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What Inspired You?
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Penelope Anderson



Joined: 21 Sep 2005
Posts: 326
Location: london
PostPosted: Sat May 13, 06 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I suppose i've had it easy really, being born before WW2, as I was brought up to reuse and recycle everything. The downside is that I can't bear to throw anything away as "it might come in useful one day" We always grew our own veg, fished a lot of our own fish (not our own, from the sea) I learnt to cook at an early age, helping Mum in the kitchen, and I really HATE people who waste food.
Now as a city dweller, gardening keeps me sane, and I regard this forum as a life saver! Can't remember how I discovered it - I think it was serendipity.

koshka



Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Sat May 13, 06 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well, with me my parents always grew their own veg, herbs & fruit, kept chickens & brewed beer & wine, so I grew up with as much fresh food as possible and at least a vague idea of what to do with it. It kinda shocked me when I wandered off to university and realised just how many people had never even scrambled an egg, much less extracted it from a hen house!

Don't really have the space or time at the moment to do as much from scratch as my folks did, but am determined to get the best from what I've got and it's cool to find somewhere people can swap ideas (ok, I admit it, somewhere I can pinch the ideas of people that have more experience ).

Interesting how many of us seem to be following kind of a hereditary path, I think.

2steps



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 5349
Location: Surrey
PostPosted: Sat May 13, 06 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

My OH was asked my our neighbour a few days ago if I grew up on a farm he was telling them about the dandelion jam I'd made the other day an dhe said 'good no, she grew up with chavs'
I have always been the odd one out of my brothers and sisters and have no idea where I get my lifestyle from as none of my family are like it at all. Even when I was small I was interested in and liked making and growing thhings and having pets. I guess it all started really when I first left home and we didn't have much money and just grew and grew as it fitted in with things I liked my mum thinks I'm totally mad but no longer says stuff like 'wouldn't it be easier to buy one....'
When I found out my son had adhd I got even more into cooking to so he could avoid as many additives as possible and as I enjoy cooking, gardening, crafts etc etc it's all just become a way of life, which I'm really pleased about

Still have days when we just can't be bothered and grap a takeaway though

pumpkin



Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 19

PostPosted: Sun May 14, 06 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

laura ingalls wilder started me off too.....it was the bit where they make the molasses sticks for christmas, then the house under plum creek, the smell of the wood smoker, and the preparations for christmas visitors...actually it was all just so beautifully written that you could really picture yourself living Laura's life. So simple,and so in touch with the seasons and the land.

I still have the set, my aunt Mitzi bought it for me for christmas in 1968! and it's the only thing I have kept from my childhood!

More recently, having spent so many years as an 'army wife' (didn't really feel I belonged in that world), we ended up living on the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, and I started walking the hills, and the more I walked, the more I wanted to get back to living a less complicated life.......If I could be anyone I wanted, at any time in history, I think I'd like to be a Native North America Indian, or maybe a Mongolian nomad (but only if I had good blood circulation!)

In the mean time, I'm inspired by the people who have already been living the life we now lead, and who are happy to share their knowlege freely with anyone who wants to learn.

sunpuppy



Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 169
Location: Exeter, Devon
PostPosted: Sun May 14, 06 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I grew up in a countryside environment and and always loved making things out seemingly useless bits of stuff, even as a child. My mum was, and still is, very into crafts and gardening so I guess it was hereditary for me too. John Seymour's self-sufficiency book, discovered when I was in my teens and living on the edge of Bodmin Moor was probably the biggest inspiration. I think the original copy was from the library, but I never forgot it and it's now the most treasured item on my bookshelf, along with a myriad of similar tomes.

Haven't quite got to where I want to be yet (having a small-holding) but HAVE finally moved back to Cornwall (major part of downsizing plan!), and meeting people like Stacey has been a massive inspiration to me, as has this site. Pumpkin's comment :

pumpkin wrote:
...I'm inspired by the people who have already been living the life we now lead, and who are happy to share their knowlege freely with anyone who wants to learn.


is so true.

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