This weekend saw us at our friend's parents' cottage in mid-Wales for her 30th. There were about 32 people in all ranging in age from babes in arms to said friends' parents. Some slept in 2 hired teepees (these were amazing), some indoors in the cottage, some in tents and we were in the upper room of the as yet unconverted barn next door amidst tools, woodworking equipment, lawn mowers and paint brushes, aka the honeymoon suite!
It was great to just kick back and relax in what was fantastically rural setting in the hills just south of Snowdonia. Evenings were spent around the camp fire with sing-a-longs, bbq food and beers a plenty whilst Saturday saw everyone down on the glorious beach at Aberdovey for swimming, games of rounders, reading and dozing in the sun. Was great to catch up with old friends but also was an opportunity to meet some really lovely new people, particularly a family recently returned from Nepal where they had lived for a good few years.
Prior to returning home on Sunday we popped in at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) which was a positive, life building experience. K & I are now both taken with the idea of finding an ethical community to join, to build our own sustainable house and grow our own vegetables and have an organic garden which attracts lots of wildlife. Not sure how realistic the first idea is, however in the flush of first enthusiasm anything is possible!
I bought a book in the CAT shop "Life Stripped Bare: My Year Trying to Live Ethically" by Leo Hickman, a Guardian newspaper writer. I now don't want to eat anything other than organic produce, having pretty much been turned against everything else......and I've only read up to the second chapter! Goodness knows what I'll think when I get onto the other chapters focusing on other issues than food! We did our food shop after work and I could not but help at look at the sources of all the fruit and veg we needed to buy. Saying that, I have tried to become better at buying only British and also seasonable produce over the last few months.
K bought a book on organic gardening and I got some cornflower seeds to put in come Autumn. We always have had an interest in ethical living, particularly food sources, maintaining a garden for wildlife, recycling and the like but its maybe time to turn it up a notch!?!
Thinking of all this I was recently sent one of those "get to know your friends" questionnaires. One of the questions really struck me and I had a strong reaction that I should reply....although I didn't. It was "what is your favourite flower". I wanted to reply with comment that although what girl wouldn't like to receive flowers I wouldn't thank you for them given the impact on the environment now that that so many cut flowers are produced and then flown from abroad. Give me British daffodils in spring anyday or natural growing plants in the garden...in fact buy me a plant. Maybe I should become an eco warrior!
It was great to just kick back and relax in what was fantastically rural setting in the hills just south of Snowdonia. Evenings were spent around the camp fire with sing-a-longs, bbq food and beers a plenty whilst Saturday saw everyone down on the glorious beach at Aberdovey for swimming, games of rounders, reading and dozing in the sun. Was great to catch up with old friends but also was an opportunity to meet some really lovely new people, particularly a family recently returned from Nepal where they had lived for a good few years.
Prior to returning home on Sunday we popped in at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) which was a positive, life building experience. K & I are now both taken with the idea of finding an ethical community to join, to build our own sustainable house and grow our own vegetables and have an organic garden which attracts lots of wildlife. Not sure how realistic the first idea is, however in the flush of first enthusiasm anything is possible!
I bought a book in the CAT shop "Life Stripped Bare: My Year Trying to Live Ethically" by Leo Hickman, a Guardian newspaper writer. I now don't want to eat anything other than organic produce, having pretty much been turned against everything else......and I've only read up to the second chapter! Goodness knows what I'll think when I get onto the other chapters focusing on other issues than food! We did our food shop after work and I could not but help at look at the sources of all the fruit and veg we needed to buy. Saying that, I have tried to become better at buying only British and also seasonable produce over the last few months.
K bought a book on organic gardening and I got some cornflower seeds to put in come Autumn. We always have had an interest in ethical living, particularly food sources, maintaining a garden for wildlife, recycling and the like but its maybe time to turn it up a notch!?!
Thinking of all this I was recently sent one of those "get to know your friends" questionnaires. One of the questions really struck me and I had a strong reaction that I should reply....although I didn't. It was "what is your favourite flower". I wanted to reply with comment that although what girl wouldn't like to receive flowers I wouldn't thank you for them given the impact on the environment now that that so many cut flowers are produced and then flown from abroad. Give me British daffodils in spring anyday or natural growing plants in the garden...in fact buy me a plant. Maybe I should become an eco warrior!
1 comment:
Yeah, become and Eco-warrior! You could try having a compost bin in your back garden (if you have room and you don't already have one). It's very satisfying to turn kitchen and garden waste into stuff that's good for the soil. I feel virtuous every time I do it.
I'm really impressed. I'd love to be more eco-friendly but I do find it a real challenge to live up to the ideals tha tI have.
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