Homeschooling has begun! The boys can’t attend the co-op at this time due to spacing issues and Covid rules. They will have other outdoor classes and play dates to have fun and a social life. In the meantime, I spent yesterday cleaning out the big shelves in the kitchen and set them up with school books, library books, art supplies, along with my administrative stuff.
My cook books and grown up coloring supplies are on another shelf. We live in the kitchen. We love to cook and eat there. We write books, do art, color, do all the homework, pay bills, fill out forms…all at the little kitchen table. I usually have my radio on in the kitchen. I love my Delilah show. I get to listen to those nostalgic 80’s as I work.
The boys are 8 and 6 now and I began homeschooling today. Sam is still in that Finland/Waldorf style dreamy kindergarten world of imaginings and play, but Arjan is in 3rd grade and we are a bit more focused. Homeschooling should be fun (as long as the child doesn’t act like a mule, eh hem). Today Arjan read a very fable type social studies book, his dinosaur books, and learned to make bread in the bread maker (home economics, math and measurements). That was it.
Sam helped me with dehydrating our pears from the old tree out back. He and I will be making fake bacon tomorrow. It’s a recipe using rice paper wrap.
I’m doing my second round of purging. I’m so inspired to continue simplifying the home and life as I find more and more time in my days to be with the kids, do my chores, serve everyone, and do fun things such as coloring myself, watching videos that interest me, write these fun blogs, and read my novels. I’m relishing life lately.
Things were hard when Little Miss arrived, I ain’t gonna lie. I already wrote about it in the last blog. But everyday gets easier as she is detoxed from her old life and learns new ways that are more cheerful and peaceful. I am learning to not get too involved with the whole system and just have our homelife. That is my full focus; homelife and finding humor and things that create that feeling of ‘looking forward to’. You know, when you look forward to that series on TV at 8 o’clock, or tea and your book in the after noon after chores.
I’m into playing more and fussing less. We are really into the vegan thing. Arjan is adamant. He is reading things, on his own, about the planet and he had me write a company with our complaints because they said they were vegan but used palm oil. Palm oil is causing a lot of destruction. To plant palm oil farms they are burning down rainforest. By 2022 98% of the amazon in Malaysia (could have the area wrong, you know me) will be gone and all for palm oil plantations.
Arjan reads ingredients and then demands I write these companies to question their motives. I find this interesting as I used to be a big “letter writer”. I was always up in arms about something and going to “write that letter to those people and let them know how I feel!”
They never write back.
Our neighbor, Jeanie, picked blackberries from a forest across the street from her house and baked us a pie to eat the other evening. We gave her and several neighbors pears. It’s abundant up here. I love having her around, she is so good with the kids, her little dogs mix well with our dogs, and she tells funny stories. Bali has someone to sip whiskey with on the porch in the late evenings now and then. She doesn’t bring things down with talk of politics and conspiracy theories. We may explore it a little but it’s done with curiosity and humor. So many people are like, “do or dye!” It’s absurd. Drinking has increased since Covid but people are still as uptight as ever.
I’m just staying close to home and loving it.
Soon to come; more huge purges, more vegan meal ideas, inspiration from other books and sources.
Lovely to see your home, garden and beautiful life again. I’ve missed it. Thanks so much for sharing.
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🙂
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Love the photos. Now I so hungry. 🙂
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You’re sounding much lighter and more free. You’re a joy to read.
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I feel lighter each day.
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That pie looks amazing. xo
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It was.
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Yum, the pie looks delicious! My grandmother always made pear butter with her pears. Glad the boys are moving ahead in schooling and learning new things. I think it so great that they can learn so much at home. They are blessed little boys. Your house looks great and you make me want to continue purging more myself. Peace and blessings, dear Kate!
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I just got rid of a huge cabinet and many things we never use today. It just makes life easier.
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Oh Kate, you are such a dear heart. It’s wonderful that you opened your home to another child, and it’s absolutely selfless to let her go forward on her path. You are doing what you believe is best for her, and that’s incredibly powerful. I’m sure it hurts terribly. Blessings to you. ♥️
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Kate, loved how your boys are learning home economics while baking bread! (From YouTube vlog) really miss when my boys were that age, teens now. Just received- Home Economics and A Sweet Life in Homemaking. Loving all the wonderful info. Great recipes to reference back to. As always thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. Wonderful garden!! Awesome size. Just stared some late veggie container gardening. We’ll see how it goes. 🥒🥬🌶😉
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Was the yellow squash on the counter from your garden? They look so good!! Many blessings to you and your family!
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You know, I am getting back into purging more lately, too. I have a small (960 sq ft home) with NO kitchen counter space and canning season upon me. I am going to have to rid myself of old dishes I have had for years that occupy too much space that I desperately need. Also, I got to thinking how much easier it would be to clean without having to maneuver around “stuff.” Junk – we love it, we add to it, it controls our lives.
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Lovely seeing the home and your day to day life again. I can’t believe how much the boys have grown, especially Arjan. You have inspired me to have another purge, i have already done it twice but am now looking at the furniture, there is just to many large items that need to be gone! It is a nice sunny day today so might try your method and put things on the front of the house and see if anyone wants them.
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The pictures of your kitchen are wonderful! Looking at your yummy food makes me so hungry. Arjan and Sam are too cute and precious. You are such a good mother. Your shelves look well organized. You have been an awesome inspiration. My husband is actually purging and organizing the garage and I never thought that would happen. A big thank you to you!
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Oh, that is a big task but will be so worth it. Good job, husband. Bali is great at cleaning and organizing but saves everything.
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That pie looks delicious! You seem more content, Kate. That is a blessing. I had to laugh about your older son being ‘adamant’ about vegan stuff. Yes, he’s a first-born child. My oldest was a stickler for rules which is both good and sometimes not so helpful 🙂 I noticed you have Silk Oat – we are getting more into oat milks. We like Silk a lot. Have you tried Chobani’s Oat milks as well? They are so tasty – plain and plain & creamy varieties.
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I love the oat milks and creamers the best. Ripple is a good brand too. Arjan is facts and figures and doesn’t register anything outside the lines. We all need one in the family.
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I am so happy you are back! Missed you and your kitchen – your blog and videos are such a comfort and inspriation! Love your hippy homey style.
Donna 🙂
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Thanks, Donna! I love my hippy style too. 😊
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I love this blog and all you ladies. I wish we all lived in the same town and could meet up and share a glass of wine and advice and plant cuttings ☺️ It seems we are all of the same mindset just wanting to live a simple peaceful spirit-filled life and avoid the competitive rat race and negativity that is out there on the fringes. I am so grateful that we can meet up virtually through Kate and her blog, and know that we are not alone! It’s always a joy when I get the notification of a new blog. Its what I’ve heard called a God breeze!
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Oh, how I miss the homeschooling years with my girls! Lots of work but worth it. And that pie looks delicious.
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I’ve been purging a lot these last few months. It feels lighter in the house and I’m enjoying all the open space. Have a good weekend.
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me too.
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This is so where I am at, purging and afterwards doesn’t the air almost feel cleaner . These past few months have made me want to let go of more things and I certainly dont want to shop anymore.
I made my own veg pasta saucefrom my own vegetables except for a touch of tomatoe puree, anchovies it was all out of my garden. It. was4 pints worth of sauce. I also blanched green beans for the first time. I’m just loving the home time. Needless to say I am more then a little jealous of the dehydrator. Blessings to you all x
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