Simple Idea

We did it!!

We covered so many topics this month to learn how to keep it simple, and enjoy the simple things in our life. From organizing our home environment to set us up for success, 3 ingredient recipes to save so much time, breathing techniques, homemade cleaning products, the simple love from animals, not to mention you are a pro at container gardening now!

So for our last blog this month I will keep it simple.

Stop reading. Go outside. Enjoy today!!

 

Thanks everyone for following along this month, post a comment below and let me know how you enjoyed this month’s topic of keeping it simple.

If you have any ideas, or would like more information let me know! I’m totally open to new ideas and involving all of you beautiful readers.

Gardening Session – Peas and Beans

Peas and Beans

Peas and beans are so simple to grow and you can also grow them in pots, with something to grow up, like a trellis or porch. They can even add a little privacy on your porch by growing all around it.

Good news, the more you pick your peas and beans the more that will grow. The best way to preserve your harvest is in the freezer, right now frozen peas don’t sound very exciting, but I promise you in January the sweetness of your homegrown pea harvest will bring a smile to your face.

Peas and beans also add nitrogen to the soil, helping to mend soil problems. I plant the peas and beans close together, about 1″ apart. As the plants are fruiting, aka making the peas, they will be thirstier, so keep an eye and adjust your watering accordingly.

At the end of the season, collect all the dried up pods, you can store these as dried food for the winter or plant out again next year and enjoy them again.

Keep it simple and add some peas and beans to your container garden so you can sustainably enjoy them year after year for free.

Wanna learn how to make your own raised bed gardens??

Vinegar Cleaning

Cleaning, the Simple Way

Keep it simple, save money on all those cleaning products, just use vinegar.

Dilute your vinegar into water in a spray bottle from the dollar store. You can also use lemon juice and water. It cuts grease and cleans just the same, but you are saving your home from a blast of unneeded chemicals.

I use this on everything, even glass when I switched over to the darkside I noticed the money I saved on cleaning products, how crazy is that?!

Think of the money you will save by keeping it simple with vinegar.

Mason Jar Salads

As everyone that knows me is aware, I love mason jars and use them for just about everything.

I know this has been covered endlessly on blogs, and it has already flooded pinterest. However, to keep it simple, mason jar salads save you so much time, and provide you will fresh, delicious, nutritious veggies, any time you want. They are already in their container which means quick to grab for work, and are even great to take camping, or on trips.

For my busy schedule, and goal to slow down and experiment with simplicity this month, mason jar salads are a lifesaver!

I make a bunch of different flavour and dressings. Put everything in the fridge, it is unbelievably easy, and they last a week.

The whole trick is in the layering. Dressing at the bottom, then hard veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds, and greens at the top. This will keep your salad greens crisp and delicious.

Try it out today for the next 7 days, and tell us how it goes below!

So Simple…Yoga Breathing

In a lecture at school I learned the easiest most effective breathing techniques! It is a fantastic way something so simple can transform your life.

Dr. Andrew Weil taught us the 4-7-8 breath. A yoga breathing technique, which requires you to place the tip of your tongue behind your front teeth.

Breathe in for 4 seconds through your nose.

Hold it for 7 seconds

Let it out for 8 seconds through your mouth

Repeat this for 4 cycles.

Practicing this everyday produces the changes that we want, reducing anxiety, food cravings, sleep problems, and weight loss. It is from sticking to it and doing it everyday that you will see the changes.

Watch the demonstration video, by clicking the link below

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/VDR00112/The-4-7-8-Breath-Benefits-and-Demonstration.html

 

Gardening Session: Edible Flowers

Edible Flowers

Keep it simple and pot up some flowers that will work overtime for you! Just a few flowers will feed bees, bring beauty and lower stress levels, plus you can even eat them!

I love pansys, violas, marigolds, calendula, nasturtiums, dill, and sunflowers. However there are many more edible flowers.

I love to use them in salads, smoothies,soaked in vinegar to make a vinaigrette, and even as a flower syrup for pancakes. They have such an amazing flavour, and since they are full of colours they are also full of antioxidants.

Growing your own flowers to eat is really the only way you can enjoy their rare flavour and nutritional powers, since it is rare to see them at the store, sometimes at farmer’s markets. This is because they do not store and travel well.

I bought pots at the dollarstore, my dirt is OMRI certified, I simply asked for organic dirt at my local garden shop, where I also picked up the plant starts. I also always use a product called Gia Green Glacier Rock Dust, it contains all the trace elements, which are missing from many soils today. and we want to eat those!

Super simple mix the dirt with the rock dust and plant your plant, making sure to cover all the roots, but don’t plant it too deep so the plant is being covered by alot of dirt, or it will die. I like to plant my flowers closer together, about 4 plants per pot, so I can harvest them more frequently.

Harvest the pansys, marigolds, calendula, nasturtiums, and violas as often as you want, the more you pick the flowers the more they will grow. Isn’t that the best news?

Keep it simple this summer by growing your own flowers to improve your mood, your gut, and mother nature.

Wanna learn how to make your own raised bed gardens??

Bring the Outside In

Bringing plants into my home affected me and more ways than I would’ve imagined.
I really enjoyed my new green spaces, and decided to research them a little bit more. When I did this I realize that we are connected to plants in more ways than one. Here’s a few simple reasons why we should all have indoor plants:

Breathing Easier:
Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen that makes us natural partners!

They also pulled contaminants into the soil where root zone microorganisms convert it into food for the plant!

Releasing water:
Plants release 97% of the water that they take in, so please put us together to increase the humidity in a room. (this also keeps respiratory distresses at bay..)

Improving health:
There have been studies that patients who have plants in their hospital rooms often use less pain medication, have lower heart rate and blood pressure.

Plants in your home have also proven to decrease anxiety and fatigue.
Along with a decrease of colds, headaches, coughs, sore throats and flu like symptoms!!

A few of the best indoor plants:

Spider plant – purifies air fast! Best for living spaces ie. kitchen, living room

Gerbera – releases oxygen at night and also purifies air! Best for bedroom

Boston Fern – your own green, good looking, natural humidifier! Dry winters will be hard on your fern, so mist it!

Peace Lily – Removes mold! Guess where? Bathroom and any other damp place like a basement or cold storage!

The Furry Way to Keep it Simple

As many of you know, I have two dogs and a cat. I love them so much, nothing beats snuggling up on the coach with all of them.  Lux , Leon and Boris entertain me for hours! It is the simplest way to turn a frown upside down!

I asked two other ladies to talk about their furry friends, shocker, we all said the same thing. Oh the animal love!!

I try to find happiness in little things everyday.

One way that I know I can put a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart is by hanging out with my fur babies!!
My animals have always brought a peaceful happiness to my life.  So if you’ve got them, take a few minutes out today to appreciate what treasures you have..
because after all no one else watches you pee as much as them.

 

Sweet Chee and Parks give me unconditional love. To see that you are someone it something’s entire world is an indescribable feeling. They don’t fight with you, insult you or ever mistreat you. My dogs would lay their lives in the line for me without a second of hesitation and for that I will love them and take care of them as if they were my own flesh and blood.

Long Distance Relationships

This is a fun one! We’ve been talking about keeping it simple all month. So far, I have really slowed down and stopping to smell the roses.

I did something awesome!! I surveyed a group of people in long distance relationships so I could share the results with you! Fun right?

I asked 5 simple questions, and got a bunch of different responses, this is a simple way to check in with your long distance relationship!

#1 What is the best thing about a long distance relationship?

– The best thing about being in a long distance relationship is the absolute trust which has to be reached in order to feel real, comfortable and happy.

– The best thing about long distance is that it’s healthy to have time apart and you get that much more excited every time you get to see your partner. Also you can fart in your sleep and nobody is the wiser

– When you have not seen someone in a year or so, and there was no cyber communication only letters.  The time you spent talking, walking and catching up was a real heart-felt moment!  Seeing the persons face while they describe their year is truly beautiful!

– best thing id have to say is unwind time while you are away you’re able to see and show yourself you really care about the person not just because they are a constantly reminding you that you should in your life but on your own away from them you still care.

– I am not sure there is a best thing about ld relationships. They suck and leave you constantly wanting more and feeling lacking in one way or another. If I had to pick one thing i guess it would be that you know that there is always someone “there”

– The best thing about a long distance relationship is when you do see each other you don’t take it for granted

#2 What is the most common method of communication used? (ie. phone calls, skype/facetime, etc)

– the most common method of communication used is text. The ability to sustain a conversation over breaks at work and in life is a beautiful thing. Skype/FaceTime fill in when we need to see each other smile.

– Most common methods are phone and FaceTime

–  text and phone calls….skipe is going to be a new-found thing, but I want to save those conversations for face to face as I do not have anyone at war!

– facebook

– phone is most common – or facetime when we remember that amazing option

– never more than a phone call away and most often talk more than if you lived closer and know and care about what’s going on in each other’s lives

#3 How often do you see each other?

– whenever humanly possibly while still sustaining our careers. Overall, twice a month for between two days to over a week at a time. We have resigned ourselves to making every effort to be together when we can, that commitment is just as important as the commitment of trust.

– Marks shifts are from 25-43 days gone (he will have to take one or two days off while out there for safety/legal reasons) and then 7-11 days off

– not often enough – every couple of years – which in some relationships it would be fine, but when it was someone who you previously lived with or had the option to see every day it makes it hard.

– No matter how little of often you see each other it is never enough, but when you do meet it’s a joyous occasion

#4 What is the most creative way you’ve shown someone you care?

– My partner has a strong but distant connect with his father. I was visiting in States and I had to leave after he left for work. The night before he told me a story about his dad putting frosted flakes and chocolate sauce on his ice cream when he was young and it was such a fun treat. After he left for work I went out and bought him a jug of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and frosted flakes. I left him a love note on the counter “look in the freezer”… Then in the freezer with the ice cream “look in the fridge” then in the fridge with the chocolate sauce “look in the cupboard” where a last note thanking him for the great visit and saying how important he was. He loved that I remembered and that I made an effort to be silly and leave my mark for him to find, especially since saying goodbye can be so hard on both of us.

– There are many creative ways to show you care examples for us are: he will send surprise flowers, video me first thing in the morning and plan surprise trips for when he gets home.

– when you asked me to make you a poem and didn’t know I was home already so picked you up from work and said “there once was a girl named ******** who’s boyfriend was home and she didn’t know it”

– its been a while but sending “care” packages of funny things.

– painting a personalized welcome poster for an awesome friend to greet her at the airport

#5 What is your fondest memory of your long distance relationship?

– my fondest memory of my three-year multi-country relationship is when my partner surprised me on my birthday. He was working in Halifax and apologized for not being about to make it. We were texting all day and he was asking about my day. I was going to my favourite deli than meeting a girlfriend for pedis. When I walked into the deli my mom was there… Which was strange but when I turned the corner I saw him standing there. It was such a beautiful moment; I was so surprised and so happy that he would think to do that… And get my mom in cahoots with him! It makes me smile just to remember.

– We have “fond moments” by sending each other videos of what we are doing that day.. We talk the first thing in the morning and until we fall asleep and we work together via phone scheduling our whole lives together. Obviously it would be fantastic to be together every  day but this does work for us

– Seeing a man you were so infatuated with after 2 years and never skipping a beat.  Letters, phone calls, flowers, pictures!  Just the look face to face was amazing to see the person who lived on the other side of the world.

– the fondest memory….nothing really specific. One awesome thing is that you can go weeks without talking and years without seeing each other but when you finally get to talk its like there is no distance at all between you. You could be right beside each other not 3576 km away. You pick up right where you left off last time – no awkwardness. and still the connection – you can feel when something is up even if you haven’t talked. also day drinking together is awesome.

Best Advice

– never give up, nothing is forever and if it’s real it will withstand the distance and time!

I loved this blog post, super cool to see into other’s relationships no?

Post a comment below!

Gardening Session – Herbs

Herbs

Herbs are so simple to grow, even in a pot inside, or outside. Your own fresh
herbs will take your cooking to a whole other level.

Right now I am growing parsley, mint, basil, stevia, savory, thyme, and oregano  in pots on my deck. I bought pots at the dollarstore, my dirt is OMRI certified, I simply asked for organic dirt at my local garden shop, where I also picked up the plant starts. I also always use a product called Gia Green Glacier Rock Dust, it contains all the trace elements, which are missing from many soils today, and we want to eat those!

Super simple mix the dirt with the rock dust and plant your plant, making sure to cover all the roots, but don’t plant it too deep so the plant is being covered by alot of dirt, or it will die. I like to plant my herbs one to a pot to let them get as large as possible so I can have as many as possible!

Herbs are pretty hardy, and will thrive with a little love.

Harvest the outside leaves or stems, don’t harvest the whole plant, leave enough of the plant intact to let the herb grow back again.

Keep it simple this summer by growing your own herbs, just think of the money you will save I am always shocked at the prices of fresh herbs, here it is $2.99 for a few sprigs, just enough for one recipe. Everytime you use some herbs you will be saving $2.99!!

There are so many simple ways you can use your new herb harvests, soaking in vinegar to make a vinaigrette, dried to use all winter long, as a herb pesto, to marinade meat, in homemade beauty products, the list is truly endless.

So keep it simple and fresh this summer, and plant some herbs!