I inhale deeply as I step into the plane. Kerosene and coffee, the friendly smile of the KLM stewardess; it already feels a bit like coming home. We sit down and I take my book out. It’s a Dutch book by Babette Porcelijn. The title translates as: The hidden impact — everything for an eco-positive …
Feet on the ground
One of the first things I did after arriving in this house was an exploration of the bookshelves. Outdoor life is very beautiful, but not complete without a book. To my satisfaction I found a decent collection of books in English. My favorite so far is The complete book of self-sufficiency by John Seymour. This …
To be human
Not much has happened on this blog recently, because I have been tired a lot. Last week it turned out that I have a vitamin B12 deficiency, which may explain the tiredness. I had this deficiency before and have been taking vitamin B12 supplements since then, but apparently I didn’t take enough. My energy levels …
Christians and animals
Anyone who takes up the task of explaining the ethics behind veganism, draws their main arguments from the book Animal Liberation by Peter Singer. Time to read this classic from 1975 for myself. Singer is a utilitarian, which means his ultimate goal is to minimize the amount of suffering in the world. Other moral signposts, …
New energy in Paris
The protagonist of the book Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver is looking for change. Since she became pregnant at seventeen years old, the course of her life has been determined by other people. The arrival of thousands of Monarch butterflies in the mountains around the little village turns her life upside down. She becomes involved …
Natural history
A little red beetle walks over my arm. On this wonderfully warm Saturday I have nothing on my to-do list, so I can enjoy our square meter of vegetable garden. During the week, Freddy is the hero in the garden who keeps everything alive. The bean plants tumble over their growing strings and bloom abundantly. …