Bits and pieces

I've added another two blogs to my sidebar list. I've been reading them for a while and really enjoying them as well. Emme from Simple Living has some good thoughts on the whole issue of enforced versus choice frugality. I think I'm closer to where she was a couple of years ago. I have huge debt and don't have much choice but to try and live as frugally as possible. But I also realised a couple of months ago that actually, given the choice i.e. even if I had plenty of money available to spend I would still want to live this kind of life. And so that kind of takes the pressure off because I don't feel quite so restricted.

Downshifting-path to simplicity is another blog I've been enjoying recently. I love some of the ideas I've found there, such as the conversation SockknittingMama had with her children at Halloween to discuss what they wanted winter to bring them. I think this is a lovely idea and plan to make a conversation like this part of my Halloween in future.

I also meant to mention in my last post that making the herb and barley broth at the weekend I decided to just go ahead and buy the fresh herbs needed from the supermarket. I got Irish parsley and an Irish bay plant which I'll try to keep alive and mayabe plant out next year. Basil for the butternut squash came from Israel. I can't remember where the sage was from though. Couldn't get any fresh thyme so used some dried. I really wanted to make this recipe though so decided it was okay to buy supermarket herbs as I could feel I would just end up pissed off if I didn't make this dish. I'm adding herbs to the list of things I want to grow next year - parsley and bay are certainly two things it should be possible to keep going. And only when I was actually making the dish did I realise I had just picked up the packet of organic barley in EcoLogic and not noticed it was from Ecuador. Another reminder that I need to pay more attention. So, my healing herb and barley broth was almost at least half non-local. It is very tasty though. I probably will make it again but will definitely use less goose fat. I should know by know that any recipe I have ever done which calls for oil or fat of any kind will probably use about twice the amount I would consider necessary.