Why I Live A Simple Life

Summary

In this reflective video, the creator discusses their journey towards a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle. They recount their aspirations of starting a farm and the realization that focusing on personal growth and family is paramount. The video documents their efforts to improve soil health, the joy of foraging for elderflowers, and the pursuit of a balanced life that includes time for hikes and relaxation. It's a narrative of rediscovering the excitement for life, the importance of enjoying the mundane, and the quest for contentment amidst the everyday.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The narrator used leftover cedar boards from a deck project to build garden boxes.
• 🌱 They are shifting focus from a large-scale farming dream to mastering gardening for personal and family needs.
• 🌿 They have planted a nitrogen-fixing cover crop to improve soil health and plan to let the soil rest for a while.
• 🧗‍♀️ The narrator has a list of hikes they've been wanting to do for years and hopes to accomplish them this summer.
• 🎓 Reflecting on life transitions, the narrator feels they lost the excitement for life that came with youth and dreams.
• 💡 They are considering working less to take more risks and enjoy life, despite the potential financial implications.
• 🌞 The narrator has been waking up with the sun and finds it a beautiful experience, even after a stressful period.
• 🔪 They spent a day weed-whacking to control weed growth before the plants go to seed.
• 🌲 On a rainy day, the narrator went for a walk in the mountains, foraging for elderflowers to make cordial.
• 🍪 They experimented with sourdough chocolate chip cookies, highlighting the benefits of fermentation.
• 🎂 Preparing for their mom's birthday, they baked a cake using the elderflower cordial and are seeking a good wedding cake recipe.

Q & A

What project did the speaker undertake using leftover cedar boards?

The speaker decided to use the leftover cedar boards to build boxes for the garden.

What realization did the speaker have about their gardening ambitions?

The speaker realized they need to get good at growing things for themselves and their family before they can think about starting a farm.

What change in approach is the speaker making to their gardening this year?

The speaker is planning to have a very modest small garden and focus on improving the soil health in the rest of the space by planting a nitrogen-fixing cover crop.

Why does the speaker want to improve the soil health?

The speaker wants to improve the soil health to prepare for a potential future small farm and to allow the soil to rest.

What personal goal does the speaker have for the summer, aside from gardening?

The speaker hopes to have more time to do the hikes they've wanted to do for years.

What is the speaker's reflection on the transition from youth to adulthood?

The speaker feels that the stresses of adulthood and the seriousness of life have caused them to lose the excitement and magic they once felt as a young adult.

What does the speaker plan to do to recapture their excitement for life?

The speaker plans to work less, take more risks, and enjoy life more, despite the potential financial implications.

What activity did the speaker engage in to find contentment in everyday life?

The speaker went on a walk through the mountains in search of something, which led to foraging for elderflowers.

What did the speaker do with the elderflowers they foraged?

The speaker made an elderflower infusion to use as a flavor in baked goods and planned to make an elderflower cordial.

What is the speaker's opinion on fermentation and its benefits?

The speaker believes that fermentation is an art that has been forgotten by society and that fermented foods, like their sourdough bread, have health benefits, particularly for digestion.

What special event is the speaker preparing for with a cake and strawberry jam?

The speaker is preparing for their sister's wedding by making a cake and using homemade strawberry jam as a filling.