Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View Julie @ The Farm Wife

I hope you are ready for today’s conversation because I am going to take you back in time. I’m doing this to answer a question proposed to me recently. It had to do with the differences between a Simple Life ‘back then’, and a Simple Life now. The question seemed to clash with a belief that ‘we can never go back; we can only move forward’. To a point, I agree with that statement. It is impossible to step back in time and change things. We can only move forward and do our best not to repe...

As much as we sometimes would like to withdraw 100% from society, in reality it isn’t practical or probable. As humans, one of our basic needs is to have contact with others – even if it is only one or two people at a time. Having neighbors and a community fills that need. It doesn’t mean we have to be surrounded by people every single day. A little aloneness is also good for the soul. But when times get tough or we just need a helping hand, it is nice to have someone who can help. ...

Welcome back to the Porch! Help yourself to some tea cakes and lemonade and settle in for a few minutes. In fact, you showed up just in time to help me with a little project I’m working on. All I need for you to do is tell me – what is your favorite kind of cookie? (Just send me an email and let me know!)While I was in the kitchen baking those tea cakes you’re enjoying, I started wondering about who the first person was to actually bake a cookie. And as a random history buff, I had to g...

Gardening as part of a Simple Life is more than just growing fresh food for your family. It is also finding a way to continue growing that food when money is tight or we find ourselves in the midst of floods, drought, or even food shortages. To do this, we need to take our gardens to the next level and learn how to save the seeds for the food we grow. Learning how to start your own Seed Bank is simple. Listen in and get started on the basics!My Amazon ShopMary’s Heirloom Seeds *Affiliate Link...

If gardening is an art form, frugal garden decorating is the canvas! We all want healthy, beautiful gardens that delight the senses. But there should also be an element of fun tucked between the greenery. But when adding decorative elements to your garden, a shopping trip to the local gardening store may cause severe shock to your checkbook. Some of those precious gardening gnomes really need to come with their own pot of gold. You may be able to afford one, but several? Not so much.List...

Spring is here, and with it comes a beautiful array of spring flowers. As you drive down the road, you see fields of wildflowers, or beautiful roses in someone’s yard. All that beauty can’t help but make you smile. If it makes you smile so broadly when driving, why not let that beautiful vision greet you each day in your own yard? Embracing life with beauty is as simple as adding a cutting garden. It’s just a matter of choosing which ones! Listen in and learn what plant...