Slow Living December 2012

Linking up with Christine again this month.

Foccacia

Nourish -Make and bake as much as possible from scratch. Ditch over packaged, over processed convenience foods and opt for 'real' food instead.
We are eating very few processes foods lately and it has been very noticeable when leaving the supermarket with very little in the trolley.  Most of our food that we are buying is coming from the markets or green grocer.  I have still been baking bread but not as  much as in the cooler months, it has just been too hot to turn the oven on.

Strawberries to freeze

Home made Feta

Bottled Tomatoes

Bread and Butter Pickles

Prepare - Stockpile and preserve. Freeze extra meals or excess garden/market produce. Bottle/can, dehydrate or pickle foods to enjoy when they are not in season.

I have made bread and butter pickles, bottled tomatoes, and home made feta too.  I even managed to get some strawberries in the freezer.  I seem to have got quite a bit of preserving done over the last month.  On top of this we had one of our cows killed and she is now in the freezer.

Reduce - Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing.
Hubby has been busy building a new woodshed from recycled materials.  The posts were parts from an old power pylon and the roofing iron came from a few different people who were getting rid of it. 

Washing  Liquid

 Green - Start (or continue!) using homemade cleaners, body products and basic herbal remedies. The options are endless, the savings huge and the health benefits enormous.
I have been making up more of my Bi Carb Cream Cleanser and washing Liquid.

Grow - plant/harvest. What's growing this month? What's being eaten from the garden?

It has all been about summer vegetables with lots of peppers and tomatoes as well as cucumbers.

Create - To fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others.

I made a lot of Christmas cards and presents in 2012 as part of my Home Made Christmas.  I am still practising my knitting and am knitting a few more dishcloths.

Discover - Feed the mind by reading texts relevant to current interests.
I am still reading books about permaculture and climate change and these were a couple that I really enjoyed.

Enhance - Community
The anti sand mining group for my local area that I am involved in had a major win which we celebrated over the Christmas period.

Enjoy - Life! Embrace moments with friends and family. Marking the seasons, celebrations and new arrivals are all cause for enjoyment.
December was a busy month catching up with friends and family.

What have you been up to?