Someone once said that "Knowledge is power". Yeah right. Nowadays, money is power. In pursuit of more stuff we bow down and submit to the ideology of consumerism. Work, work, work, buy buy, buy.
Most of us have no idea where our food comes from or how to do 70-80% of the things our grandmothers and grandfathers did, not only to make ends meet but sometimes to survive.
Our old traditions are dying and our skills are becoming lost. Many of us can't keep an artificial plant alive and would probably have an anxiety attack if we had to sew on a button! What do we have left to teach our children? Yeah, how to operate a smart phone or program the toaster is a valuable skill but will that feed them, clothe them or keep them warm? Where is the soul in that knowledge?
All of my life I have had a love of domestic things. My mother was the consummate homemaker and could cook and sew like nobody's business. She loved the outdoors and enjoyed working in the yard, fussing with her bird feeders and cooking delicious meals. When I was young she made all of my clothes and most of our household linens including curtains, pillows, place-mats and anything else that was needed. She instilled in me a love of creating. The biggest thing she taught me was self reliance.
In light of all the sustainable living blogs that are popping up all over the web it seems that learning the old ways is becoming more popular. People are starting to reexamine their lives and to slow down from the frantic pace that pervaded the 80's, 90's and 2000's. More is no longer more.
With this blog I will share some of the skills my mother taught me along with many that I learned on my own. Some of my keenest interests are gardening, cooking, food preservation, natural pet care, sewing and recycling old junk into fantastic new and usable junk, aka repurposing.
Come along with me and let's have some fun!
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