Shouldn't really write having had a glass but still..... I'm sat on the deck of our garden and Tim has cooked a fabulous supper. I've a pleasant glass of red wine to one side and the sun is setting. The birds are still singing and there is a pretty, feminine scent of lime tree blossom from the huge tree that gently overshadows the end of the garden. In a word its bliss.
And this is the subject of this post. Is it me or is it unfashionable to be happy? Do we encourage a culture of moaning? I know there are some awful things going on and cynicism is healthy for politics and the like. But what about us - me and you - individually? Where are we on the happiness scale?
If I say I'm happy - which I am by the way - do you believe me? Or call me smug? Is it wrong to feel a contented connection with life and the direction it flows in. We have more control than we think; everything is changeable to how we'd like it to be. That's not simplistic but is to illustrate that its never about what happens but our attitude to that happening. One can be happy with very little. We can choose happiness, to quote some self-help book or other.
It has seemed to me recently that its almost regarded as suspicious to be happy and to be content with life. That our media encourages us to bemoan, compare jealously and complain at every opportunity. That we are encouraged to change, 'improve' and generally move away from where we are now, rather than learn to accept and find the peace in our surroundings. What the credit crunch has so far failed to teach us is a relearning of what it means to be happy. Its not about what we can buy or how much money we earn. It has always been about an inner happiness and contentment which cannot be bought and which comes from an inner and deep understanding of what being here and being human is about.
I'm currently drawn to reading about simple home based lives, either in blogs or books. I'm especially enjoying
A Vision Splendid and
Down-To-Earth . Both women speak through their articles on practical garden, homemaking and 'green' projects, of the satisfaction of being at home as a 'profession' and a positive lifestyle choice. Recently a lovely book arrived, on the life of
Tasha Tudor an artist and illustrator who as she felt more at home in the 1830s, decided to live like it complete with authentic clothes and lack of 20th century amenities. She wove her own cloth, was self sufficient with goats and vegetables and completely content to be a housewife. I've used these examples as evidence of my last paragraph - that there is deep contentment in making a lovely home, growing and making ones own. It cannot be bought, so the whole money jealousy is a waste of time. And there in effect is one of the paradoxes - we are deemed to only be 'successful' if we have earned money and therefore status to buy. Again there is incredulity that one could be happy in the home and without employment.
If anything recently I've been simplifying my life here. Leaving behind situations that no longer serve purpose or that clutter my life. Observed from a distance, which is a handy thing to be able to do - step outside and watch oneself in a detached way is enlightening - I can see the evolution going on. And it makes me happy. I have a sense of being able to concentrate fully and properly on the basics. Getting the home, garden and plot right.
Everyone is different; I'm not setting out a blueprint for how each of us should live - not at all. All I can say is what works for me. This is the basis and foundation on which my happiness is built.
Again its had to be sprayed due to ground elder. The rose to the right is to be moved in to the corner and then again the area will end up turfed so that we will be able to tuck a bench under the dwarf wall and the acer which has been trimmed and lifted back in to a proper tree.
There are two of these absolutely full of dead bamboo!
This next one was taken looking down to the bottom of the extractor equipment and you can see the honey collecting.
And finally turning the tap at the bottom of the extractor tank to let the honey flow
We think we have around 50lb of honey, which is amazing and more than we've ever harvested before so well done bees!
The show starts broadcasting at 6am so the caravan arrived just after 5am. Yes we were up; just.
Impressive isn't it? Really showed up in our small village road.
The Morning Glory crew consist of Trev ( in orange) Greg, who reads the news.
Sue who has to try and keep the whole thing professional ( hard job with that lot) and Glynn.
Both Tim and I were interviewed as well as our boys, the paper boy, school secretary, school head teacher, pupils and just about anyone else we could persuade to come and have a look around the caravan. The show ran until 9am and then it was tea and cake all round.
Stumble It!
