I have realised that my blog does not accurately reflect my inspirations. A recent comment from a reader about how great a fan I seem to be about a particular blogger gave me a moment of pause - because in fact I don't follow that particular blogger. I thought this blog should better reflect my influences, by perhaps taking a moment to tell you why they inspire me.
We all need simple living inspiration - blog porn that we can drool over while we ignore our humdrum, cluttered, modern surroundings. It helps us to articulate where we're going and how we're going to get there. There are a huge number, many of which I am only just discovering, but I wanted to share some of my favourites. As I have quite a few, I'm breaking them down - some blogs I go to for the crafting, some for the recipes, some for home beauty treatments, some for budgeting tips, some because I really relate to their journeys. Here are three of my favourite blogs for thought- (or envy-) provoking posts and inspirational pictures, reminding me of the life I want to lead.
You can't really talk about simple living blogs without mentioning Rhonda's blog Down to Earth, it's almost an institution. Her gentle musings on the meaning of simple living, the joys to be found in your own home, and the important things in life; her encouragement of people starting out on this journey; and her simple tutorials for getting started - whether baking bread, making soap, using green cleaners or brewing ginger beer - are a godsend for the wannabe simple-liver. My sister has just bought me Rhonda's first book for my birthday - but it's waiting in the UK for our next meeting so I can only bite my fingernails with anticipation.
Purple Pear Farm - www.purplepearorganics.blogspot.com
Kate and her partner Mark live on their farm in Australia raising animals and plants and kids, not necessarily in that order. Enough land (and commitment) to take on the challenge of raising animals is a long way away for me but I really enjoy the peeps that Kate offers into the running of their farm, from organising birthday parties (oh how I wish I was ten again so I could have one of their parties!) to moving pigs from one area to another. Kate's blog makes me wish we were neighbours so I could ask her over to help me out with a difficult gardening challenge, or an epic jam-making session, or just a knitting bee.
Purple Pear Farm - www.purplepearorganics.blogspot.com
Kate and her partner Mark live on their farm in Australia raising animals and plants and kids, not necessarily in that order. Enough land (and commitment) to take on the challenge of raising animals is a long way away for me but I really enjoy the peeps that Kate offers into the running of their farm, from organising birthday parties (oh how I wish I was ten again so I could have one of their parties!) to moving pigs from one area to another. Kate's blog makes me wish we were neighbours so I could ask her over to help me out with a difficult gardening challenge, or an epic jam-making session, or just a knitting bee.
Soule Mama - www.soulemama.com/soulemama
Amanda Blake Soule's blog is the ultimate visual feast, if like me you cannot get enough of pictures of quilting and knitting, home dairying and whatever happens to be on the kitchen table at the time. And they have sheep about to lamb! If planting seedlings is so exciting, what must your first lambs feel like? It's reassuring that even someone as far along their journey as Amanda still has new things to discover, but mostly I just love the colours and textures of her home and family life.
Thanks for sharing your favourite blogs! I will check them out.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Purple Pear Farm so will have a look at that!
ReplyDeleteJust for eye candy I like lifeisimplewhenyoulivesimply.tumblr.com as I love the aesthetic and it's very clear where her interests lie, but it really is just collected pictures and sayings - however, very inspirational to me.
I was very moved to think that you see me as one of your inspirations. thank you. I like to share what we are doing because I have been similarily inspired by others. Our life has become more meaningful by making this lifestyle choice and I know that many many people are choosing to do so for various reasons, be it health, finance, footprint etc. and all are realising the beauty, contentment, complexities, rewards etc. that this lifestyle brings. Having people who share your ideals living close by is a beautiful thing. I would love to surround myself, physically with just such people but have to content myself with knowing that these people are not too far. A dream of ours is to have some share our farm with us as does one of our friends, but to have more to create an on farm community would allow for just those things as you suggested in your post. For friends to share their knowledge , skills would be such a blessing.
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