Wanna Be a Steader!

Living Simple...Learning my lessons

I was just on Catherine Ann's blog and she got me to thinkin'...

How did it happen?  How did the invention of all these marvelous "time-saving" devices cause us to have so much LESS time?!

Maybe the Amish have the real answer to this - and while "normal" society goes to Holmes County Ohio (the world's largest Amish community) or to Pennsylvania to visit their "quaint" communities and buy their baked goods, tools, cheeses, faceless dolls, crafts and eat (and eat and eat!) at their great restaurants - they remain in their close-knit comminities. 

One of the reasons that they still drive horses and buggies, as we were told by an old Amish man, is because technology can destroy family and comminity unity.  We can drive to Florida (from Ohio) in 2 days streaming down smooth interstate highways, stopping at our favorite restautants along the way, maybe see a few "sights."  They are "forced" to stay in a nearly self-sufficient society because they CAN'T travel very far, very fast.

How is it that these marvelous inventions that were created to give us so much more leisure time has REALLY taken it away?  We have faster cars so that we can get to MORE places, quicker.  We have an incredible thing like a telephone, so that we can now take it with us and take up even more family fellowship time (actually talking w/each other in the car) by talking to others.  (I'm speaking to myself, here)  We have food processes that allow us to keep goods on our shelves longer but we've traded freshness and scratch cooking for health problems and weight control issues for the "satisfying" sensation that processed flours, sugars and things too long to spell have brought to us.  And, shame on the grocers who have made it far more expensive for the average family to BUY and eat good, organic, healthy foods than to buy the cheaper, boxed and packaged, processed-to-(our)-death foods! 

OK...the steam is starting to decrease a little.  Thanks for letting me blow some of it off!    

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

also see:  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Buckeyeblog

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/OHIO

Amen

10:54, 2006-Mar-1 .. Posted by CircleZ

Hey! I resemble that remark! It is very grounding to have so many Amish neighbors (we live in Amish country too, north of you, I think). It's strange how striving to live a simple life is regarded as odd in today's society, isn't it?

Blessings!
Amey

You have nailed me also...

11:06, 2006-Mar-1 .. Posted by patintenn

You have made some good points here. I will go check out the others you have made reference to.

Thank you stopping by my place. I do understand what you are saying. Thanks so much.

Pat in Tenn

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12:33, 2006-Mar-1 .. Posted by HandsNHearts

It isn't those "time saving" devices that did us in...it's our thinking that we need to *have* more to *do* more. I still struggle with that, although I do think I'm waking up in some areas. Example -- we used to have a couple bread machines. Every morning I'd fill them up, click them on, and pat myself on the back for the homemade bread we'd be eating in a couple of hours. Granted, when I was one of those ladies working off the homestead, this was a great plan. Once I cam home, I began to see the flaw. I could easily make up to 6 loaves (plenty to freeze or share back then when the family was small! LOL) in the same amount of time as that machine made one little loaf.
Same with the dishwasher...here I was pre-rinsing, sometimes even pre-washing, and I was missing out on the quiet time I could have (not to mention the $$$savings in water and electricity) for pondering the day. Seriously -- with a family, how many times can you be left totally alone to do a task in silence??? No one wanders into the kitchen when someone is washing dishes...they're afraid they'll be volunteered to help! :o)
Another good example...the internet here. I can email many friends all at once -- or cut-n-paste my notes to each separately -- and free up the time I'd be using handwriting letters, or saving the $$ on long distance phone calls for quickie updates and chatter.
But what have I replaced all this time with? Sad, sad sad. I have misused my so-called time-saving devices for years and wasted so much valuable time I can never regain. I'm working on fixing that flaw in my system now though...the phone and internet crackle and cut off way out here, there is no TV reception, and who wants to rely on hillbilly country electric ;o) and we are in the midst of nowhere...if I want it, I'd best learn to make it myself or plan ahead to have it on-hand when needed.
Wonderful entry! Has my steam wore off along with yours yet??
Deanna

I totally agree...

05:57, 2006-Mar-1 .. Posted by DonnaJoy

...I have always heard that!! Thanks for the visit and I will be checking in with you daily!!
Donna

So True!

10:20, 2006-Mar-3 .. Posted by haras

The more modern we get, the less time we seem to have...confusing!

It also makes me angry that we are required to pay so much more for something that is natural and heathly, instead of all the chemicals and preservatives that are slowly killing us.

Sarah

Food for thought.......

03:43, 2006-Mar-4 .. Posted by GrandmaRosie

Very good point! I must be doing something all wrong. I need to step back and take a good hard look at how I run my household. Thanks for this eye opener.