselves:
-Am I getting enough sleep?
-Am I feeling nourished through the foods I eat?
-Does showering, washing hair + brushing teeth feel like a chore?
-Is my/our laundry routine working for me/my family?
-How is my health? Mentally? Physically? Spiritually? Am I self-medicating in a negative way?
-Do I have some supportive people in my life? Do I feel isolated?
-Is my living situation clean, safe + nurturing?
-What parts of my life feel overwhelming?

Once we've been thoughtful + honest about our current reality, we can go back to each of these questions + think about what we would like the answer to be or look like. Be as specific as possible. Do you want to start each week with clean sheets + a stack of clean underwear? Do you want your littles to know what to wear each morning? Write it down. This can start to direct our self-care efforts.

Now...clean sheets on Sundays...that's self-care. Organizing your littles' closets so that all five pairs of their pants match all seven of their tees + their two hoodies (it's not just about matching...it's mainly about less)...that's self-care. Another frappe could never touch the thriving that these actions will bring!

We'll dive a little bit deeper into self-care here in the days to come.

My desire is for your health + thriving. As always, these are just my thoughts + not a substitute for professional mental health care. Please be kind to yourself + ask for help, if you think it might be helpful. 

​Also in this series :: time + wellness

Much love,
Jane

Many of us have learned this lesson in some area of our lives...maybe through putting in the time + effort to study in school...or maybe through eating well for a period of time. I've been particularly surprised by how decreasing the amount of my possessions has changed my thinking. The desire to find something to bring home from a trip no longer tugs at me. Wandering through the mall once a week no longer appeals to me. Packaged junk food doesn't have such a hold on me. 

Having experimented with dressing with less + living with less, I now find it easier to recognize enough in my closet...in the decoration of my home...on my bookshelf...and at the grocery store. I feel like I've inched a tiny bit further away from illusion + closer to Reality. I still live in the midst of illusion + I am still affected by it, but I am also aware of its shifty + deceptive nature. I look forward to more discoveries in this direction...the direction of Reality.

Love, 
​Jane

I recently heard someone say that there were really only three essential pieces of furniture for them. I think in their case that included a bed, a desk + a couch. They were able to use the bar in their kitchen for meals. I would personally count chairs + barstools as furniture, but I did find the original statement intriguing. 

I'm not against having more than a few pieces of furniture...and now that we've lived in the same place for eight years (rather than our previous average of two)...we don't really need to be quite so nimble either. I just like keeping things tight (+ useful) in terms of stuff. I also think that checking in periodically with what is truly "enough" promotes my happiness with what I already have.

When it comes to living rooms, priorities are, of course, quite individual. Some enjoy sitting on the floor. They decide to go without conventional living room furniture (though I think a rug would be helpful). Children can especially enjoy this type of living which offers lots of room for play.

On the other hand, people often shop for houses with entertaining in mind, + I know that there are those amazing souls who practice almost daily hospitality. We have known a few + I am eternally grateful for their generous acts of friendship. Most of our time at these friends' homes was spent around a large table. The gathering rarely moved anywhere else at all.

If simplicity is at top of mind, we might consider prioritizing family living in the living room. At our house, a comfortable place to sit + a source of light are what I'd most like to have in this space. These things are true luxuries, if I stop to think about it. These two elements are surely "enough".

There are three main ways of making a living room that appeal to me:
​-a couch (because I liked to have room to cozy up with my girls + a book...or with my guy) + a chair or two
-four comfy (enough to nap in) armchairs around a big circular stool ​​​
​-one comfy sectional + stool

Four full-grown humans live in our home right now, so these formulations are made with that in mind.  :) A couple (even one with small children) may be happy with two comfy chairs or one compact couch. Another note: we furnished our entire home with pieces from Craigslist + inexpensive vintage shops, when we moved back to the states from overseas. I was just patient + choosy.  :)

We are not the only ones without a television these days. Laptops work well for viewing a show, + projecting movies onto a blank wall or a screen that rolls out of view is an appealing option as well. Drinks + a couple of library books are happy on the floor. Again, a light + a comfy place to sit are the main elements in a living room (in my opinion). A few chairs from the dining table or desk can be pulled in for added guest seating. 

Knowing "enough" can help stave off the quest for more. It can allow us to find peace + to rest in contentment (in regards to the acquisition of stuff). It allows us to live with a spirit of generosity rather than hoarding things from others. It is less costly for our natural resources. It might even allow us to sit + enjoy one of those comfy seats with someone we love.  ;)

All lovely photos via links. Previously: inspiration :: enough :: bedroom. 

Love,
Jane