Slow Living Report - September

 Hello there!

  

Well, today I am doing my Slow Living Report for September before we get too far into October, I missed last months report because time just got away from me, so this will probably include stuff from August too if I think of anything.

 Here we go.....

Prepare and Nourish -  Well the usual baking and home cooking has been happening, but lots more of our own home grown vegies have been on the menu, if only in little piles of salad on the side of the plates.  Broccoli, kale, lettuce, silver beet and spring onions have been coming out of the garden, and it has been really satisfying!  There hasn't been much preserving of anything, we tend to like fresh things best, although I am using the last of the tomatoes I preserved last summer, so I  will be doing that again.

Grow - The garden has had a lot of attention this month, and it is looking good!

Besides all the things that we are picking at the moment, I have a big patch of peas and snow peas in flower, beetroots growing strongly, hearting lettuces getting fatter and heaps of perpetual spinach popping up all over the place. 

I have planted a heap of seed for summer things, tomatoes, zucchinis, cucumbers, beans, lettuce, kale, sweetcorn, basil, coriander and flowers - sunflowers, zinnia and hollyhocks.  Most things are up and looking good, so I hope it will be a very abundant summer.

I have also put a bed of capsicums in from large bought seedlings, I've found they take too long to grow from seed here, and don't have enough time to grow and produce fruit, so I always grow them from advanced seedlings now and they are far more successful.

I am going to do a gardening post later this week with more details of what I have planted, as I want a record to check later.

Reduce -  This month saw a heap of old paling fence come our way, mostly earmarked for kindling, but I did save some big pieces and my dad and I made 3 big planting boxes/crates out of them.  

They look a bit like the old apple crate garden beds you see around the place, 

nice and rustic and completely recycled and free!  

Also using a heap of old polystyrene boxes to grow lettuce in the hot house 

( fantastic results, really healthy growth with no slugs and snail damage, almost needs no washing!), and also to get my basil and tomatoes off to a head start as cold frames inside in front of a sunny window with a sheet of plastic on top, the seeds germinated really quickly.

Green -  Um...  I'm back to using the clothes line for the washing now the weathers fining up, no need to fire up the dryer anymore.

Create - Not a lot happening on the creative front at the moment, still chugging along on my big stripey blanket, and I made a bobble beret out of a new crochet book.

Discover - I have discovered that I don't think I'm cut out to be a teacher!  I have started a new job over the last few months as a cooking teacher at my son's primary school, as part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, it has had a bit of a break at the school after being established about 6 years ago, and is now running again with funds being raised to employ a couple of staff ( me! and Brenda), and there has been a steep learning curve!   Quite different to cooking with my kids at home, I am slowly getting my head around things, but am still not sure if this is my cup of tea!

Enhance - helping out with the planning of a food festival at the school, it should be a fun afternoon!

I have also started a crochet along on my blog for people who want to make a mixed stripey blanket with me, so I guess that is connecting a bit more than usual with the lovely bloggy community.

Enjoy - September saw me gaining quite a lot of extra work, so my days off were really enjoyed and appreciated!  

The school holidays have been great, and we have had a few nice social occasions too, the weather has been improving and I have really been enjoying wandering around my garden gathering bunches of flowers to brighten up inside, simple pleasures.  

I've also decide life is too short not to use my 'good' things, so have been bringing out my nice crockery and bits and pieces and using them when I think of it, making a bit more effort is really upping the enjoyment factor of everyday life!

Ok, that is September done, a bit brief, but you get the idea.  Hoping October is a little more relaxed and there is a bit more crafty time.

Joining in over with Christine and the other slow living lovelies!