“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”

― Laura Ingalls Wilder

Slow living (sloh liv-ing: Proto-Germanic *slæwaz) is a lifestyle which encourages a slower approach to aspects of everyday life, involving completing tasks at a leisurely pace.

I’ve been enjoying the practice of Slow Living. It’s easy to get caught up in rushing when you live in a big city or have a strict work schedule. I make it a point however to mindfully slow down, breathe and enjoy simple chores when I’m at home ; it makes for a gratifying, relaxed state of mind. The arrival of Spring and the energy of renewal has inspired me to take this practice and really cultivate it; after all, why wouldn’t I do something that makes me feel happy?. Less scrolling, more tea. Less news, more books. These are Some Activities to Enjoy During Spring

Sign Up For A Plot at Your Community Garden

My building has a small community garden and offers a plot for $20 a year . There are also a couple of more community gardens around my neighbourhood. If you don’t have the space to grow food but you’ve always wanted to, this could be a good option for you. I have a large balcony where I grow culinary herbs year round. I’m thinking I’ll sign up for a plot so that I can dive deeper into learning about growing food.

Have Your Morning Coffee/Tea Outside

Greeting a new day by stepping outside before getting ready for work will set the tone for a slow pace and a positive attitude. If you have the time ( if you don’t, wake up a little earlier), take your morning beverage and spend a few minutes outside breathing in the fresh morning air, taking in some Vitamin D and listening to the world awaken. Even when it’s raining I can sit outside under the shelter of my patio. I have a table and chairs set up and the kitties love to munch on their cat-grass I grow for them in planters. It’s the small moments.

 

Go to the Woods and Learn About Local Wild Flowers and Herbs

A lot of my knowledge on local wild medicinal herbs has been from reading books and strolling through the forest identifying them. Here in the PNW we have a large variety of native as well as mediterranean herbs that grow wild in fields and along roadsides: Mullein, St John’s Wort, Rosemary, Wild Strawberries, Plantain. It rained heavily all day today so I dressed in my coziest sweater, raincoat and duck boots and went for a walk. I saw some cold-season food growing in the community garden like kale and scallions. In the forest there are Grape Hyacinth and Periwinkle; some of the first flowers you see in this area at Spring.

Practice Earthing

On a day when the sun feels warm, find a grassy patch, remove your shoes and spend an hour or more if you can with your feet on the earth. Earthing has many benefits and is said to support the immune system, help with chronic fatigue, Anxiety & Depression, even cardiovascular health.

  Spring Clean your Home with Natural Products

I’m lucky to have 4 day weekends and I’ve made it a point to assign a day during that time (usually Thursdays) and spend most of the day tidying the home, changing bedding, doing laundry and shopping for groceries. During my weekly upkeep I include dusting all surfaces, a deep clean of both our bathrooms and doing the floors. At each season change, I go in with cleaning window sills, moving furniture, clearing out cabinets and taking stock of what’s in the pantry.

One very important part of my cleaning is making all natural products that are non-toxic for both humans and fur-people. For my recipes to all-natural cleaning products HERE

 

Make Sun Tea

I celebrated the First Day of Spring this year (known as Ostara to Pagans) by making Sun Tea. Did you know that infusing water with sunshine activates healing properties, good for many health issues (more about Sun Tea and Recipe HERE). In Colombia where I lived for many years, people know these benefits well and put water out in coloured bottles to be infused with the energy of the sun. A most refreshing drink for Spring, the process alone of having to wait for the tea to seep for hours before enjoying it is what slow living is about.

Watch a Spring Feeling Movie

There are certain movies that have all the feels of Springtime and the ones below are ones I revisit time and time again. Not only are they wonderful stories, they also have amazing soundtracks.

-The Secret Garden

-Garden state

– Mary Poppins

– Midnight in Paris

– Pride and Prejudice

 Have an Aromatherapy Bath with Essential oils 

Spring on the Pacific Northwest Coast is still pretty chilly. The winds are quite cold even on sunny days and it’s the kind of cold that seeps into your bones. The only way I find to feel warm again is to soak in the bath. I love all the scents reminiscent of the forest but any essential oil you enjoy can be added. Today I used Cypress, Juniper and Fir oils in my bath. A fresh Springtime blend could be: Grapefruit, Neroli, Ylang Ylang and Pine. Add 5 drops of each into the water. I like listening to Jane Austen movie soundtracks or Dark Academia Music while I soak and I’m off into my imagination without interruption.

What is your favourite Season? What activities do you like to do at Spring?

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Love,

Jennifer