Co-creating a More Beautiful World
Having a great dream in a lot like mountain climbing. You have to descend before you can ascend. I can hardly believe that three years have passed since I committed myself to this dream of moving from the city to the countryside. If you had told me then that in three years time I would still be writing about the...
There is one missing ingredient of this journey from the city to the country so far: community. In this post I explore some of the contrasts that I have experienced as it relates to friendships and communal living over the last few years, and what this has shown my about my true desires about moving to the countryside. As we...
3 years have passed since I first started dreaming about moving from the city to the countryside. In that time, I have made a lot of progress in the direction of my dream. From my explorations of off-grid projects in empty Spain and my involvement in the community garden, to completing my first permaculture design certificate, quitting my 9-5 job...
Further Explorations of Rural Spain II This is the final installment of our trip to our trip Gredos, Extremadura at the end of 2021. It was a short trip- only five days!- but big dreams need nurturing and that’s exactly what those five days seeking out alternative rural Spain did. In this post I share about some of the...
Further explorations of rural Spain I Months have passed from our trip into rural Spain over Christmas. Already the memories have faded into the distance. The feeling of inspiration I felt then has given way to the mundane; the city, with its concrete blocks and asphalt streets, makes it seem like this is the only reality possible. Our stay in...
Revelations from the Heart Cave: Part 2 This post continues the story of our short Christmas trip into the countryside of rural Spain, where we stayed in a little eco-house on the edge of the Sierra de Gredos, around one hour and half from Madrid. From ancient Roman roads and crumbling buildings of ‘empty Spain’, to the idiosyncrasies of modern...
This is the second instalment of the summer I spent exploring alternative ways of living in the magical islands of the Azores, where my dream of living a sustainable life in harmony with nature first started. We begin where we left off in part 1, at the moment of crisis at Quinta da Canada, the young permaculture project on...
This is the story of my first encounter with the wonderful world of wwoofing, permaculture, off-grid living and the back to the land movement. It is a story of inspiration, vision, dreams, magic, romance and synchronicity… However, it is also the story of harsh realities, disappointments and disillusions. This is where I first glimpsed the possibilities of alternative ways...
In the first part of Miguel’s story, we learnt about rural life in Teruel, known for being as Miguel described ‘un rincón perdida de España’, a lost corner of empty Spain. He led us through tales of the struggles of his village, the realities of his life as a farmer and also the surprising adventures of the bohemian artists...
During our off-grid road trip through empty Spain, we were able to interview a local olive farmer to find out a bit more about why these ancient lands are slowly being emptied of people. What started out as a casual chat turned into a history lesson come story-telling session that covered all grounds- from Spanish history and politics to life lessons about integrity and the need to stand up for what you believe in.
Join me as I transition from the city to the country, following my hearts desire for a more sustainable life based on respect for the Earth and all the creatures in it. Let’s co-create a more beautiful world!
Beautiful reflections Sandra, thank you! I totally resonate with your idea of a little slice of paradise. The magical garden…
I've never heard of Derek Jarman before. It sounds amazing. Created with love. I do agree gardens should have a…
Hi Tim, thanks a lot for your comment :) you are right, it certainly is interesting! It never ceases to…
Hi Olivia, you are right. It takes a lot of courage to share your thoughts and feelings with complete strangers,…
Thanks Tim! Glad you enjoyed the post :) I love the water analogy! It's amazing how the natural world has…
