That about sums it up right?!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Intro
I have been pondering this blog for some time now. Should I start another blog? Is there anyone blogging anymore? Most of those who I once followed, who posted faithfully, have pretty much quit. Where they have gone I don't know...perhaps Facebook has taken them as it has me for the past couple of years. However, Facebook just isn't enough lately for me. I have more to say than what is in the little "meme's" and accompanying picture. I'm tired of all the politics and drama--not to say that there isn't politics and drama in blogland, but there just seems to be a lack of substance on Facebook. Certainly not enough space to say what I would like to say sometimes.
So, here I am. I think it is time to put this blog together and start looking for "like-minded" people here to interact with.
I have had a rather interesting upbringing that has, of course, made me who I am today. I am one of the few people that was able to not only know my grandparents and great-grandparents but to actually spend many years with them. It has only been in the last 15 years that I have lost any of them. As a result, I have learned many things that I am beginning to notice are being lost in today's generations.
I am astonished at the number of girls that do not know how to cook even the simplest of meals, clean a house, or even take care of themselves little alone run a household. It's getting to the point that finding someone from the generation of my children who can do any of those things is surprising! And the funniest thing is many of them have labelled themselves, proudly I might add, a "Stay at Home Mom". Hmmmmmmm. I'm sorry, but just because you rarely leave your house doesn't really qualify you to wear that title. Yes, you have a child but your husband/boyfriend cooks, cleans up, and cares for the child not you. You sleep until noon, wear your pajamas to Wal-mart to buy your diet coke and corn chips then waste away the remainder of the day watching Netflix and playing video games.
When I was growing up many women were joining the workforce. Rarely did my friends come home to a mother in the house. I did. Somehow my father managed to make enough money to pay the bills in our house and provide for us. We were never "rich" though. If it hadn't been for my mother's ingenuity my father would have never been able to make enough money by himself. Mom always had a large garden, canned and froze at least a years worth of food every harvest season, and then helped my dad hunt big game during the seasons so that we had a full freezer of meat for the coming year. My mother was also an exceptional seamstress and sewed many items for the house and for the family--once upon a time fabric was far cheaper than ready-made clothing. As "old fashioned" as that sounds you are probably thinking I was raised on a farm or at least out in the country somewhere. Nope! We lived in a small city most of the time I was growing up.
In addition to the things I learned helping my mom, I also learned some other very valuable things from my grandparents. One grandma taught me how to crochet, knit, and cook creative food. Another grandma--who did live on a farm out in the middle of nowhere Utah--taught me how to milk cows, care for chickens, and make "farm food" (like homemade bread, separate cream, churn butter, etc). My grandfather taught me how to paint landscape, rock hunt, and fish. Great grandma taught me how to design and sew pretty clothes and decorate a house. Just to name a few.
All these skills have been put to use in my life and as I have moved out into the world on my own, started my own family, and raised children. Of course I have added to my skill set as well. Health problems have motivated me to research the food raising methods used today. A lack of employment has forced me to get VERY creative with meal planning and keeping bills paid. Some of the jobs that I have had have showed me the importance of making sure my diet is meeting my bodies needs and the importance of good quality clothing--something that is almost impossible to find and afford most of the time.
Our world is changing, our food is changing, our culture is changing and with all of these changes I see a real need for people to return to things that are all but lost. Important knowledge is dying with our grandparents and elderly. We have forgotten why certain foods are prepared a certain way. We don't know how to make a pair of pants last several years if we need to. We think harsh chemicals will clean our houses and keep us from getting sick. We think that the doctor is there to make us well. If the power goes out we think all there is to eat is cold cereal. We don't know how to stay warm if caught outside in a winter storm. Once upon a time millions of people lived without grocery stores, the mall, cell phones, etc. They knew what plants would make them well, where to find fish in the stream, how to grow all their own food, and how to preserve meat so that it would last without being frozen or refrigerated. Do you know these things? If you do then you are one of very few!
So, what is this blog going to be about? The title says it all. This blog is about returning to the basics of life. Even if you live in a huge city there are things you can do to become more self sufficient, eat healthier, have a better quality of life. I'm not going to lie to you, all this stuff is hard work! It takes time and real effort. So if you are looking for ease and a hand out you are not going to be interested in anything here. If you have questions or would like a post about a certain subject be sure to include in the "comments" section. If I don't have an answer I have many resources to draw from and I will find one for you.
Shall we begin? I think YES!
Tama
So, here I am. I think it is time to put this blog together and start looking for "like-minded" people here to interact with.
I have had a rather interesting upbringing that has, of course, made me who I am today. I am one of the few people that was able to not only know my grandparents and great-grandparents but to actually spend many years with them. It has only been in the last 15 years that I have lost any of them. As a result, I have learned many things that I am beginning to notice are being lost in today's generations.
I am astonished at the number of girls that do not know how to cook even the simplest of meals, clean a house, or even take care of themselves little alone run a household. It's getting to the point that finding someone from the generation of my children who can do any of those things is surprising! And the funniest thing is many of them have labelled themselves, proudly I might add, a "Stay at Home Mom". Hmmmmmmm. I'm sorry, but just because you rarely leave your house doesn't really qualify you to wear that title. Yes, you have a child but your husband/boyfriend cooks, cleans up, and cares for the child not you. You sleep until noon, wear your pajamas to Wal-mart to buy your diet coke and corn chips then waste away the remainder of the day watching Netflix and playing video games.
When I was growing up many women were joining the workforce. Rarely did my friends come home to a mother in the house. I did. Somehow my father managed to make enough money to pay the bills in our house and provide for us. We were never "rich" though. If it hadn't been for my mother's ingenuity my father would have never been able to make enough money by himself. Mom always had a large garden, canned and froze at least a years worth of food every harvest season, and then helped my dad hunt big game during the seasons so that we had a full freezer of meat for the coming year. My mother was also an exceptional seamstress and sewed many items for the house and for the family--once upon a time fabric was far cheaper than ready-made clothing. As "old fashioned" as that sounds you are probably thinking I was raised on a farm or at least out in the country somewhere. Nope! We lived in a small city most of the time I was growing up.
In addition to the things I learned helping my mom, I also learned some other very valuable things from my grandparents. One grandma taught me how to crochet, knit, and cook creative food. Another grandma--who did live on a farm out in the middle of nowhere Utah--taught me how to milk cows, care for chickens, and make "farm food" (like homemade bread, separate cream, churn butter, etc). My grandfather taught me how to paint landscape, rock hunt, and fish. Great grandma taught me how to design and sew pretty clothes and decorate a house. Just to name a few.
All these skills have been put to use in my life and as I have moved out into the world on my own, started my own family, and raised children. Of course I have added to my skill set as well. Health problems have motivated me to research the food raising methods used today. A lack of employment has forced me to get VERY creative with meal planning and keeping bills paid. Some of the jobs that I have had have showed me the importance of making sure my diet is meeting my bodies needs and the importance of good quality clothing--something that is almost impossible to find and afford most of the time.
Our world is changing, our food is changing, our culture is changing and with all of these changes I see a real need for people to return to things that are all but lost. Important knowledge is dying with our grandparents and elderly. We have forgotten why certain foods are prepared a certain way. We don't know how to make a pair of pants last several years if we need to. We think harsh chemicals will clean our houses and keep us from getting sick. We think that the doctor is there to make us well. If the power goes out we think all there is to eat is cold cereal. We don't know how to stay warm if caught outside in a winter storm. Once upon a time millions of people lived without grocery stores, the mall, cell phones, etc. They knew what plants would make them well, where to find fish in the stream, how to grow all their own food, and how to preserve meat so that it would last without being frozen or refrigerated. Do you know these things? If you do then you are one of very few!
So, what is this blog going to be about? The title says it all. This blog is about returning to the basics of life. Even if you live in a huge city there are things you can do to become more self sufficient, eat healthier, have a better quality of life. I'm not going to lie to you, all this stuff is hard work! It takes time and real effort. So if you are looking for ease and a hand out you are not going to be interested in anything here. If you have questions or would like a post about a certain subject be sure to include in the "comments" section. If I don't have an answer I have many resources to draw from and I will find one for you.
Shall we begin? I think YES!
Tama
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