I’ve been meaning to create a space for, well, the things that I can’t quite fit on my main page, but that I’d very much like to include, and finally, after much poking of self in a bid to remember, here it is. I’ll add to it as I wander about on t’inter, I hope, and if anyone is kind enough to repeat the blog awards thingies that I’ve had before, this time, I’ve got somewhere to stick ‘em, so can be a bit more gracious about it! I really enjoy the sense of kinship that you get in the best corners of the ‘net, and hopefully this’ll be a place where I can help to keep that going, without cluttering up the front door, as it were.

This is something which really, really clicks for me – Mel‘s idea is that ‘it occurs to me that we are all on a similar sort of journey. Naturally, what we do and where we go and how we choose to get there is different, but in essence, our destination looks much the same. We are reclaiming, we are celebrating, we are rediscovering. We chafe against our boundaries, we are challenging our restrictions – some self-imposed, some societal, we seek to take back what was lost or taken from us along the way. We explore with our words, with our art, with our spiritual path – we take on ‘challenges’ and projects to stretch and push ourselves further toward that destination. And we share it all with each other. The triumphs, the doubts, the disappointments, the memories, the revelations and the Joy. We gather the bones and, together, are singing them to life in a glorious song of celebration.’ Yes. Oh so very yes.

This also works for me – Mon’s concept of a holistic mama’s blog is one that includes peeks into a life with children or work with children, is spiritual, health- or eco-conscious, talks of growing things, meditation, and, in short, is nature-loving and peaceable. I love the fact that the internet can offer you friendships with people you’d never otherwise come across; one of the things I really value is being able to connect with like-minded parents who have similar priorities to my own. Again, yes: so very yes.

Self-explanatory, really, I should think: a big fat ‘no’ to the commercialisation of blogs and online media. I used to carry a few ads on my last blog, but when I moved I felt very clear about not doing so this time; I accepted last time around because, as a full-time research student, money had achieved mythical status. Now, while I’m not rolling in money on a nightly footing, I can afford to put my money (er, or lack thereof) where my mouth is. Or even, as I very nearly typed then, where my moth is.

Growing Naturally‘s creed includes: living some of life on the outside of doors, wanting to be a friend to the Earth, enjoying walks in the rain, recycling (and teaching little ones to do so), making wishes with dandelions, hanging laundry on the line, and that homemade cookies are best. Lots and lots more, all of which is pretty much How It Ought To Be.

The pledge is simple: I pledged to buy handmade for myself and for my loved ones, and request that others do the same for me. I’ve sort of added, mentally, that I’ll try to make things myself where possible, time, money and evil sewing machine from hell permitting.

Generous: in their own words, ‘It started in one of those ‘what if…’ conversations between friends. What if the world wasn’t loaded in favour of a small minority of its people? What if we could look after the planet as well as looking after ourselves? What if a bunch of people tried to exploit the power of new technology to live a little more generously?’ Lots of suggestions for ‘treading more lightly, living more generously’.

Mel has given me this lovely award thingy, wot I am right chuffed with. It’s basically to say how lurvely I am. Isn’t that nice? The idea is that you pass on the love to fifteen blogs which are new to you; I haven’t actually got fifteen new blogs at the moment because I’ve cut back on the time I’m spending on the ol’ internet (quality rather than quantity, or something), but basically anyone to whom there is a link in my sidebar is deeply, utterly worthy of receiving this little chappy, new or not. So, clicky. Oh, and in particular, perhaps use this as a way to explore the Sisterhood, constantly increasing in numbers, delight, and life-affirming purpleness…?

And Mel has been at it again, and this time with something including stripy tights. Clearly extra points awarded for that. I’ve passed this along to three lovely bloggers; pop over and say hello.

And here is another lovely award, which originated here, and is largely all about being honest, admitting that sometimes life is a bit crap, and generally embracing all that life has to offer, from the fabulous to the fuckwittage. That, my friends, is not a tricky thing, but it can be tricky to tell the world about the moment when you realised you’d opened the door with pyjamas on, or the time when your child wailed the entire way around a certain large town, or the fact that while your colleagues may think you’re super-efficient, mostly you’d just like to hide under your desk eating something which involves cheese. Especially that.