Slow Living - Doing It Old Style!

Florafauna

Another lido swim, hot drink in the car and then home for dinner, fire and knitting for me. Also a big mug of tea. A lovely phone call with a friend. 

Cherryfudge

What a lovely thread this is! There is so much to enjoy.

@Slowdown, your stained glass is beautiful. I particularly like the way you use texture as well as colour. There are a couple of little purple bits with a star burst effect that took me back to the same pattern in gold in our front door when I was growing up!

@Brie, I took to your painting - it made me think of one of these novels set in Scottish islands! And your cheerful choice of colours just lifts a grey January.  

Yesterday evening I was looking through an old crochet book from the days when crochet was about edging table cloths, and I spotted a tiny pattern called Heartsease (pansies) and realised I might be able to follow it. Using the remnant of a ball of cotton yarn in shades of pale blue and grey, which isn't really pansy colours at all, I have not only justified buying the book, but also reduced my yarn stash a little and made what turned into an applique for a damaged fleece. I am so pleased with it as the fleece has gone from being shabby to being something I could wear in public. (The work isn't perfect but the colour happened to be just right).

I have realised, however, that a one-evening crochet project is an ADHD trigger for me! It took a long time to get my mind slowed down from that pattern. Even now I could probably recreate much of it from memory.

This evening I've done something very different - painted the middle tube from a lot of toilet rolls! The idea is to entertain some pre-schoolers constructively by making rice-filled shakers. I've still to sort out how to cover the ends in a way that won't easily let the rice trail everywhere (baking parchment and masking tape?), but they can use the white tubes as a blank canvas to colour or stick things on.

zcrat41

Hello all. I too love reading this thread. 

My slow contribution to this weekend is I spent nearly all day yesterday making a lasagne for friends coming for dinner tonight. I do batch cook so made 1 humongous one, 1 family size one and a family portion of leftover bolognese but my goodness it’s a time consuming process. 

New to make sure today I find time to sit and enjoy reading with my daughter. Son has Saturday school and I’m trying to fit in a run this morning. 

Were reading Little House on the Orarie and I just love it. Although I’m concurrently reading Prarie Fires Laura’s Biography and crikey they had tough times. 

Florafauna

I am also loving the thread and hearing about all the slow and satisfying things people enjoy. @Cherryfudge I am intrigued by the heartsease edging. It sounds lovely and will make your fleece into a beautiful item again.

I also like the sound of the humongous lasagne 😋. After I've seen my friend for coffee, I'm coming home to make some pesto lentils.
Enjoy your slow pursuits today everyone 

Katiehound

Cherryfudge said:

  painted the middle tube from a lot of toilet rolls! The idea is to entertain some preschoolers constructively by making rice-filled shakers. I've still to sort out how to cover the ends in a way that won't easily let the rice trail everywhere (baking parchment and masking tape?), but they can use the white tubes as a blank canvas to colour or stick things on.

You could just glue double layer of  ordinary paper circles over one end of the tube & let it dry.

 Wall paper paste is excellent for this- amazing how the paper is so much tougher- or watered down PVA. 

 I think baking parchment may be a bit too tough/ hard to handle but greaseproof might work- or even another two circles of ordinary paper glued & dried.  masking tape, selotape even strong rubber bands (especially the variety dropped by the postie!) to hold the second end in place.

Wednesday2000

I don't fancy the outside swim in a lido in this weather, although there are meant to be health benefits from being in cold water. I was going to join a local wild swimming group when I moved the seaside (well, estuary) and I did meet someone who was part of the group (called Bluetits, lol) but I just can't stand the thought of it!

I am spending today mostly at home. I realised I have 13 books on my kindle which is ridiculous. I am going to read at least a quarter of a book each day to get through them. I did join the local library when I moved to this area back in 2022, but still haven't borrowed a book from there!

I have to do some laundry and while I'm waiting listen to the second half of a podcast and use my treadmill. It is nice enough weather so I will go for a a short walk after and then read my book for today. It is called Stolen Focus: Why You Can't pay Attention by Johnan Hari. I have read one of his books (about depression) before after I heard him being interviewed on Dr Rangan Chatterjee's podcast. I could do with being more focused. I am constantly checking this forum and the other one I'm on, if not that then checking Instagram!

I am going to make a tomato and basil soup today for lunches for the next few days. I have a part-baked baguette to go with it today. 

Brie

Wednesday2000 said:

I don't fancy the outside swim in a lido in this weather, although there are meant to be health benefits from being in cold water. I was going to join a local wild swimming group when I moved the seaside (well, estuary) and I did meet someone who was part of the group (called Bluetits, lol) but I just can't stand the thought of it!

I am spending today mostly at home. I realised I have 13 books on my kindle which is ridiculous. I am going to read at least a quarter of a book each day to get through them. I did join the local library when I moved to this area back in 2022, but still haven't borrowed a book from there!

I have to do some laundry and while I'm waiting listen to the second half of a podcast and use my treadmill. It is nice enough weather so I will go for a a short walk after and then read my book for today. It is called Stolen Focus: Why You Can't pay Attention by Johnan Hari. I have read one of his books (about depression) before after I heard him being interviewed on Dr Rangan Chatterjee's podcast. I could do with being more focused. I am constantly checking this forum and the other one I'm on, if not that then checking Instagram!

I am going to make a tomato and basil soup today for lunches for the next few days. I have a part-baked baguette to go with it today. 

Bluetits!  Ha!  I've got work colleagues who go for a swim most days in the sea.  One was saying she went down to the beach this week but was overly discouraged by the very chilly weather.  And then saw someone coming out of the water in a simple bathing suit who then just wrapped a towel around herself to dry off before going home.  Brrrrrr!  But health benefits apparently include helping with fyberneurolgia (or however it is spelled) .

Is Chatterjee still on Radio 2 on Sunday evenings?  I used to love falling asleep to his show.

And as for the soup - let me know when it's ready and I'll pop over!!!

Wednesday2000

Brie said:

But health benefits apparently include helping with fyberneurolgia (or however it is spelled) .

I did read about that as I was actually diagnosed with fibromyalgia back in 2017, but am fully recovered apart from occasional flare-ups. The last flare-up I had back in October when I walked home in the rain and it was cold so I wonder whether swimming in cold water would work for me. 

The book I'm reading would be probably be interesting to people on here. It is about how we can't focus anymore because of our environment with 24 hour social media. It is £1.99 on kindle on Amazon when I just checked. The author (Johann Hari - a journalist) is doing an experiment where he is taking a break from all social media for 3 months!

I just read that he said scientific studies have shown that taking part in deliberately slow activities like yoga, meditation and Tai Chi helps you pay attention by a significant amount.

Floss

Wednesday2000 said:

I am spending today mostly at home. I realised I have 13 books on my kindle which is ridiculous. I am going to read at least a quarter of a book each day to get through them. I did join the local library when I moved to this area back in 2022, but still haven't borrowed a book from there!

I daren't tell you how many books I have on my kindle, but it's a three-figure number!

Floss

Brie 

I LOVE this painting! (and it would  beautifully suit my hallway!) It reminds me of Tuscan villages.