All Categories, Slow living

Seasonal Living early autumn: Embracing Nature’s Cycles for a More Fulfilling Life.

Posted on by Lïna

As the leaves begin to change and the air becomes crisp, we are reminded that autumn has arrived. This season is a time for change and transition, and it is the perfect opportunity to embrace seasonal living. By living in harmony with nature’s cycles, we can create a more fulfilling life that is in tune with the world around us.

One of the key aspects of seasonal living is understanding the natural rhythms of the earth. In the early autumn, the days begin to shorten, and the temperatures start to cool. This is a sign that it’s time to shift our focus from the outdoors to the indoors. It’s a great time to start preparing our homes for the colder months ahead, by cleaning, organizing, and decluttering. This will not only make our homes more comfortable but will also help us to feel more grounded and centered.

Another way to embrace seasonal living in the early autumn is to focus on the foods that are in season. This is the time of year when delicious fruits and vegetables, such as apples, pears, pumpkins, and squash, are at their peak. By incorporating these foods into our diets, we can nourish our bodies with the nutrients they need to stay healthy and strong.

In addition to focusing on our homes and diets, we can also embrace seasonal living by taking time to connect with nature. The early autumn is a beautiful time to go for a hike, take a nature walk, or simply spend time outdoors. By immersing ourselves in nature, we can find peace and tranquility, and we can connect with the natural world on a deeper level.

Finally, to fully embrace seasonal living in the early autumn, it’s important to take care of ourselves. As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, it’s easy to feel down or depressed. However, by practicing self-care, we can boost our mood and stay healthy and happy throughout the season. This can include things like getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking time to relax and unwind.

In conclusion, living in harmony with nature’s cycles is a powerful way to create a more fulfilling life. By embracing the changes that come with the early autumn, we can prepare ourselves for the colder months ahead, nourish our bodies with seasonal foods, connect with nature, and take care of ourselves. By doing so, we can live a more balanced and harmonious life that is in tune with the world around us.

All Categories, Slow living

Slow Living for Busy Professionals: How to Find Balance in a Fast-Paced World

Posted on by Lïna

Everywhere I see ‘Back to work’ and back to school’ but does one have to go back to stress and high spead? In today’s fast-paced world, it can be challenging for busy professionals to find balance in their lives. However, the concept of slow living offers a solution to this problem. Slow living is all about taking a step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and embracing a more relaxed and mindful approach. In this blog post, we will explore some tips on how to find balance through slow living.

One of the first steps to embracing slow living is to simplify your life. This means taking a look at your daily routines and identifying areas where you can cut back. For example, if you find yourself spending too much time on social media or watching TV, try to limit your screen time. Instead, focus on activities that bring you joy and help you relax, such as reading a book or taking a walk in nature.

Another important aspect of slow living is being present in the moment. This means focusing on the task at hand and avoiding distractions. For example, if you’re spending time with your family, put away your phone and give them your undivided attention. By being present in the moment, you can fully appreciate the experiences and people in your life.

In addition, slow living encourages a more mindful approach to eating and exercise. This means taking the time to prepare healthy meals and engaging in physical activity that you enjoy. Rather than rushing through a meal or hitting the gym for a quick workout, slow living encourages you to savor the experience and appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

In conclusion, slow living offers a way for busy professionals to find balance in a fast-paced world. By simplifying your life, being present in the moment, and embracing a mindful approach to eating and exercise, you can live a more fulfilling and balanced life. So, take a step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and embrace the joys of slow living.

All Categories, Slow home & garden, Slow living, Slow style

A slow September

Posted on by Lïna

September for me is a month of new starts, of organisation, there’s a back to school feeling and always lots to do. The kitchen garden is groaning with all sorts of wonderful produce, not to mention the abundance of sunripe tomatoes. As I hate waste and love the idea of enjoying all the home grown goodies throughout the winter, I am busy making jars of conserved tomatoes and all sorts of sauces and soups for the freezer.  Summer holidays may be over, but there is a sort of excitement in the air and there is a noticeable shift towards autumn. It really feels like a chance to reset and be productive in preparation for winter and celebrations to come. My daughter turned 18 this summer and she just bought a flat and will be moving out in October. A huge change for us as a family and of course very emotional.

Hopefully you’ll find inspiration for a slow and seasonal living in September; Now is the time to collect seeds fom the garden and planting your bulbs for next Spring, I will be planting more Alliums, Tulips, this year in the garden.



I will also contue to work and plan for our new home in Spain, Villa La Romana. We worked so hard this summer trying to get as much done in the short period of summer. we ended up doing most of the work ourself since it was in the middle of vacation time and most companies closes during vacation in Spain. Especially smaller and local contractors. I learned how to plaster, remove tiles and i’m actually very proud of myself for what we accomplished but also that we dared to follow our dream. Even if it scared us.

I will make my best to take the time and ensure that September will a month to enjoy the last of bittersweet indian summerdays. As the days grow gradually shorter and the light shifts ever-so-subtly, the very first hints of briskness in the early-autumn air makes me slow down, reflecting, and contemplating layers for the first time in months as summer turns to fall. 

Have a wonderful month.

with love 

Lina

All Categories, Slow home & garden, Slow living

Embracing slow gardening

Posted on by Lïna

Since slow living is all about a mindset it naturally encompasses all areas of our lives and applies to everything from what we eat to how we decorate our homes. Like slow interiors, slow fashion and slow food, slow gardening is inspired by the slow food move that i grew up with, which began in the 1980s in Italy.

Slow gardening is the only way I can and want to grow my garden. It consist in the idea that good things take time – the seasons, after all, can’t be hurried. (Especially not in Sweden). There used to be a time years ago where I would rush to the garden centre on the first sunny weekend of spring, to buy plants and flowers. But a genuine and poetic garden takes time to grow. Thats the beauty of it. You create a story and a journey.

Slow vs fast gardening


I was never really happy with those plants I bought, I mean the result.. it it’s like fast food and slow food. Slow gardening takes a longer term approach which follows the changes of the seasons. Slow gardening should leave you with something to work with, plan and look at 12 months out of the year. Less instant gratification for the summer and rapid garden makeovers and more enjoyment in the slow process. Thats why I particularly love perennials..– plants that return year on year and buxom since they are green all year round. I also enjoy drying plants and collecting seeds like today with these dry wild cilantro. To separate the tiny seeds and then watch them grow.

Slow gardening is about the pleasure in nurturing plants and growing your own produce and rejects the idea of a perfect garden. Slow gardening doesn’t mean being lazy, rather it supersedes the idea of strict checklists and unnecessary stress with a focus on personal and environmental well-being. It’s satisfying, rather than a chore. I feel that there is enough stress in our daily life and I don’t want my garden to add to it. Rather the opposite.

Much like the slow food movement which emphasizes with local food traditions and a strong connection with the food, eating mindfully, slow gardening results in a stronger connection to the earth and natural world. It makes me feel more grounded. The slow garden and the slow food movement are closely intertwined, helping us to repair the broken connection between growing and eating your produce and food. To grow your own flowers or food automatically gives you more perspective and respect for mother nature. Something we could all use more of.

In short, slow gardening is for me is:

  • Enjoying and finding satisfaction in the process of gardening, rather than achieving instant gratification and ignoring others’ view of what makes a perfect garden.
  • Feeling more connected to the natural world, where our food comes from and the local environment.
  • Understanding the whole cycle of nurturing your soil with food scraps, growing flower and produce, collecting the seeds and drying them during winter so you can sow again in spring.
wild dry cilantro ready to collect the seeds

Embracing Slow Gardening

  • To adopt a slow gardening mindset, I would recommend remove the parts of gardening that you find stressful. Don’t like cutting the grass, or feel mowing and fertilising isn’t very sustainable? Then embrace lawn alternatives, such as wild flowers – there are no rules for what you should have in your own garden. A minimal garden with lots of stones is also an option.
  • Respect and encourage wildlife to thrive in your garden.
  • Use fewer power tools, and instead use hand or manual tools. To use the hands and the body feels good and makes it easier to connect with the earth.
  • Reuse and recycling items in the garden for innovative containers. 
  • For the best chances of success (with less effort), choose plants that will thrive in your garden without excessive care.
  • And finally, experiment in growing your own fresh produce. If I could learn so can you.

I found that slow gardening gave me a new life. Its a very mindful activity. You can reconnect with your surroundings, notice the form and colours of plants and the wildlife that’s visiting. It’s a kind of active meditation. It’s also gives a great sense of purpose.

Slow living, Villa La Romana

Lugnet på den spanska landsbygden

Posted on by Lïna

Jag kom nyss hem från Spanien igen. Det är en hel del pappersexercis med att köpa hus men nu är faktiskt allting klart. Det var 4 intensiva dagar med mycket regn och blåst. Möten med advokater och överlåtelse av alla avtal som vatten, el, försäkring mm. Första gången på flera år som jag åkte ner själv. Lite omständigt men det gick ändå, speciellt när man är lite enveten och viljestark.

Jag åkte också upp till Villa la Romana så klart, första gången jag tog bilen ut dit själv. Även om det var regnigt och mulet så tycker jag att det är så vackert. Så fort jag svängde av den stora vägen och kom in på grusvägen längs olivlundarna och mandelträden så kände jag hur axlarna sjönk och andningen blev djupare. Det känns precis som att komma hem.
Denna gång lärde jag känna flera av grannarna. Vårt hus ligger nära några andra så vi bor inte helt ensamma där på berget vilket känns tryggt. Jag lärde känna grannen Sol som de andra grannar kallar för hippe, han odlar mycket eget och hjälpte mig klippa upp ett hänglås som nyckeln försvunnit till. Sedan lärde jag känna Kati och hennes son Leo. Hon bjöd på te och tipsade om internetbolag medans kitteln visslade i köket. Jag är otroligt berörd över den värme som mina nya grannar har visat mig. Öppnat sina hem och armar. Jag kände mig på riktigt omhuldad, tror inte jag någonsin känt så i Sverige. Är det för att det är en bra bit in på den spanska landsbygden? Eller har jag bara haft otrolig tur? Kanske en blandning av båda. Oavsett vad så känner jag att jag fått en försmak av hur livet här kan komma att bli i framtiden. Lite långsammare, lite varmare, mer närvarande och mer meningsfullt. Jag längtar redan tillbaka så det nästan gör ont.


All Categories, Slow home & garden, Slow living, Villa La Romana

Vi har köpt vårt medelhavshus

Posted on by Lïna

Vi har köpt vårt medelhavshus

Jag har svårt att förstå att det är sant, men vi har faktiskt äntligen köpt vårt medelhavshus. Som jag längtat och som vi letat framför allt. Under flera år har vi letat efter ‘vårt’ medelhavshus och nu äntligen har vi hittat hem. Självklart behöver vi renovera och fixa en hel del på huset men samtidigt får vi nu en chans att sätta vår prägel på huset.

När det kommer till husköpet så har vi tänkt att själva huset går att ändra på men inte läget, utsikten eller grannarna. Något vi har fått lära oss den hårda vägen. Jag föll för utsikten och läget och det faktum att den närligggande byn heter La Romana. Det var så givet på något vis att det skulle bli ‘La Napolitana en La Romana’ Min lilla bit av Italien fast i Spanien.

Villa La Romana

I spanien och Italien är det vanligt med namn på husen och det kändes ganska självklart att vi skulle döpa huset efter byn som ligger bredvid. Ganska vanligt att man gör så i Italien så det blev ‘Villa La Romana’. huset ligger inbäddat bland oliv och mandellundar med berget i ryggen och med utsikt åt både dalar och berg. Vårt hus är det sista huset med el draget, det säger ganska mycket tycker jag. Ett hus på landet där vi kan gömma oss för världen. En plats där jag förhoppningsvis kommer kunna anlägga min medelhavsträdgård, jag vill fortsätta odla så mycket som möjligt. Vi har redan en hel del som växer runt huset, bland annat har vi några olivträd, mandelträd, Johannesbröd och rosmarin.

Renoveringen av Villa La Romana

Snart påbörjar vi renoveringen och restaureringen av huset. Efter en hel del tankar fram och tillbaka så beslutade vi att faktiskt börja med poolen. På så vis kan barnen roa sig medan vi renoverar. Glada barn, glad mamma. Precis som alltid så kommer vi göra mycket av renoveringen själva och det får ta sin tid. Jag vill använda så mycket återvunnet material som möjligt. Köpa second hand om det går och då kan det ta lite extra tid. När man har väntat så här många år som jag väntat så kan man vänta lite till känner jag. Själva renoveringen är också rolig, att sätta vår prägel på huset. Det är byggt på sent 70-tal och det är väldigt mycket pasteller och 80-tals stil just nu. Ska verkligen bli roligt att göra det till vårt.

Följ gärna vår resa med renovering och restaurering på instagram kontot Villa La Romana

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