INSPIRATION
A Simple Life
I wrote these words before we left for Italy.
‘Have you ever longed for something, I mean really longed for it? Every part of me aches to be wandering cobbled lanes with antique doors and ornate lions head door knockers. To be soaking up the sunshine in a tiny piazza, while Carina and Luca splash each other in the nearby fountain. Wandering hand in hand with my very Italian husband who can relax at last, he has nowhere to get!’
And whilst we still have a way to go creating our Italian life I know we are on the right track.
I see it in our children, our home, our relationship (even when it’s awful and we are arguing) I know it in my heart, this feels right, we are where we should be, we are creating that simple life, growing our own food, raising animals to eat, picking wildflowers, drinking water fresh from the mountain, cutting wood, gathering fresh eggs from our chickens, sipping hot chocolate or cappuccino and eating freshly baked brioche in our favorite cafe, and always looking for ways to take things to the next level.
With that in mind I’ve taken on a new challenge, and only three weeks in B-School is changing my life in ways I never expected. I’m sure you’ll see changes here and I’m sure you know I have you in mind as I make them.
I hope we can show our children that it is possible to live your dream, that they are a gift to the world, and we strive to be the best example of that no matter what the circumstances.
To all my friends and family here and in my life…
I believe in you, all those dreams and plans and hopes you’ve given up on, the ones you’ve told yourself are too hard, or too expensive, or that you’re not worth it. It’s those that I am passionate about. You and your dreams, I believe they should come true.
I want you to know you can do it, it is possible, and you deserve it xx
Our Italian Life:
An update on Luca, he has returned to school and is back to his bouncy chirpy self, Carina has the sniffles but is well and loves the baby rabbits (we have seven), I have very low blood pressure and am on a magnesium drink from the doctor, I went today for blood tests, (hope to be back to my version of normal soon lol ), Sam is good and has been chopping wood, cooking and looking at how we can make this all come together.
I am realizing how much I share on my Facebook page with photos and updates about our daily life, I’m planning to move this over to the blog and love your feedback and thoughts on the changes I’ll be making.
and the gang x
Well just a few lines about nothing. Carina is getting more beautiful every day! Do you notice? Sometimes when they are under foot you never notice. We had a gray damp day today. I am so looking forward to Spring. The garden is calling me but there is so much frost in the ground it might be a late season. They are promising the next week to be warmer !! Vlad and I went out for a perch supper at Port Stanley on Lake Erie today. The lake is frozen as far as you can see and the ice is piled up on the beach!! It was nice to get out cause the winter has been so cold and the driving so dangerous. How is Luca? and how about Sam?
I was so happy to hear you won the prize!! What an accomplishment!
Do you have many birds there? Are they song birds? I love to wake up in the morning to hearing the birds singing. Well keep up the good work. I love the trails and stories you take us on.
Besos
Evelyn
Dearest Lisa, my personal feeling is that FB is a meeting to meet and greet friends, I feel your Blog is your heart and home place where you and your loved ones share the joys and trials of your life renovating an old homestead, educating your children about life and nature for its real potential and then trying to squeeze some time for you and your husband. I love your blog as you share your dreams and hopes with us your devoted followers and we share a glimpse of a dream that we may secretly long to achieve ourselves but never have that opportunity. So whichever decision you make we are with you 100% and support this wonderful journey regardless!!! Sending you much love and affection from your birth country, Moira
Lisa – Facebook rules are always changing, and they are going to always be changing because they own it.
But your blog – its yours. You have created it, you rule it and you can share your life on your blog.
So instead of focusing on FB, why not share your images/thoughts/words/inspiration/ here on weekly basis? Create a Blog Post set up each week {one specific day} where you share your “Italian” renovations/finds/treasures/thoughts/dreams and life? Just a thought….because after all everyone who follows you on facebook can take five minutes out of their time to jump on over here and follow your gorgeous inspirations. That way you are building your blog, and not building facebook 🙂
Love your Pictures – love sent from Australia xxx
Your Dad would definitely be loving those boots and the gorgeous girl in them. It is nice to think of departed loved ones viewing our lives. You are really living your life, making it up as you go, learning on the hoof. Keep on having amazing experiences (because we love reading about them). Remember we are interested in all the little things that might seem so everyday to you 🙂
He always seems such a presence in my life even though I can’t remember him. I know he’d love our kids and one is up with him already so I like to think of them both watching out for us. Totally love the ‘Making it up as you Go’ thought Jan, we have no idea what is coming next and now Sam is thinking of starting up aquaponics so that should be a talking point in the valley. It’s so true that I take things for granted now and I think I’ll set myself a challenge to take photos everyday. xxx
sending love
PS loved your last post and the photos made me wish to be in Cambodia just spectacular xx
Hi Lisa, like everyone else here, I love your FB updates but I totally get why you’re considering scaling them down and posting more on your blog. FB’s constant changes (especially to the ‘reach’ of posts) annoys me, too. I’m sure it’s a way of making us pay for ads to increase our reach so I’ll be taking your lead and posting more on my blog. I think the thing that makes your posts so appealing is that they are written in such a personal way and you make the reader feel part of your life – even if we’re not daring to dream and living life in Italy, you make us feel like we are. Please don’t change that. Your personality shines through and I’m sure that your FB fans will gladly subscribe on your website. In the meantime, I’m getting ready for my ‘dream’ – two months in Europe with just my hubby. It will be the first time we’ve travelled in Europe without the kids (now young men) since our backpacking days. Can’t wait! x
I was thinking the other night Carolyn that if people aren’t following on fb then they only get part of the story as I’m posting so much on FB rather than at the blog. I do love the immeadiacey of FB and the easy way to chat and make friends, so I’ll always be sharing on both platforms but just not ON facebook as much if you get what I mean, it’s easy to loose track of time.
I’m so glad to hear your thoughts on the blog and my posts, it makes a huge difference to me to hear this xxx How exciting to be traveling Europe arghhh without the kids, we had a day out without ours today and it was such a change and so quiet and nobody wanting anything, nice for a day now and again. We’ll have a while to wait before ours are out and about, at least another ten years so I’ll be in my sixties lol xx
Enjoy your trip and I’m looking forward to hearing about it all xx