Using simpler stuff in everyday life
Last week I went out of town and lost my electric shaver. I had a handheld razer that I received in the mail years ago as a sample, and used it and found I like it. No buzzing and noisy electricity, and I like the leizure of dragging the thing across my face and feeling the wiskers give way. Simpler is better in this case and I don't think i'll replace the lectric razer.
Right now there's this A-Hole outside with his noisy lawn mowers and leaf blower, creating a hellofa racket that totally drowns out everything and I can't even talk on the phone. Think how much healthier that idiot would be if he pushed a simple mechanical mover and raked the leaves with a (horrors!) rake.
Anyone else have examples of simpler is better, of getting away from the complex, noisey, and expensive and going simple.
Simplify, simplify, simplify...
I believe it is said, when Ghandi died, everything he owned could fit in a shoebox!
And I keep working on getting my pack weight down.
Wonder why Thoreau say "Simplify, simplify, simplify"?
....when he could have just said it once?
I have a big vegetable garden, all raised beds. I used to have a big Troy-bilt tiller for turning the soil.
I spent about as much time maintaining and repairing the tiller than I did using it - that's not really a knock on TB, once it was running it made short work of the garden chores. But sometimes I'd spend the better part of a day getting that monster started and ready to till. So I gave it away to a friend.
I've just been using shovel, hoes, and a rake for the last ten years. It's a lot easier. It's even faster. Now that the soil's in good condition I can turn it over and rake it smooth in about the same time it used to take to get the tiller from the garage to the garden. I can also do what needs to be done when it needs doing, I don't have to put off garden maintenance until there is enough work to justify starting the tiller. Or I can do just a little digging when I have a little time and finish when I have a little more. It's quieter and safer working with hand tools.
I planted 1.5 acres of former mowed yard in trees, gave away my old riding John Deere and bought the cheapest push mower I could find for the little patch of grass remaining around the house. That saved several hundred dollars a year in mower maintenance and repair, and many hours of work each year, too.
Now I have grapevines, blueberry bushes, thornless blackberries, and raspberry plants on order, scheduled for shipment in December. I have to build 5 new raised beds to hold them all. I'll be starting that this weekend, with the shovel. And then there will be even less grass to mow!