Looking To The Old Ways in Uncertainty

 

There is so much that I love about the 'old days' and the 'old ways'. 

I like the  'can do' spirit of the people, particularly those that lived through the Great Depression and World War II. 

I love their ability to 'make do and mend' and work with what they had. 

Of course, this is just a romantic view of the past. A way in which I am cherry picking the good from the bad. I fully recognise the trauma, the oppression, the ineqaulity, the poverty and all the other things that were prevalent in these time. 

In this place I focus on the pearls of wisdwom that I can take from days gone by. I look to the previous generations for their knowledge of running a housegold, keeping the family budget on track, bartering, growing a garden, sharing with their community and finding joy in the little things. 

I have always loved these 'old ways', but as I write these words in 2022 it seems that I am seeking this wisdom now more than ever. It times of uncertainty, looking back to see how our older generations dealt with adversity is a great source of reliable, tried and tested information. 

Here are some of the posts I had written years ago about my love of the old ways.  

The Outback House 

My Grandmother's Money Tin 

Cash as a last resort 

The spirit of my ancestors 

101 Years of simple living 

The Jam Stick

Reviving the Wisdom: Cash as a Last Resort

 

I have  very fond memory of my Grandmother wrapping home gown beans in damp newspaper so she could share them with people. It makes me think that we need to tap into our childhood and community memory because there is so  much wisdom there.  

I think back to the way my grandmother and my godmother ran their homes as friends that lived close by to each other. 

Both of them grew their own produce and baked from scratch. My godmother  had chooks and used to barter the eggs around town. She traded cooking, mending and eggs for people to do jobs at her house. She got egg cartons from another neighbor, swapped another neighbor for the newspaper and even the home brew was bartered. She never owned a car and different people often took her into town when she needed to. 

My Grandmother always had the latest newspapers and magazines on hand, but she never paid for. She always traded pumpkins, zucchinis or anything else that was in season for them. 

 Of course, no-one ever used the term 'bartering' it was just the way things were done.

They were quite enterprising really. A dollar saved here and there would have really added up.

For these ladies cash was really used as a last resort. If you couldn't swap or do a deal for something that you really needed then you would have to use your cash.

In contrast, today we don't share our things around. We are almost like 'hoarders'.  Just look in our houses at all the clutter! We would be better off having something flow into our homes, use it for a period and then have it flow out again for others to benefit from as well.

Rather than using our cash as a last resort, we tend to jump straight to it. If we want something, we buy it. No questions asked. We think of something, we conclude we 'need it' and we jump in the car and go and buy it or order it online straight away. Even if we haven't got the money, we just stick it on the plastic and will worry about it later!

I am therefore going to look at the principle of using my cash as a last resort. I will stop and think of creative ways that I can obtain things without using my cash. My beans will be ready soon I can wrap them in newspaper and trade them for eggs and macadamia nuts.

In order to start the bartering circle happening I will have to think of things that I can GIVE to people, for it is truly IN GIVING THAT WE RECEIVE.

 I am sure that once I start the ball rolling other people will come on board with the concept. I am sure if I asked a friend if they would teach we basic quilting skills they would love to be paid with home made cakes.

This thinking doesn't come naturally to my generation. I will probably subconsciously cruise past many an opportunity to swap instead of spend. I will turn my mind to this more over the coming weeks and keep you updated.

Does anyone have any ideas for reviving the 'swap instead of spend' tradition ? Perhaps you are already doing a lot of it. Please share your ideas so that we all can benefit.

Living with Uncertainty

 

This is my Grandmother - aged in her late 90s. 

She was born in 1907 and lived a life that was two weeks short of 102 years -living on her own until almost 100 years. 

She saw much uncertainty; The Spanish Flu pandemic, two world wars, a great depression, the early death of her husband..... the list goes on. 

In this photo she is briging in her tomato seedlings for the evening to proect them from the cold. She raised the seeds from last year's crop. 

After living a life of uncertainty, she had learnt to always be prepared. That meant that she always had produce in the garden, preserves in the cupboard and frozen veg and meals in the freezer. 

In these times of uncertainty I am reminded to look after the basics. Keep my house warm, preserve the produce and be prepared for rough economic times - just in case. It worries me to think that these skills of growing, baking, preserving and budgeting are slowly being eroded away by clever marketing. That is why I will also advocate for the simple life and retention of the old fashioned skills. 

Of course, I also know the secret that there is much joy to be had in the simple things in life !