Slow Living July 2012

Hello, I can't believe another month has rolled around already!

It is almost scary how quick this year is going, I was looking at some photos this morning of the boys when they were little and it really hit home how fast time is going and how quickly the years rack up, it doesn't seem that long since they were cute little toddlers happily smiling for a photo, but the reality is they are all much closer to adulthood and independence than to their younger, needier days. 

 It has made me a bit melancholy today, my life is going too quickly!

 I want things to slow down so I can savour  these great days just a little longer!

 Wishful thinking I know.

And perhaps I have the rose coloured glasses on, looking back at all the good times we had when the boys were little, I am sure we will continue to have lots of new good times as they grow older and move on with their lives.

It is hard letting go though, I guess it is just another phase to adjust to in the big scheme of life, it is a bit sad to think that my baby days are well and truly over, but relating to our boys as adult equals will also be an exciting, interesting change in our family dynamics.  I still think this is a few years off yet!

But I digress, back to the Slow Living report for July........It feels like Spring is on its way! My almond tree has burst into flower, always a good sign.......

Nourish - I had a go at sourdough bread this month.  I was gifted a jar of starter from my boss who got it from a sourdough bakery, and managed to keep it alive and thriving, quite a responsibility!  The results were good, actually very good!  Also been making quite a bit of soup as it has been freezing around here!

Prepare - Still not great with this one.  Can't really think of anything other than collecting some dried bean seeds to plant out in summer.

Reduce - I have been recycling a lot of my seedling punnets and trays, refilling them and sowing many peas in them.  Also made a very effective bread prover out of an old polystyrene broccoli box with a lid, perfect thing to create a warm humid environment.

Green -  Got on the bike a bit more this month, also tried to eat more out of the garden.

Grow - Did quite a bit of preparing in the garden.  (My new gardening job is really helping me stay enthused about my own garden and motivated to get on with things that need doing)

Cleared out 4 old fruit trees, and made a new garden bed for peas.

Sowed lots of beetroot and carrots in lots of colours (red, yellow, white, purple and orange)

Cleared, manured and mulched about half of my vegie patches ready for Spring planting.

Bought 8 different tomato seed varieties in preparation for summer, and ordered 6 types of potatoes too.

Create - Started a mini square crochet blanket, and made some mini flowers for a necklace, (yet to finish).

Discover - Read up on sourdough baking on the internet and in books, tried to combine all the best bits when I baked.

Enhance - Helped out at the Crib Point Community Garden, Made gingerbread for a school fundraiser, Joined up with the Ravelry group A Year Of Projects, also did more linking up posts on this blog.

Enjoy - The school holidays were a good break, we had a few family birthdays and went to the drive in to see Spiderman, spent a day in the city and went to the football, and finished the last one in the Game of Thrones books, such a good series!  Flowers in the gardena to pick, yay! Also enjoyed nights by the fire with my crochet and a bag of Twisties ( a guilty pleasure!), oh and the family were there somewhere too! haha..

Joining up with Christine to see what everyone else has been up to in July.