Choosing Voluntary Simplicity » Voluntary Simplicity

All-Over Basket Weave Knit Afghan

Shirley — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:18:42 +0000

I love the way simple knit and purl stitches combine in this pattern to look like real basket weaving. This basket weave stitch is a reversible stitch, and the back of the pattern looks exactly like the front, so there is no right or wrong side to the afghan. I added a simple garter stitch border on all four sides.

Keeping a Photograph… Purging the Item

Shirley — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:10:03 +0000

Reader question... "I read in a book about decluttering and purging that a photograph of an item is a good substitute for actually having the item in your possession. Would you share your thoughts about purging sentimental items and and what you think about the idea of keeping only the photograph and not the item." --Susannah H.

How Much Does It Cost to Feed YOUR Family?

Shirley — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:57:19 +0000

Have you seen the most recent government estimates (released October 2011) for how much it costs to feed a family these days? The figures in these charts represent the government's idea of the cost of a nutritious diet, with all meals and snacks prepared at home. I wonder how much of that "nutritious diet" involves processed food.

The Same Celery Plants, Year After Year

Shirley — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:40:43 +0000

Our extremely short summers and a celery plant's need for a lengthy growing season are not a good match. Perhaps that is why it is impossible to find celery seedlings or even celery seeds in this area in any of the usual places where seeds or plants are sold. One store owner even told me that "nobody wants to grow celery anymore." Perhaps not... but I do!

A Challenge That Can Change Your Life

Shirley — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:22:30 +0000

I heard on the radio this morning that every year most people make the same three New Years' resolutions... to go on a diet, to stop smoking, and to spend less money. Supposedly, despite the original good intentions, more than eighty percent of these resolutions have been broken and forgotten by mid-February. Overeating, smoking, and spending too much money are all habits that people use to make themselves feel better... to fill an emptiness in their lives... so it's not surprising that these resolutions routinely fail when taking away the "comfort indulgence" is the only lifestyle change.

When Christmas Isn’t So Merry

Shirley — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:25:34 +0000

Reader question... "I'm dreading Christmas. With everything we buy costing more, financially we're just barely getting by now and I know there isn't going to be much money for buying gifts. Our kids aren't the problem. The problem is my relatives. Some of them talk about Christmas gifts and shop for Christmas gifts all year round. They have gotten very upset the few times I have suggested that we all tone things down a little. They will not even consider a simpler, less commercialized Christmas. Is there any simplistic answer to this dilemma?" --Kyra L.

How To Be Happy In A Mostly Unhappy World

Shirley — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:22:33 +0000

Everybody wants to be happy, but many people don't realize that happiness has to start with "you." If you're not content with your life and at peace with yourself... no amount of money... no number of possessions... will ever make you truly happy. True happiness comes from learning to enjoy the life you are living right now and learning to appreciate all the wonderful things you have at this moment. Living for a future time and yearning for the things you don't have will never make you happy.

What True Frugality Is… and What It Is Not

Shirley — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:20:18 +0000

Have you ever noticed how many of the same people who are trying to promote a simple lifestyle make frugality into a negative concept... or how they routinely equate frugality with being cheap or miserly? Somehow frugality has become almost synonymous with deprivation and denial, and understandably, this kind of negative frugality turns most people off. It turns me off too...

What Voluntary Simplicity Is NOT

Shirley — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:53:18 +0000

We had been living a simple life for many years before I discovered there was a name... voluntary simplicity... for the way we have chosen to live. Obviously, our version of voluntary simplicity... living debt-free, living close to nature, working from home, living green and without chemicals, cooking from scratch... is based on OUR personal choices, so I wouldn't expect it to be exactly like anyone else's version of the lifestyle.

Cooking & Baking with a Wood Stove

Shirley — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:48:42 +0000

Reader question... "I loved your post about your wood burning cook stove because I have a stove that's kind of like yours. I thought I could learn to cook and bake with it but everything is coming out either undercooked or burned. I know there is a way to do this. Do you have any hints or suggestions that would help me?" --Corrinne L.

I have found that it's really a continual learning process, because cooking or baking with wood requires a different rhythm and a different timing than cooking with gas or electricity. Most importantly, it requires learning how to adjust to the peculiarities of each individual stove... and that can be quite a challenge.