I love your videos and this is what I've started doing after my husband's passing last year....and the severe economic downturn Sri Lanka had last year.
Sustainable living for me at age 75 is simpler as I only have myself to care for. I don't deprive myself little treats occasionally but I don't enjoy shopping. So I do a lot of DIY projects, bake, cook and can at home and don't spend much money. I grow a little garden and save my seeds and plantings, compost my food scraps, shop second hand and try to repurpose or donate extra household items. I'm intentionally staying home this month as much as possible due to the snowy roads and am organizing and cleaning up items around the house. My goal is to clean out and organize every drawer, closet and cupboard before spring!
Once again this year we did a no gift christmas, it was so nice not to have to come up with more gift ideas and run around the stores, also in January no credit card bills...for my daughter we bought her a bike on her birthday to ride to work, practical gifts during the year. In the summer I treated myself to new plant pots. With food inflation I'm still making all our food from scratch when possible, when I make my sauces, bread and pasta etc there is no packaging and jars etc no going to the store and most of all less money. We are paying the companies to make the product that we can easily make.
@@FairylandCottage Very true, but as you say, not everybody has the appropriate shops nearby or even the time to do all those lovely things. But as long as one keeps being reminded by people like you, maybe one can make an effort to incorporate more little sustainable things into a busy life. Our Christamas tree gets used to protect our roses and kiwi fruit plants against severe frosts, which usually don't happen until after Christmas. Love your banana bread recipe but for real bread, I prefer wholemeal bread with plenty of different cereals and nuts, etc. Your videos are so very soothing.
Iwant to sayHappy New Years. You know ilove your Channel. Ive been with your channel for quite a while Thank you.istill walk my Yorkie,dog Diamond even in the cold early. Morning's. Its refreshing. Because in North Carolina the weather is good It could be 35degreesand raining and two(2)days its 63 or 65° degree.it still winter. Iam thinking also about my spring flower garden . Iam saving my money for a new washer. Ihave a dryer .iwill not be in credit card debt.but ihave have purchase my self a dryer rack from Amazon Because ican save electricity and a high bill.my mother had a dryer rack when I was growing up also.ijust love it'.ihave two rack.better material than my mom's but it's still a dryer rack.
What a great example you are setting for your sweet child. She gets to watch Mama up close doing these little projects and soaks it all up as she grows. Your patience is beautiful and calming.
I always try to remember the Dali Lama’s phrase, “you can’t change the world, just yours. “ It helps keep sustainability doable, on whatever scale one is able to achieve .
The Little Fairy is so adorable! Thank you for these reminders. I am not someone with a budget to go to a sustainable shop and buy everything now, but I’m gathering a collection of jam jars and interesting shapes that I reuse, and you’re right, just taking care of the simple old things that I have as best I can, and thankfully is what is sustainable for me. I do hope to plant some herbs this year. And I love how you moved the bulbs inside.
How nice to see you again in a new video, hearing the baby talk makes the atmosphere more loving in your home. Health and peace to you and your family.
A big part of sustainable living for me is growing our own food and preserving it to help supplement our diet in the cold months. We have a smallish suburban garden but I'm always astonished at how much it produces. Jams, chutneys, frozen veg, soups. It's a skill that I fear is slowly dying, preserving food, but one I look forward too with anticipation every year. Relying less on supermarkets is my biggest goal this year!
Was so delighted to see you back on UA-cam🥰♥️❣️When I was raising my boys in the 1970’s and 80’s+ I followed Rachael Carson’s “ Diet For A Small Planet” and used all her recipes. I even fed my oldest son her baby formula, as I could not breast feed. Thank You so much living your Sustainable Life- you are such a fine example of it🥰♥️💁🏻❣️🍀💚.I am a retired RN and now Certified Healer and continue to strive to make a gentle impact on the planet….Janis Shelton Griffin, RN, BSN, PHN.
My dog is in what I call “high shed” season, so I sweep before I vacuum and throw all the fur outside. I see the critters collect it for their nests and it makes me smile. I also don’t have to replace my cleaner bags very often, which saves a ton of money. I found a beautiful hand-made broom at a discount store so sweeping has become my meditation and it signals my brain to prepare for sleep.
I love this video and couldn't agree with you more! Living sustainably is very often not fancy and shiny or exciting, it's often slow and quiet and consists of age-old routines. It's not about having something pretty that looks good and matches everything else we have - it's about using what is there. Thank you for showing this to the world in your videos 💕 And even though I talk about similar topics on my channel I still keep learning from you with every single video 💕
So lovely to hear you talk about how January is still winter, and an inward kind of energy, and how you are cleaning/preparing for the year to start. I also feel that way this year very much, the year "starts" when nature does, which is the first signs of spring! It would be so much more logical to celebrate new years in March, I sometimes feel. Thank you for the lovely video Niamh, it was a joy as always!
Beautiful video. When I was a child, I lived in the country and put yarn out with the hope that birds would use them for their nests. I knew it was a long shot, but I actually did see that yarn in a nest. I was so thrilled! One thing I did a few months ago that isn’t necessarily sustainable, but promoting nature and beauty, is “guerrilla gardening” with native seeds. Since the pandemic, I’ve jogged a route near my house. It has some lovely wildflowers in the spring, but I am partial to California poppies. I am very curious and excited to see if they bloom!!
You are living the life we all should be living! I've just moved into a new home with a small garden - just big enough for a 78-year old! Unpacking boxes and I'm really ashamed because of all the STUFF I have accumulated over the years!! As I unpack I'm filling boxes that will go to refugee centres as well as charity shops. And a LOT is going to the trash unfortunately. A new life begins 😊 Thank you the lovely videos and the great tips! 🙏
So happy that you have a new home! Don't be too hard on yourself, us seniors, got bamboozled by some really good marketing in the '70s, '80s, '90s. We all fell for it. The truth is, once a product is made, it is already destined for a landfill someday. We can do better, now that we know better. Good luck in your decluttering. It is very freeing to just live with what you actually need and use.
@@dbartz5510 Thank you! This morning I had my wifi connected but now I have no idea where the TV controls are packed... Oh, well, at least I have a laptop for now.
I had a moment with sustainable living today. I was drying the cut tops of strawberries to add to my tea when I suddenly realized what a waste it was using the oven to dry them. Off went the oven and out the tray went into the sunshine to dry them from the sun's beautiful rays.
Sustainable and simple living is to own less and to feel more real life. So much things we don't need are time and life wasting. I am on my own journey to slow down all areas in my life. The only area where this is not possible is my job, unfortunatley. My job feels like a daily marathon, every day. I am so grateful, that I am only working halftime. But, I am 55 years old, have rheumatism , and this halftime job makes me so tired many times. That's why I changed my life at home in many ways. I declutter stuff, donated them, I changed my diet more and more to a plant based and vegetarien way. I started to meditate and it feels so much better. I wish I could find a way to make my job easier. But to life a simple and sustainible life helps me to endure my job. Your videos are always like little holidays. They do me so much good❤. Thank you (and please forgive me my grammatical errors.)
I love your little fairy, and the way she loves her jewlery box, with all the mirrors. You are so calming, with your soft voice and accent. What a wonderful way for your little fairy to grow up - and she is walking already! Also trying to talk, with a calm living way. Her memories will be of nature and love, and a nurturing life. You are a breath of healthy fresh air, thank you. Love, cuddles and Blessings from Devon, England. xxx
I am always amazed by your wisdom…. Is it only me, or the world is switching for a better conscientiousness ? I try to apply the same principles into my own life, decluttering, recycling, getting more “natural” products, and taking much better care of myself. I think I am slowly getting out of this tornado of a life I had before, but maybe it is just that with aging we become wiser. Thank you for this beautiful video ! (I have been following you since years, the years you were giving recipes, remember ? I still make the Irish soda bread, in my East coast America !)
Lovely video, Niamh, with lots of wisdom. I do my best with living sustainably, yet living in the city in an apartment with no green space of my own makes it difficult. However, I do what I can, avoiding plastic as much as possible, buying almost everything secondhand. I was thinking about this the other day and realized that, since I have been an adult (and that's a very long time!), 99% of my furniture has been secondhand...from thrift shops, auctions, garage sales, etc. My clothes are mostly secondhand as well, and even those I have bought new, I have had for years and years. Food is my challenge, as I don't like to cook, yet I do the best I can and buy local whenever possible. I admire you and others like you, Niamh, who do as much as you do for the earth. Thank you, once again, for sharing your life with us. Much love to you, Terry, and the little fairy. ♥♥♥
Happy new year to you Fairlyland family. 💕 I try to live sustainably, and this weekend has been all about traditional Nordic dry cleaning! I have rinsed curtains and rugs and other fabric in the dry clean snow. We have been down to -18C this weekend. Going through a lot of firewood! But the weather has been beautiful with the low January sun, and this traditional way of cleaning is perfect, and a reason to be outside. I leave the item out to get the same temperature as the outside, so the snow dont melt into the fabric, then I rub it in snow, and finally give it a real beat. Fun to put the snow to good use. We have about 150 cm now, starting to worry about my roof. Cant wait until spring. I just went over the seeds I saved from last year, and thinking what I need to buy new. 🌞 Lovely inspirational video, thank you💕
Your videos are my safe place and you are such a rolemodel to me! Moreover I felt so relieved, when you said that you don't feel like going outside at the moment. I loveee nature but in the winter I would rather cuddle up in a blanket the whole day-which makes me feel guilty somehow. I just don't feel as connected to nature atm. But hearing the same from you is a big relief! Greetings from Germany 🍃
I found after leaving a high-pressure job and letting go of expectations of myself and others and finding a true sense of self, I no longer need "things". Appreciating what I had, nature and practicing a no waste lifestyle I am happier than I have ever been. It is very rare that I buy something new.. I love your videos and your little fairy learning every day with you. I love that.
Your baby saying, "Dada", reminds me of when our first baby starting saying, "Dada". We made a game out of it, so everytime our baby would say, "Dada", her daddy would come running to her. She would say it over and over and here he would come. She would laugh so hard and so would we! Great cherished memories for us. Thanks for sharing your beautiful journey. Our kids are in their thirties now and it seems like yesterday. It goes by so fast. Loved raising our children.
I love the idea of putting out yarn scrap trimmings for the birds! My kiddos are trying to build and 'animal habitat' in the backyard and they will have so much fun cutting up yarn and looking at the nests in spring to see if any of the birds have used them!
Your beautiful little fairy gave me so much joy today. I loved watching her explore the new little fairy cottage. Seeing walk brought tears to my eyes. I miss having small children around, they bring such a fullness.
I echoed your exact comments to a group of friends. I told them I don't even like hearing the phrase New Year's Resolutions. After the stress of Christmas shopping and decorating I don't want anything expected from me on January 1st. I slow way down and cuddle with pets and 3 yo granddaughter. I already miss the stage of your little fairy. My connection with earth is my time with my horse. My hubby and I are both retired as of Christmas and are planning a better garden. Each time I empty a container I wonder how else I can use it. Thank you for the well spoken and always gentle way of reminding me of sustainability. Happy new year to your family.
Hello, happy new! For me, living sustainably is almost like living again, going back to the habits of our grandmothers and living away from the hustle and bustle, although sometimes I still miss a little movement. I don't live in a cottage, but in a small town and everyday I try to adopt more and more sustainable habits. Your channel is a great inspiration for me. For that I am very grateful to all of you!
It was a lovely surprise to see your video this morning. Your little fairy is growing so fast it seems. I planted a vegetable garden last year for the first time and I'm in my 60's. The tomatoes took over so I will plan better this year. I use old container totes to grow them. Looking forward to spring as I am not a winter fan and live in Ontario Canada ,so cold and snowy. Thank you for sharing a part of your life and for reminding us to slow down and enjoy simple things.
I always enjoy the serenity and the loveliness of your videos. I think one development in our society that has been very helpful is that through the online sites such as craigslist and the many, many others where we share our used objects with each other at cost that is affordable for most, we are doing a lot of recycling. I also shop at places like Goodwill for the majority of my clothing, which works out very well.
I just LOVE the baby noise in your videos! I've been making hotpads for gifts using one on my favorite crafts called lockerhooking. I'm a sewer, so this is a great way for me to use up my fabric scraps, which I just can't throw away. I absolutely love winters pace. The almost forced slow down of life. I read aloud twice a day to my children because we are inside so much. We live in Washington state in the US, and we get lots of snow. I'm decluttering ( again 😄), making crafts, and baking bread. Just enjoying each season as it comes. ❄️❄️⛄️
Love the gentleness of your spirit and the mindfulness of daily life. January is my month to clean and remove labels from the jars and bottles in my recycling bin to use for food storage, propagation starters, vases, and lovely bits of color on window sills. Like you, I refill all jars of staples, wash the curtains, shake out the rugs, air the pillows and throws on sunny days, put out suet and bird seed, refresh the paint and varnish all the little wooden birdhouses I like to tuck in around my garden, and remind myself to be slow and easy with myself and immeasurable grateful for my simple life. Love to you and fairy blessings.
How often I've said.. The wisdom of simplicity..The luxury of efficiency. Again.... not a rejection of technology, but realizing that it is a tool and not an end to itself. Your soft gentle approach gets that point across far better than most other advocates of simplicity ever will. I have to smile when you talk about the cold there... Here in upstate New York in the United States, the temperatures rarely go above freezing from November to late March..the trees are bare and we just look forward to Spring. As always..best wishes and thoughts to you and your family.
It’s really lovely to watch your videos and hear your little fairy babbling in the background. It brings me back to when my kids where little. My kids are teenagers now and it’s a different time in our lives, they’re fun to hang out with and we just finished playing a board game together. Your video made me nostalgic for the time when they were smaller 💕
Have you come across the Sustainable(ish) blog? I love that word! So often, 'sustainable' can be loaded with guilt - we are not doing enough, we should do better etc. Adding the 'ish' reminds me that none of us is perfect and we are all just doing the best that we can, and that is better than doing nothing at all!
I’ve been following you for a number of years now and your gentle ways are so beautiful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing your life with the world.💙💙💙
Happy New Year, so lovely to see you and your sweetest little fairy, growing fast, bless her. January is a time for me with the Winter Solstice for reflection, Spring being my favourite time of the year, my birth time and a time for new growth especially in the garden and hedgerows. I think sustainability for me is gratitude in what we have, however little and being inventive in how we use those things around us which is very satisfying and good for us and the world we live in. You bring a calmness to my wellbeing which I thank you for. X💕
Yes! To the outside. We are in a much colder climate but if it’s at least 32 degrees F or if it’s colder and the sun is shining my granddaughter and I take a walk. We are in a suburb but yet we can spy bird and squirrel nests we couldn’t see when the trees are full with leaves. ❤
I really appreciated the idea of giving myself permission to live more slowly. My life is anything but slow, however, your channel brings me peace. One thing you hinted at really made me think; that January is still mid-winter and how odd it is that everyone considered January as a starting point when it's really not. I am wondering if my efforts to begin again might work better if I use the first day of Spring as my start date, instead of January first!! What a novel idea! I'm going to go with that. I'm going to use what's left of winter for thoughts of self-care and going more slowly. Monday, March 20th is the first day of Spring and a good time to clean and begin again! Thank you for your wisdom. 💓🧚🧚♂🧚♀
Houses are not homes, until you make them yours with love and devotion, then it is a home. Not what it is worth but the worth it means to you and your family is the value of it.
The end of January and beginning of February are my spring cleaning times. I go through my things to see what can be mended, donated or tossed. I also try to finish any left over fleece I have to spin so I can make room to obtain a nice fleece or two to work through at the end of the year for gifts that I spin up and knit, crochet or weave. Your little one brought back my memories of my son (he is 8 now) as a toddler and really made me smile. Its such a beautiful time to share those moments of discovery.
this made my whole WEEK seeing a new video from you! i absolutely loved it. it's just what i needed as i have begun to really think about how we can live even more sustainably lately. two recent things i've done: buy secondhand items i needed from vinted instead of buy new + adamant about catching cold shower water in a bucket to water plants with while waiting for the tap to turn warm. thanks for the inspiration as always and love to see how it is in your household in january! xx
Thank you for your video! I love watching you do your thing around the house with your baby. Last year I turned my Christmas tree into a hat rack by cutting the boughs and setting it in a pot. This year I want to see what else I can try... maybe kindling bundles? I lost my father in October and gave myself permission at Christmas to do less, buy less, and stress less. It made a real difference. I've been journaling with a fountain pen and pot of ink, playing piano, trying to walk more. Your outdoor challenge is inspiring! My weakness right now is those plastic coffee pods. Why were they ever invented?! Love and gratitude to you & your family!
Happy New Year! It's always a blessing to see that you've created and released another beautiful video. Your voice is so calm and serene, and instantly helps me dial down the internal frenzy. As always, I love to see you and your sweet, little fairy enjoying the simple things in life. This month I've been taking a page out of the UK's notebook (I live in the northeastern US) trying to incorporate a "tea time," at some point in the middle of the day, to give myself a little break. If my children or husband are around, I invite them to take a tea break with me. My daughter is 11 and my son is 8, and we've also been doing more baking projects from a cookbook we gave my daughter for Christmas. It's got wonderful recipes for gluten-free, processed sugar-free and dairy-free goodies, and so far everything we've tried has been wonderful! It's just fun to get in the kitchen together and make something from scratch to enjoy during tea time! Thank you for another inspirational video! Peace to you and your lovely family!
Ohhh.....sigh....the Little Fairy is precious and assuredly is a joyful addition to your family and home! Loved the jewelry box gift that came to your little. So much fun!! And the wool nest cup for the birds was fantastic. Great idea. And such poignant closing comments. So true. Heidi in Vancouver BC Canada
Love seeing Little Fairy's wanderings. Thank you for being here and making content. I am a mother of three (4.5- 6 months old) and pregnant with my fourth and I found having a UA-cam channel with this aesthetic very difficult to achieve. Maybe one day I'll come back, but viewing your channel has always been a sanctuary for me
Awh congrats on your fourth pregnancy! I can barely do content with one so I don’t know how anyone does it! Our child is priority and everything else comes second. :-)
@@FairylandCottage thank you so much! Any number truly is a challenge and who knows what the future holds for any of us. Children absolutely take center stage and the rest is all something I squeeze in here and there lol 😁
Always enjoy these videos! One thing that I’m trying to do, to be more sustainable, is buying dried beans, instead of relying on canned all the time. And I love your bread recipe! Haven’t made any for some time now - will make this week
I love your ideas on sustainable living goes along with mine in many ways, especially where you use what you have instead of what’s used by others, and using thing for purposes they were not intended. For instance, the last time I needed tie backs for my curtains, I hammered out a section of copper pipe, ( from the plumbing section of my junk drawer🤗) then bent it in a U shape and bolted it to the wall. If you hang a few dangly pieces of glass or beads, it’s quite pretty. I had to smile looking at all that lush and beautiful green and hearing you say it was cold. The little elf is beautiful beyond words… as are all elves❤️🤗🐝
Simplicity is so satisfying and meaningful. Even the mundane tasks can be done with mindfulness. I have slowly eliminated premade store-bought condiments and am making our own, including mayonnaise. Trying my hand at fermented options as well. Striving to use every bit of food in the refrigerator before embarking on a trip to the shops. I find great solace and value in learning new recipes and incorporating new routines into my daily life.
Happy New Year! I completely agree with what you were saying about January and I have intentionally been slowing down, setting intentions rather than resolutions or goals and really taking care of myself 💛 I'm taking small steps to a more sustainable, slower life and I'm already feeling less stressed, less pressured and more relaxed 💛 to me a sustainable life is showing gratitude for life, for the things you have and what the world provides you 💛 my best wishes go with you and your beautiful family for 2023
There is so much waste with buying!! The packaging is so bulky!! If we do it ourselves we at least know exactly what's in it & how it was made. Your little fairy is growing so much!! Loved to hear her talking & watch her in action ❤️ Happy New Year to all of you!! ❤️
I just love hearing from you on Sundays. I'm glad you are rested! Your sweet fairy is really growing up so quickly! Thank you for reminding g me of living more sustainablely! 🙏
I love to grow yellow cherry tomatoes, so this spring I hope to buy one nice plant, and then snip off some shoots from it to plant in buckets so that I get 3-4 plants out of one. Love, love, love the little fairy's noises in the background.
Just a lovely video with you and your little fairy. You are so thoughtful in your approach to everyone’s individuality when it comes to sustainable living. When we care for what we have and are mindful about how we use things it creates a much less stressful and more gratitude filled life. We added a corgi puppy to our family last fall and he sheds like crazy. I learned that birds like to use fur for their nest building so when I groom him or sweep the fur on the floor (everyday), I sm saving it and will set out what I have in a clay pot by the bird feeders for the birds to use. I’m curious to see if they do use it!
Happy new year! I love how organic and peaceful your sustainable living is, you show the simple unglamorous side and I do truly feel that that is the reality of sustainable living for many of us. This year I made Sloe gin and repurposed as old mayonnaise jar (cleaned well) to store the sugar and sloes in whilst they fermented. It was unglamorous and simple and it was perfect for the task :) we cannot afford to buy the proper tools sometimes and I agree that it is about using what you have, even if it doesn't look aesthetically pleasing. Great video as always, see you soon x
Thank you so much for sharing. I especially love that you talk about taking January in the Winter to recharge and give yourself grace. I have struggled for years to thrive during Winter and hustle each year to make new years resolutions and goals but this is almost impossible for me as I get seasonal affective disorder. I had berated myself for years about failing to go after my forced new goals as soon as January hits. I think the timing of goal setting is completely wrong I may need to start goal setting another part of the year and take this Winter to recharge.
I'm making washcloths , bibs and some cloth toys from some old stained towels. We also do the 1,000 hours outside as well. Over the years it has become our lifestyle. Your fairy is just adorable. How old is she? I have 5 kids. 1 boy 4 girls. Mine are 16, 12, 3, 2 and 5 months.
it's been 30-35 degreed Celsius for almost all of January. I was hoping to learn more recipes over January but I'm in the middle of moving overseas and planning a trip to see friends in the UK and Europe so I haven't had a lot of time, over December however I made some apple streusel muffins which have become a staple lunch in my house. In the sorting out of my house I found some yarn and a crotchet needle which inspired me to do a project once I've settled into the new place.
I think the best thing for me which came with sustainable living is: I stopped use shampoo and all other hair products you can buy in the store, now my hair is more beautiful and healthier then ever before. I use chickpea flour or soap nuts( I like better, but I am not sure how sustainable their are) rosemary, hibiscus water or vinegar for rinse. Now, I wash once a week, which is less water use.
Happy New Year! I generally start expressing my gratitude, it's my sunday gift to find this messages from you invinting us to look around with honest and kind mind and heart, finding real meaning and purpose for life. Here in the extreme south of the planet January is a special moment in wich the sun shines like no other month of the year. Even with the difficulties of climate change the sky in January is blue, intense blue, and the sun is exceptionally bright! Very high temperatures are being followed by lower levels of rain, causing troubles for any creature in nature. But being and living sustainably is a permanent challenge. It means that we have to dedicate part of our daily time to observe, feel the changes around that don't promote life's potencial ,to think and act or react to preserve life in all the ways we can. It means make efforts to give meaning for our lives differently of consumption society suggests 24 hours: preserve what we have, reuse, share with others what we think we don't need, be grateful by what we have instead of accumulate. And living sustainably, for me, means also connecting with people who is trying to make it real by their own lives toward simple living, slow living, sharing practices and ideas, motivating each other to proceed... because it's not always easy when we are in the middle of the urban hurricane. Peace, love and strenght for you all, specially for the litlle Fairy who seems more, each and each day, with her mother, turning each day in poetry and enchantment for Life.💚
Happy new Year! And thanks for your inspiring tips on sustainable living! Here in Germany we do sort the garbage, but it was great to learn, what you do for living sustainably (natural cleaners, decoration, etc.). Also, we usually don't buy new toys for our kids, 'cause I like the idea hat these are re-used and "live" longer too. I'd also like to try gardening and composting this year - should be fun with kids. I wanted to say a special Thank you for your calm voice and the previous video that reminded me: it's good to slow down at this time of the year and take the pressure off myself. I have realized, how stressed I was (taking care of family and 2 little kids is not an easy job!). So I am now trying to be more restful and appreciate myself what I am doing for the family. Thank you! Have a happy January!
Resourcefulness truly brings me joy!! As a sewing teacher and a crafter I love to repurpose, repair, and upcycle things… all kinds of things. My current project involves making little outdoor tables out of wooden cable spools (I have a friend who is an electrician). I don’t really make New Years resolutions or goals, but in 2023 I am focusing on theme months… January is “No Buy”, February will be “Tackle the List”, and March, well… I’ll figure it out when I get there. As for recipes I’m making in January, we have many, many cured Kabocha Squash and Butternut Squash from our summer garden, so I am enjoying finding unique recipes for squash as they are so versatile. Niamh, I am sorry to have missed the Premiere at 4:00 (PST), I slept in until 6:00 but I am happy to leave a little comment here nonetheless. I love your tiny Fairyland house, your Soda Bead recipe and, of course, your gently powerful message and beautiful filming. Thank-you so much for sharing, inspiring, and connecting with us. I’m already looking forward to your February video. 💦🌎Ⓜary💕🇨🇦
We make our own deodorant from coconut, bicarb and essential oil. It smells nice and there are no damaging aerosol sprays. I started making it after some of my friends were retested for breast cancer (thankfully only 2 tested positive and have since recovered). But it set me wondering about how many other, now commonplace items we buy from shops that we could otherwise make for ourselves and how much less harm we would not only be doing to the environment, but also to our bodies!
I’m 78. The older I get, the more I try doing for myself. I’m forever salvaging scrapped lumber to help heat my workshop and attached greenhouse in northern Ontario… where it’s truly cold! The GH allows me to grow winter salad greens plus provides a little income in spring when I sell plant starts. Most of my grounds are the envy of the neighbourhood, but I do have my “farmyard” tucked in behind a cedar hedge out back… and that’s where I have my organized mess! Love and share your simple approach to living.
Really loved this video Niamh. It can be so overwhelming, feeling as though you're not doing enough, thanks for reminding me to take the pressure off and just do what I can!
Funny… I just got back from a Zero Waste shop. Filled up on all of my cleaning and hygiene supplies to last me a good while. Using the Refill stores is a very recent development for me, and it’s actually no where as significant as the sustainable practices that I have in other areas of my life. I think a lot of people should be encouraged that it’s okay that they don’t have a refillery… and it’s just wonderful that you are giving such great examples of how creativity is big benefit to sustainable practices. ;)
Happy New Year to you all!
Since it's the first video of 2023 I thought I'd do a premiere so we can chat!
Love to you all 💚
Happy new year 🎊
I am so happy to see your notification. Finally i will get to see my fav's video. ❤️
I love your videos and this is what I've started doing after my husband's passing last year....and the severe economic downturn Sri Lanka had last year.
@@bethanne717 thank you
Sustainable living for me at age 75 is simpler as I only have myself to care for. I don't deprive myself little treats occasionally but I don't enjoy shopping. So I do a lot of DIY projects, bake, cook and can at home and don't spend much money. I grow a little garden and save my seeds and plantings, compost my food scraps, shop second hand and try to repurpose or donate extra household items. I'm intentionally staying home this month as much as possible due to the snowy roads and am organizing and cleaning up items around the house. My goal is to clean out and organize every drawer, closet and cupboard before spring!
Once again this year we did a no gift christmas, it was so nice not to have to come up with more gift ideas and run around the stores, also in January no credit card bills...for my daughter we bought her a bike on her birthday to ride to work, practical gifts during the year. In the summer I treated myself to new plant pots. With food inflation I'm still making all our food from scratch when possible, when I make my sauces, bread and pasta etc there is no packaging and jars etc no going to the store and most of all less money. We are paying the companies to make the product that we can easily make.
So so true! Why pay them when we can make ourselves :-)
@@FairylandCottage Very true, but as you say, not everybody has the appropriate shops nearby or even the time to do all those lovely things. But as long as one keeps being reminded by people like you, maybe one can make an effort to incorporate more little sustainable things into a busy life. Our Christamas tree gets used to protect our roses and kiwi fruit plants against severe frosts, which usually don't happen until after Christmas. Love your banana bread recipe but for real bread, I prefer wholemeal bread with plenty of different cereals and nuts, etc. Your videos are so very soothing.
Iwant to sayHappy New Years. You know ilove your Channel. Ive been with your channel for quite a while
Thank you.istill walk my Yorkie,dog Diamond even in the cold early. Morning's. Its refreshing. Because in North Carolina the weather is good
It could be 35degreesand raining and two(2)days its 63 or 65° degree.it still winter. Iam thinking also about my spring flower garden .
Iam saving my money for a new washer. Ihave a dryer .iwill not be in credit card debt.but ihave have purchase my self a dryer rack from Amazon
Because ican save electricity and a high bill.my mother had a dryer rack when I was growing up also.ijust love it'.ihave two rack.better material than my mom's but it's still a dryer rack.
What a great example you are setting for your sweet child. She gets to watch Mama up close doing these little projects and soaks it all up as she grows. Your patience is beautiful and calming.
Thank you so much for saying I’m patient. I think it’s a first time mom thing 😂
I always try to remember the Dali Lama’s phrase, “you can’t change the world, just yours. “ It helps keep sustainability doable, on whatever scale one is able to achieve .
The Little Fairy is so adorable! Thank you for these reminders. I am not someone with a budget to go to a sustainable shop and buy everything now, but I’m gathering a collection of jam jars and interesting shapes that I reuse, and you’re right, just taking care of the simple old things that I have as best I can, and thankfully is what is sustainable for me. I do hope to plant some herbs this year. And I love how you moved the bulbs inside.
ohh good luck with herb growing... the smell alone is benefit enough! xxx
How nice to see you again in a new video, hearing the baby talk makes the atmosphere more loving in your home.
Health and peace to you and your family.
A big part of sustainable living for me is growing our own food and preserving it to help supplement our diet in the cold months. We have a smallish suburban garden but I'm always astonished at how much it produces.
Jams, chutneys, frozen veg, soups.
It's a skill that I fear is slowly dying, preserving food, but one I look forward too with anticipation every year.
Relying less on supermarkets is my biggest goal this year!
Was so delighted to see you back on UA-cam🥰♥️❣️When I was raising my boys in the 1970’s and 80’s+ I followed Rachael Carson’s “ Diet For A Small Planet” and used all her recipes. I even fed my oldest son her baby formula, as I could not breast feed. Thank You so much living your Sustainable Life- you are such a fine example of it🥰♥️💁🏻❣️🍀💚.I am a retired RN and now Certified Healer and continue to strive to make a gentle impact on the planet….Janis Shelton Griffin, RN, BSN, PHN.
Great comment, just wanted to say that Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring. Frances Moore Lappe authored Diet for a Small Planet, such a classic!
The way the little fairy toddles!! SO adorable!
My dog is in what I call “high shed” season, so I sweep before I vacuum and throw all the fur outside. I see the critters collect it for their nests and it makes me smile. I also don’t have to replace my cleaner bags very often, which saves a ton of money. I found a beautiful hand-made broom at a discount store so sweeping has become my meditation and it signals my brain to prepare for sleep.
I loved the reuse of the Grandmother's jewelry box ...So sweet!
I love this video and couldn't agree with you more! Living sustainably is very often not fancy and shiny or exciting, it's often slow and quiet and consists of age-old routines. It's not about having something pretty that looks good and matches everything else we have - it's about using what is there. Thank you for showing this to the world in your videos 💕 And even though I talk about similar topics on my channel I still keep learning from you with every single video 💕
So so true my friend ❤
So lovely to hear you talk about how January is still winter, and an inward kind of energy, and how you are cleaning/preparing for the year to start. I also feel that way this year very much, the year "starts" when nature does, which is the first signs of spring! It would be so much more logical to celebrate new years in March, I sometimes feel. Thank you for the lovely video Niamh, it was a joy as always!
Beautiful video. When I was a child, I lived in the country and put yarn out with the hope that birds would use them for their nests. I knew it was a long shot, but I actually did see that yarn in a nest. I was so thrilled! One thing I did a few months ago that isn’t necessarily sustainable, but promoting nature and beauty, is “guerrilla gardening” with native seeds. Since the pandemic, I’ve jogged a route near my house. It has some lovely wildflowers in the spring, but I am partial to California poppies. I am very curious and excited to see if they bloom!!
You are living the life we all should be living! I've just moved into a new home with a small garden - just big enough for a 78-year old! Unpacking boxes and I'm really ashamed because of all the STUFF I have accumulated over the years!! As I unpack I'm filling boxes that will go to refugee centres as well as charity shops. And a LOT is going to the trash unfortunately. A new life begins 😊 Thank you the lovely videos and the great tips! 🙏
Sounds lovely. Enjoy!
Don't be ashamed that you accumulated so much! It happens to us all. At least you are putting it to good use now. 👍💜
Ah congrats with your new move! May it be a great new chapter for you. We all accumulate more than we think. It’s totally natural!
So happy that you have a new home! Don't be too hard on yourself, us seniors, got bamboozled by some really good marketing in the '70s, '80s, '90s. We all fell for it. The truth is, once a product is made, it is already destined for a landfill someday. We can do better, now that we know better. Good luck in your decluttering. It is very freeing to just live with what you actually need and use.
@@dbartz5510 Thank you! This morning I had my wifi connected but now I have no idea where the TV controls are packed... Oh, well, at least I have a laptop for now.
This is so nice to know
That there's people like you
Which appreciate Everthing and are grateful
I had a moment with sustainable living today. I was drying the cut tops of strawberries to add to my tea when I suddenly realized what a waste it was using the oven to dry them. Off went the oven and out the tray went into the sunshine to dry them from the sun's beautiful rays.
Sustainable and simple living is to own less and to feel more real life. So much things we don't need are time and life wasting. I am on my own journey to slow down all areas in my life. The only area where this is not possible is my job, unfortunatley. My job feels like a daily marathon, every day. I am so grateful, that I am only working halftime. But, I am 55 years old, have rheumatism , and this halftime job makes me so tired many times. That's why I changed my life at home in many ways. I declutter stuff, donated them, I changed my diet more and more to a plant based and vegetarien way. I started to meditate and it feels so much better. I wish I could find a way to make my job easier. But to life a simple and sustainible life helps me to endure my job. Your videos are always like little holidays. They do me so much good❤. Thank you (and please forgive me my grammatical errors.)
I wish you peace and health, your gramma is very good
@@aprilprescott4192 Thank you so much!!
Your baby girl is unbelievably precious. Happy new year to you :)
I love your little fairy, and the way she loves her jewlery box, with all the mirrors. You are so calming, with your soft voice and accent. What a wonderful way for your little fairy to grow up - and she is walking already! Also trying to talk, with a calm living way. Her memories will be of nature and love, and a nurturing life. You are a breath of healthy fresh air, thank you. Love, cuddles and Blessings from Devon, England. xxx
Awh thanks Jilly xxx
I missed your videos sooooo much! It's just so wonderful to see you (and your little fairy!) back with wonderful thoughts and tips :)
Awh thanks fellow witch 😊🥰
I am always amazed by your wisdom…. Is it only me, or the world is switching for a better conscientiousness ? I try to apply the same principles into my own life, decluttering, recycling, getting more “natural” products, and taking much better care of myself. I think I am slowly getting out of this tornado of a life I had before, but maybe it is just that with aging we become wiser. Thank you for this beautiful video ! (I have been following you since years, the years you were giving recipes, remember ? I still make the Irish soda bread, in my East coast America !)
Lovely video, Niamh, with lots of wisdom. I do my best with living sustainably, yet living in the city in an apartment with no green space of my own makes it difficult. However, I do what I can, avoiding plastic as much as possible, buying almost everything secondhand. I was thinking about this the other day and realized that, since I have been an adult (and that's a very long time!), 99% of my furniture has been secondhand...from thrift shops, auctions, garage sales, etc. My clothes are mostly secondhand as well, and even those I have bought new, I have had for years and years. Food is my challenge, as I don't like to cook, yet I do the best I can and buy local whenever possible.
I admire you and others like you, Niamh, who do as much as you do for the earth. Thank you, once again, for sharing your life with us. Much love to you, Terry, and the little fairy. ♥♥♥
Happy new year to you Fairlyland family. 💕 I try to live sustainably, and this weekend has been all about traditional Nordic dry cleaning! I have rinsed curtains and rugs and other fabric in the dry clean snow. We have been down to -18C this weekend. Going through a lot of firewood! But the weather has been beautiful with the low January sun, and this traditional way of cleaning is perfect, and a reason to be outside. I leave the item out to get the same temperature as the outside, so the snow dont melt into the fabric, then I rub it in snow, and finally give it a real beat. Fun to put the snow to good use. We have about 150 cm now, starting to worry about my roof. Cant wait until spring. I just went over the seeds I saved from last year, and thinking what I need to buy new. 🌞 Lovely inspirational video, thank you💕
Your videos are my safe place and you are such a rolemodel to me!
Moreover I felt so relieved, when you said that you don't feel like going outside at the moment. I loveee nature but in the winter I would rather cuddle up in a blanket the whole day-which makes me feel guilty somehow. I just don't feel as connected to nature atm. But hearing the same from you is a big relief!
Greetings from Germany 🍃
I found after leaving a high-pressure job and letting go of expectations of myself and others and finding a true sense of self, I no longer need "things". Appreciating what I had, nature and practicing a no waste lifestyle I am happier than I have ever been. It is very rare that I buy something new.. I love your videos and your little fairy learning every day with you. I love that.
Hello Fairyland! Could you make a video about low waste/sustainable parenting? Kiddos need a lot of things and I wonder how you approach this :)
Your baby saying, "Dada", reminds me of when our first baby starting saying, "Dada". We made a game out of it, so everytime our baby would say, "Dada", her daddy would come running to her. She would say it over and over and here he would come. She would laugh so hard and so would we! Great cherished memories for us. Thanks for sharing your beautiful journey. Our kids are in their thirties now and it seems like yesterday. It goes by so fast. Loved raising our children.
I love the idea of putting out yarn scrap trimmings for the birds! My kiddos are trying to build and 'animal habitat' in the backyard and they will have so much fun cutting up yarn and looking at the nests in spring to see if any of the birds have used them!
Your beautiful little fairy gave me so much joy today. I loved watching her explore the new little fairy cottage. Seeing walk brought tears to my eyes. I miss having small children around, they bring such a fullness.
I echoed your exact comments to a group of friends. I told them I don't even like hearing the phrase New Year's Resolutions. After the stress of Christmas shopping and decorating I don't want anything expected from me on January 1st. I slow way down and cuddle with pets and 3 yo granddaughter. I already miss the stage of your little fairy. My connection with earth is my time with my horse. My hubby and I are both retired as of Christmas and are planning a better garden. Each time I empty a container I wonder how else I can use it. Thank you for the well spoken and always gentle way of reminding me of sustainability. Happy new year to your family.
Hello, happy new! For me, living sustainably is almost like living again, going back to the habits of our grandmothers and living away from the hustle and bustle, although sometimes I still miss a little movement. I don't live in a cottage, but in a small town and everyday I try to adopt more and more sustainable habits. Your channel is a great inspiration for me. For that I am very grateful to all of you!
It’s lovely to see so much green in your video. I’m still looking at snow and ice. This winter I started making my own vanilla extract.
It was a lovely surprise to see your video this morning. Your little fairy is growing so fast it seems. I planted a vegetable garden last year for the first time and I'm in my 60's. The tomatoes took over so I will plan better this year. I use old container totes to grow them. Looking forward to spring as I am not a winter fan and live in Ontario Canada ,so cold and snowy. Thank you for sharing a part of your life and for reminding us to slow down and enjoy simple things.
When your little fairy ran up and said “mama” 🥺🥺🥺 ohhh my heart
Happy new year and sending your fam lots of love, thanks for another video ❤
I always enjoy the serenity and the loveliness of your videos. I think one development in our society that has been very helpful is that through the online sites such as craigslist and the many, many others where we share our used objects with each other at cost that is affordable for most, we are doing a lot of recycling. I also shop at places like Goodwill for the majority of my clothing, which works out very well.
Yes totally agree. In ireland we have a similar site and I find it so valuable!
I love the idea of sharing wool scraps with the birds. You’re so kind ❤
I just LOVE the baby noise in your videos!
I've been making hotpads for gifts using one on my favorite crafts called lockerhooking. I'm a sewer, so this is a great way for me to use up my fabric scraps, which I just can't throw away. I absolutely love winters pace. The almost forced slow down of life.
I read aloud twice a day to my children because we are inside so much. We live in Washington state in the US, and we get lots of snow.
I'm decluttering ( again 😄), making crafts, and baking bread. Just enjoying each season as it comes. ❄️❄️⛄️
Happy New Year. What a wonderful, slow and calm video for a Sunday. Lovely to see how much your little one has grown and is thriving too. Jx
thanks Julie... its lovely to watch her thriving and growing xxx
Love the gentleness of your spirit and the mindfulness of daily life. January is my month to clean and remove labels from the jars and bottles in my recycling bin to use for food storage, propagation starters, vases, and lovely bits of color on window sills. Like you, I refill all jars of staples, wash the curtains, shake out the rugs, air the pillows and throws on sunny days, put out suet and bird seed, refresh the paint and varnish all the little wooden birdhouses I like to tuck in around my garden, and remind myself to be slow and easy with myself and immeasurable grateful for my simple life. Love to you and fairy blessings.
Thank you. I needed to hear a calming voice this morning. The stress has gone and I can enjoy the day. ❤
Your daughter is gorgeous. Nothing can compare to the pleasure of seeing the world anew through the eyes of one’s child. ❤
So so true ❤️❤️❤️
How often I've said.. The wisdom of simplicity..The luxury of efficiency.
Again.... not a rejection of technology, but realizing that it is a tool and not an end to itself.
Your soft gentle approach gets that point across far better than most other advocates of simplicity ever will.
I have to smile when you talk about the cold there...
Here in upstate New York in the United States, the temperatures rarely go above freezing from November to late March..the trees are bare and we just look forward to Spring.
As always..best wishes and thoughts to you and your family.
It’s really lovely to watch your videos and hear your little fairy babbling in the background. It brings me back to when my kids where little. My kids are teenagers now and it’s a different time in our lives, they’re fun to hang out with and we just finished playing a board game together. Your video made me nostalgic for the time when they were smaller 💕
Have you come across the Sustainable(ish) blog? I love that word! So often, 'sustainable' can be loaded with guilt - we are not doing enough, we should do better etc. Adding the 'ish' reminds me that none of us is perfect and we are all just doing the best that we can, and that is better than doing nothing at all!
Sweet video. Thank you for sharing your calm and sweet way with us. Your little fairy is so lucky to have such loving and caring parents.
It’s so beautiful to see your bonding with your little one. Creating a bond, a relationship from mother to best friend ever in the life.
This was exactly what I needed to hear this morning. Thank you!
I’ve been following you for a number of years now and your gentle ways are so beautiful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing your life with the world.💙💙💙
Thank you rose for being here for so long. 💜💜💜
Happy New Year Niamh! What’s wonderful about how you live is your adorable daughter will grow up thinking this is normal. Have a great week. ❤️
Happy New Year, so lovely to see you and your sweetest little fairy, growing fast, bless her. January is a time for me with the Winter Solstice for reflection, Spring being my favourite time of the year, my birth time and a time for new growth especially in the garden and hedgerows. I think sustainability for me is gratitude in what we have, however little and being inventive in how we use those things around us which is very satisfying and good for us and the world we live in. You bring a calmness to my wellbeing which I thank you for. X💕
Yes! To the outside. We are in a much colder climate but if it’s at least 32 degrees F or if it’s colder and the sun is shining my granddaughter and I take a walk. We are in a suburb but yet we can spy bird and squirrel nests we couldn’t see when the trees are full with leaves. ❤
So peaceful. Thank you. Trying to be sustainable in NJ. Your videos help me!
I really appreciated the idea of giving myself permission to live more slowly. My life is anything but slow, however, your channel brings me peace. One thing you hinted at really made me think; that January is still mid-winter and how odd it is that everyone considered January as a starting point when it's really not. I am wondering if my efforts to begin again might work better if I use the first day of Spring as my start date, instead of January first!! What a novel idea! I'm going to go with that. I'm going to use what's left of winter for thoughts of self-care and going more slowly. Monday, March 20th is the first day of Spring and a good time to clean and begin again! Thank you for your wisdom. 💓🧚🧚♂🧚♀
I love that! ❤
Just so sweet! Your little one will grow up learning contentment and calm; what great parents you are! ❤
You’re kind to say! I hope so 😊🌸
Houses are not homes, until you make them yours with love and devotion, then it is a home. Not what it is worth but the worth it means to you and your family is the value of it.
I absolutely adore seeing the adventures and growth of your little fairy!
I missed this video. Sorry I missed you until today. I especially love hearing little ones chatter.❤️
The end of January and beginning of February are my spring cleaning times. I go through my things to see what can be mended, donated or tossed. I also try to finish any left over fleece I have to spin so I can make room to obtain a nice fleece or two to work through at the end of the year for gifts that I spin up and knit, crochet or weave. Your little one brought back my memories of my son (he is 8 now) as a toddler and really made me smile. Its such a beautiful time to share those moments of discovery.
this made my whole WEEK seeing a new video from you! i absolutely loved it. it's just what i needed as i have begun to really think about how we can live even more sustainably lately. two recent things i've done: buy secondhand items i needed from vinted instead of buy new + adamant about catching cold shower water in a bucket to water plants with while waiting for the tap to turn warm. thanks for the inspiration as always and love to see how it is in your household in january! xx
Thank you for your video! I love watching you do your thing around the house with your baby. Last year I turned my Christmas tree into a hat rack by cutting the boughs and setting it in a pot. This year I want to see what else I can try... maybe kindling bundles? I lost my father in October and gave myself permission at Christmas to do less, buy less, and stress less. It made a real difference. I've been journaling with a fountain pen and pot of ink, playing piano, trying to walk more. Your outdoor challenge is inspiring! My weakness right now is those plastic coffee pods. Why were they ever invented?! Love and gratitude to you & your family!
Your daughter was so cute running through the forest! The little faery house is beautiful! I'm sure the faeries will love it 💕
Thank you for sharing your story with us. It's lovely to hear your little one chatter in the video.
Happy New Year! It's always a blessing to see that you've created and released another beautiful video. Your voice is so calm and serene, and instantly helps me dial down the internal frenzy. As always, I love to see you and your sweet, little fairy enjoying the simple things in life. This month I've been taking a page out of the UK's notebook (I live in the northeastern US) trying to incorporate a "tea time," at some point in the middle of the day, to give myself a little break. If my children or husband are around, I invite them to take a tea break with me. My daughter is 11 and my son is 8, and we've also been doing more baking projects from a cookbook we gave my daughter for Christmas. It's got wonderful recipes for gluten-free, processed sugar-free and dairy-free goodies, and so far everything we've tried has been wonderful! It's just fun to get in the kitchen together and make something from scratch to enjoy during tea time! Thank you for another inspirational video! Peace to you and your lovely family!
How special Elena! Tea time is my favourite time of the day and you’re making such unique memories with your kids baking and spending time together!
Ohhh.....sigh....the Little Fairy is precious and assuredly is a joyful addition to your family and home! Loved the jewelry box gift that came to your little. So much fun!! And the wool nest cup for the birds was fantastic. Great idea. And such poignant closing comments. So true. Heidi in Vancouver BC Canada
Love seeing Little Fairy's wanderings. Thank you for being here and making content. I am a mother of three (4.5- 6 months old) and pregnant with my fourth and I found having a UA-cam channel with this aesthetic very difficult to achieve. Maybe one day I'll come back, but viewing your channel has always been a sanctuary for me
Awh congrats on your fourth pregnancy! I can barely do content with one so I don’t know how anyone does it! Our child is priority and everything else comes second. :-)
@@FairylandCottage thank you so much! Any number truly is a challenge and who knows what the future holds for any of us. Children absolutely take center stage and the rest is all something I squeeze in here and there lol 😁
Always enjoy these videos! One thing that I’m trying to do, to be more sustainable, is buying dried beans, instead of relying on canned all the time.
And I love your bread recipe! Haven’t made any for some time now - will make this week
Enjoy bread making xxx
I love your ideas on sustainable living goes along with mine in many ways, especially where you use what you have instead of what’s used by others, and using thing for purposes they were not intended. For instance, the last time I needed tie backs for my curtains, I hammered out a section of copper pipe, ( from the plumbing section of my junk drawer🤗) then bent it in a U shape and bolted it to the wall. If you hang a few dangly pieces of glass or beads, it’s quite pretty.
I had to smile looking at all that lush and beautiful green and hearing you say it was cold.
The little elf is beautiful beyond words… as are all elves❤️🤗🐝
Simplicity is so satisfying and meaningful. Even the mundane tasks can be done with mindfulness. I have slowly eliminated premade store-bought condiments and am making our own, including mayonnaise. Trying my hand at fermented options as well. Striving to use every bit of food in the refrigerator before embarking on a trip to the shops. I find great solace and value in learning new recipes and incorporating new routines into my daily life.
Happy New Year! I completely agree with what you were saying about January and I have intentionally been slowing down, setting intentions rather than resolutions or goals and really taking care of myself 💛 I'm taking small steps to a more sustainable, slower life and I'm already feeling less stressed, less pressured and more relaxed 💛 to me a sustainable life is showing gratitude for life, for the things you have and what the world provides you 💛 my best wishes go with you and your beautiful family for 2023
I agree Natalie. It's wonderful that you are feeling the benefits of slowing down... best wishes to you and your family also xxx
There is so much waste with buying!! The packaging is so bulky!! If we do it ourselves we at least know exactly what's in it & how it was made. Your little fairy is growing so much!! Loved to hear her talking & watch her in action ❤️ Happy New Year to all of you!! ❤️
Your fairy is precious. I love her delight in being outside.
Yes, this! The simple life is the life for me. Your beautiful scenery needs no extra “fluff” to embellish. You’ve said it right.❤️
I just love hearing from you on Sundays. I'm glad you are rested! Your sweet fairy is really growing up so quickly! Thank you for reminding g me of living more sustainablely! 🙏
I love to grow yellow cherry tomatoes, so this spring I hope to buy one nice plant, and then snip off some shoots from it to plant in buckets so that I get 3-4 plants out of one. Love, love, love the little fairy's noises in the background.
Just a lovely video with you and your little fairy. You are so thoughtful in your approach to everyone’s individuality when it comes to sustainable living. When we care for what we have and are mindful about how we use things it creates a much less stressful and more gratitude filled life. We added a corgi puppy to our family last fall and he sheds like crazy. I learned that birds like to use fur for their nest building so when I groom him or sweep the fur on the floor (everyday), I sm saving it and will set out what I have in a clay pot by the bird feeders for the birds to use. I’m curious to see if they do use it!
Shes soo big ❤❤❤❤blessings love how you dont expose her directly keep it up 😊
My January recipe is fermented lemon honey-great for sore throats and tea. So glad to see you back!
You are so close to the sea and its so green. What a lovely place to live!
Happy new year! I love how organic and peaceful your sustainable living is, you show the simple unglamorous side and I do truly feel that that is the reality of sustainable living for many of us. This year I made Sloe gin and repurposed as old mayonnaise jar (cleaned well) to store the sugar and sloes in whilst they fermented. It was unglamorous and simple and it was perfect for the task :) we cannot afford to buy the proper tools sometimes and I agree that it is about using what you have, even if it doesn't look aesthetically pleasing. Great video as always, see you soon x
Thank you so much for sharing. I especially love that you talk about taking January in the Winter to recharge and give yourself grace. I have struggled for years to thrive during Winter and hustle each year to make new years resolutions and goals but this is almost impossible for me as I get seasonal affective disorder. I had berated myself for years about failing to go after my forced new goals as soon as January hits. I think the timing of goal setting is completely wrong I may need to start goal setting another part of the year and take this Winter to recharge.
I'm making washcloths , bibs and some cloth toys from some old stained towels. We also do the 1,000 hours outside as well. Over the years it has become our lifestyle. Your fairy is just adorable. How old is she? I have 5 kids. 1 boy 4 girls. Mine are 16, 12, 3, 2 and 5 months.
it's been 30-35 degreed Celsius for almost all of January. I was hoping to learn more recipes over January but I'm in the middle of moving overseas and planning a trip to see friends in the UK and Europe so I haven't had a lot of time, over December however I made some apple streusel muffins which have become a staple lunch in my house. In the sorting out of my house I found some yarn and a crotchet needle which inspired me to do a project once I've settled into the new place.
I think the best thing for me which came with sustainable living is: I stopped use shampoo and all other hair products you can buy in the store, now my hair is more beautiful and healthier then ever before. I use chickpea flour or soap nuts( I like better, but I am not sure how sustainable their are) rosemary, hibiscus water or vinegar for rinse. Now, I wash once a week, which is less water use.
Have been enjoying your blog for some time now , you are so right about sustainable living, it means using up everything and not wasting anything.
Happy New Year! I generally start expressing my gratitude, it's my sunday gift to find this messages from you invinting us to look around with honest and kind mind and heart, finding real meaning and purpose for life. Here in the extreme south of the planet January is a special moment in wich the sun shines like no other month of the year. Even with the difficulties of climate change the sky in January is blue, intense blue, and the sun is exceptionally bright! Very high temperatures are being followed by lower levels of rain, causing troubles for any creature in nature.
But being and living sustainably is a permanent challenge. It means that we have to dedicate part of our daily time to observe, feel the changes around that don't promote life's potencial ,to think and act or react to preserve life in all the ways we can. It means make efforts to give meaning for our lives differently of consumption society suggests 24 hours: preserve what we have, reuse, share with others what we think we don't need, be grateful by what we have instead of accumulate. And living sustainably, for me, means also connecting with people who is trying to make it real by their own lives toward simple living, slow living, sharing practices and ideas, motivating each other to proceed... because it's not always easy when we are in the middle of the urban hurricane. Peace, love and strenght for you all, specially for the litlle Fairy who seems more, each and each day, with her mother, turning each day in poetry and enchantment for Life.💚
Happy new Year! And thanks for your inspiring tips on sustainable living! Here in Germany we do sort the garbage, but it was great to learn, what you do for living sustainably (natural cleaners, decoration, etc.). Also, we usually don't buy new toys for our kids, 'cause I like the idea hat these are re-used and "live" longer too. I'd also like to try gardening and composting this year - should be fun with kids. I wanted to say a special Thank you for your calm voice and the previous video that reminded me: it's good to slow down at this time of the year and take the pressure off myself. I have realized, how stressed I was (taking care of family and 2 little kids is not an easy job!). So I am now trying to be more restful and appreciate myself what I am doing for the family. Thank you! Have a happy January!
Resourcefulness truly brings me joy!! As a sewing teacher and a crafter I love to repurpose, repair, and upcycle things… all kinds of things. My current project involves making little outdoor tables out of wooden cable spools (I have a friend who is an electrician). I don’t really make New Years resolutions or goals, but in 2023 I am focusing on theme months… January is “No Buy”, February will be “Tackle the List”, and March, well… I’ll figure it out when I get there. As for recipes I’m making in January, we have many, many cured Kabocha Squash and Butternut Squash from our summer garden, so I am enjoying finding unique recipes for squash as they are so versatile. Niamh, I am sorry to have missed the Premiere at 4:00 (PST), I slept in until 6:00 but I am happy to leave a little comment here nonetheless. I love your tiny Fairyland house, your Soda Bead recipe and, of course, your gently powerful message and beautiful filming. Thank-you so much for sharing, inspiring, and connecting with us. I’m already looking forward to your February video. 💦🌎Ⓜary💕🇨🇦
Thanks Mary!! Glad you had a lie in 😂
Love the cable spools table idea! My sister got one a few ago and still loves it 🪄🧶🌸
Love the idea of pine scented vinegar!
We make our own deodorant from coconut, bicarb and essential oil. It smells nice and there are no damaging aerosol sprays. I started making it after some of my friends were retested for breast cancer (thankfully only 2 tested positive and have since recovered). But it set me wondering about how many other, now commonplace items we buy from shops that we could otherwise make for ourselves and how much less harm we would not only be doing to the environment, but also to our bodies!
I’m 78. The older I get, the more I try doing for myself. I’m forever salvaging scrapped lumber to help heat my workshop and attached greenhouse in northern Ontario… where it’s truly cold! The GH allows me to grow winter salad greens plus provides a little income in spring when I sell plant starts. Most of my grounds are the envy of the neighbourhood, but I do have my “farmyard” tucked in behind a cedar hedge out back… and that’s where I have my organized mess! Love and share your simple approach to living.
Really loved this video Niamh. It can be so overwhelming, feeling as though you're not doing enough, thanks for reminding me to take the pressure off and just do what I can!
Back at last what a treat
Happy New year baby is growing fast 💜
Happy New year 2023 to you Niamh, Terry and your beautiful Daughter. Thank you for another beautiful and calming video 👍😉🇮🇪☘️Eire
Your little fairy is so precious! Happy New Year to you and your lovely family! Enjoy your videos so much❤
Funny… I just got back from a Zero Waste shop. Filled up on all of my cleaning and hygiene supplies to last me a good while. Using the Refill stores is a very recent development for me, and it’s actually no where as significant as the sustainable practices that I have in other areas of my life. I think a lot of people should be encouraged that it’s okay that they don’t have a refillery… and it’s just wonderful that you are giving such great examples of how creativity is big benefit to sustainable practices. ;)
Make do and mend the earth….perfect motto. Thank you 😊🙏❤️
So good to see you and the Little Fairy. I love to watch you before bed because you are very calming. Thank you 😊
What's a sustainable life? Respect. Just that word i's enough to explain how we should act.
I love that. Respect. perfect. thank you for sharing