TASHA TUDOR

   I discovered Tasha Tudor while looking for garden inspiration on Pinterest. I found many pictures with Tasha taking care of her wonderful garden. She was almost always alone and she didn't look at the camera. I started to look for some more information about this intriguing person. I discovered that she had four children and it was her choice to live alone, but what's even more interesting is that she was an illustrator and writer of children's books ;) She resided in New England from her birth on August 28, 1915 in Boston, Massachusetts to her death in Marlboro, Vermont on June 18, 2008.

   I started to look for Tasha's books but quickly discovered that none of them have been translated to Polish. Fortunately many online stores offer free delivery worldwide. One of the cons is the waiting time, which can take up to several weeks but this a sacrifice that a true book-lover will bear with dignity.

   The book I bought "A Time to Keep" was published in 1977. The story starts with a question "Granny, what was it like when Mummy was me?" asked by a little girl to her grandma. The answer is a journey through memories of holidays past. There were homemade valentines and Easter eggs, Fourth of July picnics and family birthdays. Thanksgiving brought visits from relatives so numerous, the children had to sleep in the barn. And finally there was Christmas, the best of all "times to keep" with handmade presents, Advent calendars, and a "beautiful tree in a shine of candles". The book is gorgeously illustrated with watercolor paintings. 

   The world created by Tasha is idyllic, both in her illustrations and in the way she lived in her house with the garden. This greatly conflicts with the fact that she disinherited three of her children in her last will and now they fight over her estate. The sad truth is that Tasha lived in a fantasy world and didn't face real life issues. Some of the last words Tasha said to her daughter Bethany Tudor were: "Oh, will there ever be a cat and dogfight when I die. But I don't care. I won't be here to see it." I suppose a loving mother wouldn't let that happen but I don't know the circumstances to judge Tasha.

Tasha Tudor

A Time to Keep by Tasha Tudor

ZERO WASTE

   The "Zero waste" movement has become a popular trend in the past few years. It is a philosophy that encourages people to redesign their way of managing resources according to the Five R’s, in the following order:

• Refuse what you do not need.
• Reduce what you need.
• Reuse by using reusables.
• Recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce, or reuse.
• Rot (compost) the rest.

  

"Pokochaj swój dom" by Bea Johnson

   Bea Johnson, who is a practitioner of a zero waste lifestyle, transformed her family's health, finances, and relationships for the better by reducing their waste to a half liter per year. Her book "Pokochaj swój dom" (Eng. Zero Waste Home) shows how the five key principles can be applied to every area of our house from a kitchen to a kids' room. It delivers easy tips for all of us: from buying in bulk and clever meal planning to simply refusing unwanted freebies and using our plants as air fresheners. Bea Johnson shows, by inspiring example, what green living looks like and offers a practical, step-by-step guide to diminishing our environmental footprint and improving our lives.
   The idea of zero waste sounds like a perfect plan for managing items that we use everyday. It can help to gain control over the things that we keep in our houses but also to improve our health, save money and time. It is no surprise then that I wanted to apply some of Bea's advise to my life. The first thing that I  tried was the recipe for liquid soap. I had many small bars of soap which were free samples. I grated 120 grams of them and poured into 1,2 liters of warm water. I left the mixture in a bowl for the whole night and in the morning I found that it turned into white jelly. I added some additional water, mixed it and poured it into a soap dispenser. Unfortunately the soap is sticky and unpleasant to use... and I produced at least a three-month supply... :(

Three jars of home-made liquid soap

   The unsuccessful experiment with liquid soap did not discouraged me from further implementation of zero waste rules. When I noticed aphids on a plant I bought two weeks earlier I already knew that I will try some ecological methods to get rid of them. I found a recipe for an onion and garlic extract on a website of organic gardening. I took one onion and two cloves of garlic and cut them into pieces. Then I threw them into a pot and poured in one glass of water. I boiled the onion and garlic for half an hour while the wonderful smell spread all over my flat :) When the mixture cooled down, I poured the liquid into the spray bottle and sprayed the plant twice with a 2-day break. Unfortunately it didn't work and even made things worse as more aphids appeared on my plant :( Then I tried another domestic method and prepared a mixture of 50 ml vinegar, 100 ml water and a few drops of dish soap. I sprayed my plant with the new cure and it worked partially. The population of aphids has been reduced but the mixture hurt the plant as its leaves turned brown :( I can still try some other natural methods like tobacco or nettle extracts but I'm afraid that the results will not be any better. I decided to leave my plant alone for a few days and when its condition improves I will go to a garden store and buy a professional pest remedy.

The aphids

The plant after the treatment

   I'm a little bit disappointed with the implementation of zero waste to my life. The domestic methods were not efficient and in fact I wasted more - time, money and energy on trying solutions that did not work. It does not mean that zero waste cannot succeed but we need to invest a lot of effort (time and money) to get the first benefits.

SHINRIN-YOKU

   Shinrin-yoku is a term that means "taking in the forest atmosphere" or "forest bathing." It was developed in Japan during the 1980s and has become a popular method of preventative health care and healing in Japanese medicine. The idea of shinrin-yoku is about walks in a natural area to relax, calm down and revitalize. Dr Qing Li who is one of the world's top experts in shinrin-yoku shares his experience and results of scientific studies in his book "Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing". The scientifically-proven benefits of shinrin-yoku include:

• Boosted immune system functioning, with an increase in the count of the body's Natural Killer (NK) cells.
• Reduced blood pressure
• Reduced stress
• Improved mood
• Increased ability to focus
• Accelerated recovery from surgery or illness
• Increased energy level
• Improved sleep

   The results of shinrin-yoku are impressive and we can easily apply some of the rules to our regular practice even when we live in the city:

• Every day spend time (30 minutes at least) around trees in the nearby park
• During the walk try to calm your mind by listening to trees rustling and birds singing 
• Decorate your balcony or terrace with plants
• Fill your home with house plants 
• Vaporise essential tree oils

   I like to visit Park Tarnogajski in my neighborhood. A lot of old trees grow there that create a nice atmosphere. The park was created with funds from the Wrocław Citizens' Budget and opened officially in May 2018. I often visit the park with my kids during the weekends. They ride their bikes and I sit on a bench with a book in my hands ;) In regards to my apartment I have many plants already and I use tree oils (especially pine oil) during hot baths in the winter. The main rules of shining-yoku have already been present in my life for a long time but now I discovered how important they are and what a great impact they have on my health.

Shinrin-yoku by Dr Qing Lee

Park Tarnogajski in Wrocław

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS

 
   There are many old stories that are known worldwide but they differ from country to country. When my daughter was a baby I bought her the "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" book. It has hard pages and touch and feel fabric elements to encourage children to play with the book. The story is about a little girl who went for a walk in the forest and came upon a little wooden house. She knocked, when no one answered, she walked in. She noticed three bowls of porridge on the kitchen table and because she was hungry she ate everything from the smallest bowl. Then she wanted to rest and sat on the smallest of three chairs but she broke it. At last she felt sleepy and laid down in the smallest of three beds. While she was sleeping the three bears who lived in the house came back and noticed that someone had been to their house. They found an empty bowl, a broken chair and a little girl sleeping in the bed. "They growled and shouted as they chased naughty Goldilocks out." That's how the story ends in the English book.

   My friend who comes from Ukraine brought me the "Маша и Три Медведя" (Eng. Masha and the Three Bears) book from her last visit to her family home. The book is in Russian and you can find many elements from Russian and Ukrainian culture inside. The family of bears is smiling to you from the cover but it is easy to notice that daddy bear is dressed in Russian national colors (he wears a shirt in white and blue stripes and a red scarf) and has a hat in Ukrainian national colors (blue and yellow). The girl's name is Masha and it is a typical Russian name. Masha just like in the English story found a house in the wood, ate porridge, broke a chair and fell asleep in the smallest bed. The three bears found the girl in their house but instead of yelling they explained that it is rude to enter someone else's house without an invitation. Masha asked them for forgiveness and explained that she was looking for someone to play with. The little bear wanted to play hide-and-seek with Masha but it was already late. Mummy and daddy bear said that Masha should go home now as her parents might be worried. They blessed Masha and wished her a safe journey home.

   I was looking for a Polish version of the story on my book-shelf but I couldn't find one. I will definitely put it on my wish list ;) I'm very keen to check if there would be any Polish aspects in the story.

TREE CHANGE DOLLS

   Two years ago my sister-in-law was frustrated when her daughter asked her to buy a Monster High doll. She refused to such a doll as she thought it was not appropriate for a seven year old girl. The Monster High dolls are teenagers but they look like prostitutes. They have full makeup, wear provocative clothes and extremely high heels. Sonia Singh, who has two little daughters, also didn't like the look of dolls nowadays. She decided to restyle the dolls to give them the look of young girls. She repainted their faces to have a more childish look, combed their hair into pony tails or braids and sewed them new clothes. Sonia shared the results of her work on Facebook and she received very positive feedback from mums from around the world. She branded her restyled dolls "Tree Change Dolls" as the first photos of the dolls were taken on a tree in her garden. Currently Sonia shares her experience of doll restoration on her web page and encourages parents to provide their children with more appropriate dolls. She would also like to affect toy manufacturers to rethink the type of dolls they produce.

Tree Change Dolls by Sonia Singh

   Some time ago when I saw a Barbie doll in a second hand store I decided to buy it and give her a second life. I shared the idea of saving the poor Barbie with my daughter and she liked it very much. First we washed the doll in warm water with fabric softener. Then we detangled her hair with a brush and made her two braids. Next I slightly repainted her face - changed the lip color to be more natural and made the eyebrows a little bit thicker. Finally I sewed her a dress from a piece of my daughter old clothing. I believe the result of our work is quite impressive. Now our Barbie looks like a happy teenager and my daughter loves to play with her. 

Our Barbie "before and after" transformation

   The best thing about restoring our Barbie is that I spent a great time with my daughter. Now she is asking me to buy another doll to restore it ;)

SOUVENIRS (NOT) MADE IN CHINA

   At the beginning of June I went on vacation with my family to Niechorze which is on the west coast of the Baltic Sea. We spent ten days having a wonderful time there. The weather was perfect and the beach was not overcrowded because it was before the peak season. However the local sellers noticed the increased number of tourists and began to open stalls with souvenirs. They were located along the path to the beach and every time we passed by them my kids asked me to buy something. My daughter even made a list of things that she wanted me to buy her for the day i.e.: an ice-cream, waffle or toy-seal. To minimize the risk of buying useless or poor quality things it's good to choose them from the following categories (all verified by us):

• Books - No matter how many books you have at home it is always worth taking the opportunity to buy a new one ;) After finishing the last of my books on the third day of our stay this year, I decided to look for a new one in the nearby book outlet (for sure I will not make this mistake next year). The prices were low but it was hard to find a decent book as I'm not a fan of romances, thrillers or guides. Eventually I bought "Efekt Domina" (Eng. Domino Effect) written by Dominika Kulczyk with 75% discount.
• Jewellery - In almost every seaside town you can find stores with jewellery made by Polish jewelers. Last year I bought silver earrings that I often wear to work. This year I bought a silver locket for myself and a heart-shaped pendant made of pink quartz and a bracelet with amber beads for my daughter. 
• Accessories - Two years ago I bought a grey leather bag with a fringe that became my favorite and despite the passage of time it kept its appearance. You can also buy a leather wallet or a scarf but you should avoid buying another key-chain or fridge magnet as you probably already have a drawer full of them. 
• Toys - It is really hard to avoid buying toys when your kids have a chance to look at them each time you go to the beach. Most of them are made in China and their quality is very poor. Last year I bought an Elsa doll for my daughter but even though it looked nice in the box the quality was tragic. The doll dress tore up on the first day, then she began to lose her hair and finally she broke her arm... We had to say goodbye to our Elsa and throw it into bin :( This year to minimize my kids temptation and avoid bad quality things I bought new toys before our holiday: a kite from Decathlon and a family game Dobble. My kids were happy with the new toys and during the holiday I bought only a toy-seal for my daughter and a wooden train for my son.

   The best souvenirs that we brought back from our holiday were memories of nice moments that we had together: long walks along the seaside, building sand castles, eating chocolate ice-creams or looking at a seal that was laying on the beach. We took kids on a narrow-gauge railway ride to Trzęsacz, where you can see the ruins of a church from the 14th century. We also visited Muzeum Rybołówstwa w Niechorzu (Eng. The Fisheries Museum in Niechorze). I took a lot of pictures and I plan to print and put them into our family album so that we will recall our memories during the cold winter evenings.

Walk by the beach at sunset

The grey seal

The ruins of a church in Trzęsacz

THE LITTLE WITCH

   “Once upon a time there was a little witch who was only a hundred and twenty-seven years old”-that’s how the story of the Little Witch and her talking raven Abraxas begins. "The Little Witch" (Pol. Malutka Czarownica) was written by Otfried Preussler, a German children's author. "The Little Witch" was written in 1957 and first published in Poland in 1960. Preussler invented this story for his little daughter who did not want to go to sleep because she was afraid of bad witches. Preussler tried to explain to her that witches do not exist. Then his daughter asked him if he was sure. His desire to answer this question became an inspiration to write the adventures of Little Witch.

   Every year, on Walpurgis Night, all the witches of the land meet to dance on Brocken Mountain. Little Witch is still too little to be invited, but this year she decided to sneak in anyway - and got caught by her evil aunt Rumpumpel. Little Witch was judged for her offense by Great Witch. Her broomstick was burned and she was made to walk home. She was told that she had a year to become a good witch if she wanted to be invited to Walpurgis Night next year. After all, what does it mean to be a good witch? Little Witch advised by Abraxas began to become a better witch and by the end of the story, she proves to be the biggest and best witch of all, but not the way the mean witches expected it.

   "The Little Witch" is one of those magical books that, when read in childhood, are being remembered for a lifetime. I regret that I did not know this book when I was young, but it made me feel like I was a child again for a moment. The novel is full of spells and extraordinary adventures that make it special and one of the most important and beloved. I've already read "The Little Ghost" written by Preussler to my children and they enjoyed the story, so I believe "The Little Witch" will steal their hearts as well.

"The Little Ghost" and "The Little Witch" by Otfried Preussler

DINOSAURS IN LUBIN

   During the long Mai weekend we visited my mother who lives in Lubin. We had dinner together and then we went to Park Wroclawski. The park was founded in the 19th century by adapting a part of the forest by the river Zimnica. In the 70's of the 20th century the park area has been enlarged to 14.47 ha. The park is located close to the kindergarten that I attended to when I was a child. I spent there many hours running and playing with other children. That time the park was a wild place with hardly any paths.

   Currently the park does not remind the place I remember from my childhood. In 2014 the park has undergone an extensive revitalization. Many educational paths have been created. In the south part of the park you can see various species of birds that live in aviaries including pheasants, owls, storks or eagles. In the east part a dinopark is located. You can meet there the most popular dinosaurs like diplodok, brachiosaurus, triceratops or the most scary tyrannosaur. My children had fun looking for dinosaurs hided among the tress. In the north part you can visit Mini Zoo with farm animals like chickens, rabbits, pigs or goats. At the end of our trip we went to the playground that has many attractions for children. I wanted to see the over a century old trees but I gave up that idea as it was impossible to get my children out of the playground.

   We spent really nice day in the park and what's even better after the whole day our children were completely exhausted and fell asleep as soon as we got into the car.

   The park has its own page on the parki-lubina.pl website, where you can find a map with detailed information on birds, trees and dinosaurs. I'm really glad that the park has it's "golden days" now and I hope it will preserve its good condition for many years.

Pheasant

White eagle

CZANTORIA

   I remember the times when I was able to pack my things into one backpack, get on a train and embark on a journey to the mountains. I slept in mountain shelters, ate local specialties and had the best moments of my life. Currently my children are still too little to take them on a mountain trip so I thought that it would be nice if a mountain could come to us. I invited the Little Czantoria when I heard that she is on her way back from visiting Śnieżka. We spent a great evening together. If you also would like to get to know the Little Czantoria I encourage you to read the book "O górze, która wybrała się w świat. Przygody Małej Czantorii" (Eng. About the mountain that went into the world. Adventures of the Little Czantoria) written by Weronika Górska.

   The Little Czantora lived for many ages in the shadow of her bigger sister, the Big Czantoria. She felt lonely and unappreciated. She couldn't stand being ignored by tourists and nearby residents any longer. One day, or rather night, she stood up on her feet and set out into the world. She met Łysa Góra, Tatry, Śnieżka, Olimp, Vesuvius and, of course, the Alps, the highest and most extensive mountain range that lies in Europe. Each of the mountains presented a different type of personality. Łysa Góra was too proud to admit that no witches these days arrange Sabbaths on her peak. Vesuvius and the Alps exalted themselves in front of their little cousin. Olimp, even though he was focused on how wonderful he was, made the Little Czantoria foll in love with him. The Little Czantoria found a true friend, Śnieżka, who also shared her passion about travels.

   The journey the Little Czantoria had, will not only teach you a lot about the mountains in Poland and Europe, but also about feelings and emotions, both positive and negative. The book is also a kind of satire on tourism and climbing. I truly believe that it's great for both small and adult readers alike!

O górze, która wybrała się w świat. Przygody Małej Czantorii by Weronika Górska

SECOND-HAND GOODS

   One of the reasons to buy preowned things is to save money as they are usually cheaper than new things. You can also decrease the amount of litter by giving a second life to things that have already been produced. When I was a child I wore clothes that I received from my older cousins and had school books that my mum received from her friend who had older children. For sure my parents saved money by equipping me and my sister with second-hand things but that time I wasn't as optimistic as my parents were. The clothes were not my style and often not my size and the books were dirty, crumpled and drawn on  with a ball point and crayons.

   To avoid the disadvantages of used things I follow three main rules:

1) I buy only things that are good shape, size and quality.

2) I buy things that I would buy new with normal price.

3) The price of the second-hand object is much lower than the new one.

I mostly buy used clothes for my children. I choose clothes that are in good condition and I know my children will like them. I avoid buying dirty clothes unless I’m 100% sure I will clean them easily. To plain t-shirts I add buttons, ribbons or lace (also from a second-hand store) to make them nicer for my daughter.

   I also have a few clothes in my wardrobe that I bought in a second-hand store. A salmon pink midi skirt from H&M that was new, with a paper tag attached and cost a tenth of the original price. I also have a floral dress from Oasis that had a stain on the front but I removed it easily and now I can wear it to work. I also bought winter trousers that are perfect for winter trips.

   As well as clothes I buy toys for my children. Recently my daughter asked me to buy her a toy monkey. It wasn't easy but I found two little monkeys in the second hand store that were available in 2017 in McDonald as an addition to a Happy Meal. You can still get those monkeys on eBay but they cost 6$ and I got mine for 2 zloty ;)

   I also buy used books that are old editions or no longer available in book stores. The things that I definitely won’t buy include underwear, shoes and bedclothes.