Cultivating quiet and slow in a climate crisis
How little rituals and old technologies can help in a climate crisis. Lessons from an Edwardian Walking Skirt, how to make Sesamite, and a shop update + sale.
Hello friends, yes it’s June, and we’ve been quiet. Wild plans are afoot at our place, and so what that means for us is lots of talking and thinking and examining new ways of doing and being. One of our favourite processes to go through! But we find it demands some introspection and quiet and usually social media and letter writing are a little neglected at times like this, despite best intentions.
Something we’ve been working at cultivating (aside from healthy soil and winter veg), in amongst all of this, is some quiet rituals in our days. We’ll need them going forward, and these winter days lend them to quiet so well. Moments of quiet remind us to slow down, be mindful and focus on what we have. As we wade through this climate crisis with our kids and wonder at their future housing and food security, it’s important to remember to be where we are, now. Lest climate anxiety gets the better of us, we focus on doing our best for the planet each day, which helps immensely.
We’ve talked lots before about embracing the seasons, and the rituals they bring, but at a smaller level, there are little rituals we look to as guideposts in our days. Small rituals help build rhythm and moments of quiet into our days, and they’re so grounding in a world of rush and busy.
Our 11yo has been reminding us just how much she appreciates these moments for feeling safe and nurtured - she always has. An early riser who, as a toddler, loved to get up at dawn to play cards or paint the sunrise - beautiful, if exhausting days!
Anyway, here are some quiet rituals we’re loving through our days right now:
Getting up early, before everyone else (even the dogs).
Enjoying a cup of tea, made in a teapot, while the sun rises and warms the lounge room. There’s something about teapots that makes this all the more pleasurable (and it’s waste-free, too).
Writing or creating, in the quiet - gardening if it’s light enough! Time with our thoughts is so important.
Planning dinner, before the day starts - this helps us remember to get things out of the freezer, or pick them up while we’re out.
Listening to music - our inherited record collection gets a workout most days. We love the way vinyl forces you to listen to the whole album, get up and turn the side over, and actively participate in the music in a way digital formats cannot.
Going for a walk - it’s usually the same route around the neighbourhood, so we observe small changes and interrupt our day with just moving and observing.
Lighting the fire - it’s so cold right now that we need the warmth, but we do love the ritual of it, and the use of kindling that was once garden prunings.
Mending - working with our hands, embracing slow fashion and repair.
Reading aloud to each other - we’re currently working our way through reading our childhood Mr Men books in silly voices and discovering how problematic the stories are, then discussing that with some bemusement.
Herbal tea before bed - lemon balm is a fave, and so abundant in our garden, even in winter.
Shower, bath or a foot soak.
Reading a book in bed - phones in a different room! It’s true that reducing tech before bed helps you sleep better.
Early to sleep - delicious sleep!
Something worth mentioning amongst all of that is the old technologies that we weave into many of these rituals. They remind us to be in the moment and take our time, and we’re totally here for them.
What are some of your favourite rituals to cultivate quiet, mindfulness and rest?
The Walking Skirt
One of our favourite things about home education is the time it affords our kids to develop their passions. Xanthe has always loved historical design and fashion, and making things with her hands. While she works, she gains an appreciation for the materials and time that go into garment construction, and how things were. She appreciates slow and low-tech approaches to getting things done, and the value in material objects. These are insights she takes into choosing garments for her regular wardrobe, and they help define how she chooses her belongings, in general.
Xanthe’s latest project is this 1898 Edwardian walking skirt, made from linen cotton fabric and an old bedsheet for the lining. It took time and lots of fabric! And it's quite heavy, but thoroughly satisfying to swish around in. Inspired by ‘Anne, with and E’, ‘Enola Holmes’, and YouTube film maker and costume historian, Bernadette Banner, and a lifelong love of all things ‘old fashioned’, she’s been planning this project for over a year. Often, as home educators, we’ve observed learning happens in fits and spurts, and takes time and patience. Eventually, Xanthe’s skills, patience and ability to decipher a 19th century pattern, collided at the right time, and she finished the skirt last week.
A little shop update:
We still have a little shop that we’re updating sporadically with pre-loved books (like the ones above). It also has a healthy supply of our own book, 52 Climate Solutions tea towels and the excellent and conversation-provoking permaculture card game, Living Landscapes. Living Landscapes is designed and made in Australia and has the option to play it as a regular pack of cards. We have a mid-winter sale going on Living Landscapes right now, so it’s a perfect time to get your own copy. At only $7.50, it’s worth grabbing a few for gifts or sharing postage with pals. We can also offer wholesale and group discounts on Living Landscapes if your shop or community group would like copies. Get in touch and let us know!
Weekend things:
It’s promising to be positively icy this weekend, so it’s going to be a snuggly, listening to music and going slow time at ours. Which feels exactly right for this time of year. Here are some things we’re been enjoying and thought you might too.
Making: Sesamite! Click through to the video description for the full recipe:
Our eldest has always been a big Vegemite fan, ever since she was tiny. It’s one of the first things that she missed when we switched to waste free living. Using simple ingredients we can make or buy package-free at our local bulk foods shop (and use for all sorts of recipes), we made this alternative. It’s not only delicious on toast, sandwiches or home-made scrolls, it’s also full of nutritional goodness. And it’s ridiculously easy to make. Lots of people have told us they can’t believe how simple it is and they actually prefer it to the real thing - we certainly do!
Here’s what you’ll need:
1/2 cup black tahini
1/4 cup tamari
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar.
Let’s do this:
1. Place all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Mix the ingredients together with a fork. That’s it!
3. Transfer to a jar. This should keep in a cool place for a few months or more.
You’ll find this recipe alongside a bunch of other simple and easy recipes in our book ‘A Family Guide to Waste-Free Living’ published in 2019 by Plum (Pan Macmillan)
Sharing: We shared our beautiful Bee Balm recipe for paid subscribers on Wednesday. It’s our go-to salve, moisturiser, and everything remedy.
Reading: Wanna save Planet Earth? Try ‘thinking slow’.
Reading:
Watching/Listening:
Wishing you a warm and comfy weekend, friends! Take care!
Love,
Lauren & Oberon.