Robert And Annette Making Joyful Choices And Changes

Yesterday we had the delight of hearing from our special BAKE OFF Judge Jeanne, who shared with us her passion for baking and also for nature, and wise advice in managing the challenge of risings costs. In case you missed that very joyful post, here is a link that will that you straight there:

THE JOY THAT JEANNE HAS SHARED WITH US

Today on the 2022 JOY OF BAKING GREAT BLOGGERS’ BAKE OFF we are shining a light on a SUSTAINABLE BAKING and how we can live joyfully in harmony with this beautiful planet.

I know that many WordPressers publish stunning photographs of nature and many have written about both their concern over climate change and the changes they have made to be more in harmony with this planet. But I know one blogger personally who has made some big changes in her lifestyle, and as it is always a pleasure to pop round and chat to Annette, the creator of LADY LEWIS, I asked her to share her thoughts and feelings with us.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NATURE AND OUR BEAUTIFUL PLANET? WHAT BRINGS YOU THE MOST JOY FROM CREATION?

What a delightful question Mel! How do I feel about our beautiful planet? I think I speak on behalf of many when I say that even during the toughest of times, I am filled with a sense of true awe and gratitude that our home is so magnificent and breathtakingly beautiful. I see no accident in that. It is simply an expression of love and joy – a gift to be treasured and prized.

Robert and I are very concerned about what we have seen with our own eyes. On a small scale, we have seen fly-tipping and vandalism. On a large scale, we have seen top grade timber such as spruce felled to be burnt as an alternative to coal – an alternative that is classed as “renewable energy” but actually produces more carbon emissions. The short-sighted decisions and quest for profit have contributed to what we perceive as great inadequacies in the stewardship of this planet. I am exercising restraint in what I say here Mel, because I know you want this feature to be joyful – but yes we feel deeply concerned about the damage being done.

What brings me the most joy? Well, the combination of nature that particular strikes pleasure into my core is that of water-trees-mountains. We love North Wales and the West of Scotland, and also the Lake District for rewarding us with that spectacle many times over and over.

Other bloggers who regularly share the joy of nature with us include:

Josy – A WALK AND A LARK

Kianna – DIARY OF AN ASPIE

Lou – A DAILY BIRD OF THE DAY PHOTO

HAS YOUR CONCERN OVER THE DAMAGE BEING DONE TO OUR PLANET PROMPTED YOU TO MAKE ANY CHANGES IN YOUR DAILY CHOICES?

Very much so. I think for many years Robert and I were perhaps a little stuck in our ways in some respects. But without even discussing it, we both started to make little decisions that were prompted by our feelings on what we had personally researched. I noticed that whenever we dined out, Robert was ordering a vegetarian dish and I was curious about that because when I met him he always ordered game or a hearty red-meat dish. We started to have conversations and although I have been brought with a “meat and two veg” mentality, I started to educate myself on vegetarian and vegan cooking.

I think that the lockdowns and social distancing requirements during the Pandemic were very advantageous for us being able to make conscious changes. Of course we could not host or attend dinner parties for such a long time, so once we were allowed to do so, the passage of time that had elapsed made it much easier to tell friends and relatives, “Oh by the way, we now stick to a meat free diet.”

What prompted that decision are three factors:

• health concerns – we wanted a healthier lifestyle
• global concerns – we have researched the dentrimental effects of mass cattle farming
• pondering the cost of life

That last one might sound odd, but Robert was moved by a documentary he worked on that introduced him to a family who are living off their own land now – they grow their own produce and they keep chickens who supply them with eggs. During the filming, the subject of eating meat was brought up, and the gentleman said that every now and then they will kill one of the chickens. But he said that when you slaughter an animal for food yourself, your view of life and the cost of your food changes. He said their desire for eating meat has reduced for that reason. We cannot help compare their attitude to these fast food chains where people line up to buy a bucket of bread-crumbed chicken without any thought for the the real cost of their food.

I don’t want to sound preachy, because I don’t have an issue with people eating meat. But more thought ought to precede people’s choices. I sort of wish that all meat-eaters went through the process of slaughtering an animal and eating it, simply because the awareness of the true cost of your food deepens. I think there should be better education so that people do invest more conscious thought into their daily choices.

Other changes Robert and I have made – we sold our diesel guzzling vehicle and replaced it with a nippy electric car. We are also choosing to walk whenever we go into town, and use public transport in London. The electric car is handy for life outside of London.

I think the most profound change is in our beliefs. Our appreciation for creation has deepened. We now see more beauty, more wonder than we have ever done so before. This beautiful earth being restored to a paradise has become a focus in our minds, and it is prompting all sorts of changes – little and large.

Other WordPressers have been making changes and choices including:

Fandango – THIS THAT AND THE OTHER

David (and Polly) – DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO SHARE THE JOY OF BAKING WITH OTHERS?

I enjoy cooking and baking. As you know Mel, I don’t have a sweet tooth at all, but I find great pleasure in seeing the joy that baking brings to others. Robert likes every mealtime to be a shared event – and we enjoy having guests. I love to find new recipes. One area I need to educate myself in is plant-based baking. I think I am still using too much dairy in baking. I was very impressed when you showed me Sheree’s beautiful vegan tart.

Thank you for allowing me to talk about these subjects Mel. I think I want to say in conclusion that choices are personal. Everybody prizes their freedom to make their own choices. But it is important to educate ourselves so that we understand the impact of our choices.

Robert and I have found joy in making choices and changes that help us to feel more in harmony with this planet…and that feeling is I am sure going to prompt us to make more and more choices that feel good and often turn out to taste more delicious than we ever would have imagined.

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