Blog Archives

Live simply....and richly

30/9/2010

I've been blogging now for six months about living simply and one thing that has become very apparent is that simple means different things to different people, as does rich and complex.

To a high powered executive with several children and a busy social calendar, my painting and gardening life in rural Scotland would appear the epitome of simple. To a subsistence farmer in rural China my life would seem rich and complex.

I think of my life as both simple and rich. Simple can be rich, in the sense of meaningful and fulfilling.

What say you?

Francis Bacon's studio.........Mmm

28/9/2010

Open studio...very tidy!

27/9/2010

Open studio weekend....simply beautiful, I like to think

23/9/2010

Here are some of the small watercolours for sale..

Simply holiday....more often

22/9/2010

Thinking of holidays...do you remember when we used to have one every seven days? It was called Sunday. What a good idea that was. I wonder if I could reintroduce it into my simpler life?

I've written notes to myself that sit around the house:

                       Is there a simpler way to do this?

                                                                     If I do this now, will it simplify my life?

            (In my purse) If I buy this will it simplify my life?

                                                                                         If I get rid of this will it simplify my life?

I think it is working....well, it did today.

Simply holiday...

21/9/2010

Criteria for me for a simple holiday:

Ideally it doesn't involve airports and ungodly hours

The place I rest my head should be attractive, or at the very least clean and simple. I don't like to pay for lots of facilities I won't use!

I don't want to eat with strangers, and I hate making conversation at breakfast (am not very sociable at the best of times).

It has to be different enough from home to be stimulating. A new landscape to explore does it for me.

I have to come back with more energy than when I left.

The weather's not that important, which is just as well as all the above requirements boil down to self catering in the UK!

Log fire is a must.

What's your ideal simple holiday? Do share....

Simply laugh out loud - even in an Art Gallery....

20/9/2010

This is in Aberdeen Art Gallery. It is called 'Legroom Hanging' and is by Freddie Robins.

The sign beside it reads 'This piece...is one of two important textile acquisitions made during the 1990's which demonstrate makers' interests in using their work to explore various ideas about the body, life and death.' Really? - don't you think Freddie was just having a great giggle as he carried on knitting the arms right down to the toes (or the toes up to the shoulders)? Sometimes art galleries just take themselves too seriously....

Simply eat, and learn..

9/9/2010

Trying to describe to a friend who can't watch You Tube why I am so impressed with Dr David Servan-Schreiber's vision of a more healthful life (see 7 Sept), the word evangelical came up, and I realised that one of the reasons I am willing to listen to what this man has to say is that he doesn't sound evangelical. He comes across as an intelligent, educated man, talking good sense, and as someone well qualified to give the up to date information which he believes everyone should know.

So, in case I'm beginning to sound evangelical myself - I won't mention it again (well, if you promise to have a look that is!) Thanks Liz.

Now I'm simply going off for a holiday. (Must do a posting on simple holidays....soon, but not today! I'm too tired. Don't you find that there is an awful to do before you can go away?)

Simply eat, in The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind!

8/9/2010

If you found the video clip in yesterday's post interesting, do watch Dr David Servan-Schreiber's lecture on You Tube. Fascinating, and well worth an hour (what else would I do with that hour anyway, I ask myself!)

The music from the video clip is Jon Brion from the wonderfully titled Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Isn't that fabulous? How do they think them up? Hear it on www.last.fm

You Tube - The Role of the Body's Natural Defences in Preventing and Treating Cancer

I have, of course, sent for the book..

Simply eat, and nourish the life in you..

7/9/2010

I've not posted under Simply Eat for a long time - perhaps because I feel quite happy about my eating habits on the whole. But they are about to undergo a bit of a change since I came across the work of David Servan-Schreiber author of Anticancer: A New Way of Life.

Take a look at the 7 minute clip on You Tube and see if you don't also want to rethink the way you eat, and the way your family eat........he is very persuasive. Google You Tube - anticancer_ a new way of life

I like the phrase he uses about what you choose to eat: 'Nourish the life in you'.

Love the music!

Simply draw...by accessing your right brain

6/9/2010

'It appears that the right brain processes visual information in the way one needs to see in order to draw, and that the left brain perceives in a ways that seem to interfere with drawing.'

So says Betty Edwards in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. The book, and the class, give you simple ways to access your right brain which can draw, and quieten down your left brain, which gets in the way of being able to draw. It's fascinating stuff and the results will delight and amaze you....

Simply draw..

5/9/2010

If you can't make the drawing class take a look at Drawing On The Right Side of The Brain by Betty Edwards. The most intelligent how to draw book ever. Trust me.

Simply draw

4/9/2010

Here is Karen's drawing on week seven of the ten week course. Not a good photocopy. But a good drawing.

Simply draw

3/9/2010

I've been fascinated by drawing ever since I can remember, and love teaching drawing.

If this drawing (by 32 year old Karen) is about your level of ability when it comes to drawing, join my class 'Drawing for Non Artists' and learn to draw in ten weeks. Just put your e mail address in comments and I'll get details to you......the class will be in Dunoon in Argyll, Scotland.

Simply chill..

2/9/2010

apres le book group...

Simply beautiful

1/9/2010

read all about it - under Simply Grow 9th May 2010

our robin is back....