Sustainable Living

First page, first quote, that’s how I like to read my books these days…..

“The prize is not having an outstanding house; it’s having an outstanding life.”

I feel very lucky to have both, but the oustandingness of our house, comes from the lifestyle around it - from the kereru and tui flatmates, to the trees that embrace you and flaunt their fresh forest perfumes each morning walk, intertwined with rain misted jasmine.

Moving into our treehouse, AND breaking my neck, has changed me, us (now an even bigger us - think fur babies (I know what you’re thinking!!!)) for the better. We feel more whole and it’s derived from connecting with nature.

This lockdown has been about visioning…. and editing….. How can we make a ‘better’ life for ourselves, basically a “life-edit” and these days we feel we’ve cracked it…. the answers lie in living a simpler life. So this lockdown, I’ve got my kicks out of online selling rather than online buying, heartwarming moments and cuddles with our fur babies, soap and candle orders from my most loyal customers (you know who you are - salt of the earth special females), friends - from all around the world, sharing the struggles and triumphs of life’s rollercoaster, realising the gems (literally) of my closest friends, camping with hubby in our back-bush for his 40th, the BEST baths - think face-mask, candles, soft jazz piano music, body brushing, body scrubbing, just plain marinating….. in simplicity.

We’ve watched our spending just stop. In it’s tracks. Because what do you spend money on when you have it all….? Oh that’s right - food! Yes, we have spent a TONNE of money on food and I’ve baked, like never before. But food money calories don’t count right? It turns out that COVID’s best learning is we really don’t need that much!

Long may this new era of contentment live.

I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from my special grandmother who I’m lucky to have around still:

“Does it really matter?!”.

#sustainableyou