Love where you live.

Love where you live. 

It's part of my happiness recipe and therefore my year of happy.

Our family lives on an organic farm on the edge of a forest. We are surrounded by sky scraping eucalypts, by wide open paddocks, by fruit tree orchards and dams. But sometimes I have to admit I am guilty of looking around and seeing our to-do list rather than the gorgeousness. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and I can't see the forest for the weeds. Sometimes I dream of a tiny, easy to manage block in town. I know I was particularly guilty of this before we went on our trip. I would never think to take my camera on the chores run. My secateurs maybe, but never my camera.

Love where you live. It should be so easy right? I live where I live. The people I love most in the world live where I live and therefore I live where I love. And all the stuff I have collected is here too where I live (possibly too much of it but anyway...). So it should be so simple, but sometimes I think I need reminding to appreciate it, to see it, to love it.

I used to love it when visitors came over and told me how much they loved our farm. When they oohed and ahhed over the house dam, when they marveled that we live in a forest. When they took photos of the farm junk, of the animals, of the crates of fruit, of the places and things we walk past without seeing and take for granted. It was like when other people came I could see things through their eyes. I could love it too.

But lately, in the months since we've been home, I've been seeing it all for myself. By myself. With fresh and appreciative eyes. Like when we first moved here and we couldn't believe our luck. The beauty of the forest, the orchards, the gardens, the dams, the flocks of chooks, the paddocks and the wildlife.

We've even been making an effort to love the inside of our house too. Decorating little spots around the place, starting the painting everything white project. We're not there yet but we are on our way.

I'm really glad I have that happiness recipe to check in with when I need it, and I'm super glad I included love where you live in my happiness recipe too. It does make me happy. Even a family walk down to turn the chook fences on makes me happy. Happy enough to photograph it.

And we have been loving our safe and boring weekend too. Thanks for all your wishes on my last post. We've been playing games, making pesto, watching a movie in the park last night with friends and another at home this afternoon, crocheting in bed, doing the farm chores, hanging out and enjoying the slow.

I hope you've been having a lovely weekend too.
Have you? Have you done anything special? Made anything great?
Do you remember to love where you live or do you need a little reminding sometimes too?
Is it one of your happiness ingredients?
Do you feel happy at the moment?

I really do hope you have a happy and creative week.

See ya later hot potato. xx

(Note to self, today Miss Pepper started saying sh instead of s. Shed. Sushi. Sharp. Shop. Sunshine.
My baby is growing up.)