We Were Never Meant to Be Islands

May 20, 2025 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Why It’s So Hard to Accept Help—and Why We Need to Try Anyway

ship on stormy sea with island in background

When my youngest turned three, he’d been dreaming of his birthday party for months—chatting up anyone who would listen about the backyard celebration he was going to have. It wasn’t anything extravagant. Just a handful of busy kids running around. There was a piñata, a homemade layer cake, snacks, and a simple macaroni-and-cheese lunch. Still, I was drained.

The next weekend, my oldest turned six. Another party. More cleanup. Less rest.

As much as I love celebrating milestones and hosting people, I tend to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. I have a hard time asking for help. Am I alone in this?

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Healthy Snacks That Support Simple Living (and Happy Kids)

April 18, 2025 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Why I Don’t Believe in Snacking (Most of the Time)

I don’t usually snack. I’m also not in the habit of eating after 6 p.m. But last night? I gave in to my body’s craving for something nourishing and fell into bliss with peanut butter stuffed dates. They hit the spot. Healthy snacks for the win!

Truth be told, I consider myself lucky. In the grand sweep of history, the habit of snacking is a relatively new one. For most of human history, people didn’t eat between meals—not because they were especially disciplined, but because they didn’t have the option.

Snacking is a byproduct of food abundance, industrialization, and clever marketing. And while I appreciate a good homemade snack now and again, I try not to make it a habit.

Snacking: A Modern Habit

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9 Ways to Give Vanilla Bean Scraps A New Life

April 24, 2023 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Don’t toss those precious pods in the compost after scraping out that fragrant black gold — get everything you possibly can out of them!

Maybe you finished up a pastry project that has left you with vanilla pod fragments. Perhaps you have spent vanilla beans from making homemade vanilla extract. Either way, one of these ideas is bound to inspire you to turn something from what’s often considered nothing.

If your pods are coming from a near-empty jar of extract, then yes, the alcohol has extracted everything good from those fragrant orchid beans. However, they’ve been marinating in their own extract which makes them fair game. Don’t let them go to waste!

WATCH THE VIDEO

If you’re more of a visual learner, here is the accompanying video for this post. I’m more active on YouTube these days than I am on here, so be sure to subscribe to my channel if you consider yourself old-fashioned at heart and would like to follow along.

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How to Save Energy the Vintage Way – 9 Old-Fashioned Tips

January 15, 2023 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Here are 9 old-fashioned ways to help you reduce your energy consumption and give your wallet a break.

Let’s rewind to a time when folks didn’t rely on electricity to get by to the degree that most of us are accustomed to. At the peak of summer’s sweltering heat, air conditioners didn’t run the way they do today. Depending on the time period, people would go somewhere communal that was air-conditioned, like the movie theatre. In the winter, people bundled up for extra warmth.

It’s not that way anymore, at least, not in North America.

As a Canadian, I would have to say that most people have gotten lazy when it comes to energy consumption. The ways of our forefathers (and mothers) have been forgotten. Convenience is king, but it comes at a cost.

The costs that may come to mind are environmental and financial. Energy based on fossil fuels isn’t as affordable as it once was. In fact, it’s become downright expensive.

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The BEST Liver and Onions Recipe – Old-Fashioned Comfort Food That’s Easy to Make!

October 23, 2022 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

This recipe for liver and onions is a comforting, old-fashioned dish that’s easy to make. It features bacon and gravy for a delicious, hearty meal.

Liver and onions is one of those classic dishes that seems to have fallen out of favour over the years. Even though it’s been lost on the palate of the younger generations, this traditional meal still has a lot to offer!

If you thought spinach was a superfood, you haven’t met liver. This variety meat is one of the most nutrient-dense foods around town. Brimming with vitamins A, B, and C, liver is also rich in iron, folate, and copper, to name a few (source).

Despite its rockstar status, not everyone likes liver. Made right, however, it stands a far better chance of making a regular appearance on the dinner table. Let’s get to it!

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20 Rationing Tips from WWII (in case you need them)

January 17, 2022 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Rationing tips were plentiful during WWII. Here are twenty vintage pointers that might help you, too, if you ever find yourself in a pinch.

Source: World War 2 Ration Books And Stamps D. D. Teoli Jr. A. C.

In 1940, Britain began rationing; in 1942, Canada and the US followed suit. Goods that had previously been taken for granted either became scarce or cost dearly.

Ration stamps were distributed to every household, granting families a purchasing allowance for meat, butter, sugar, coffee, tea, dairy and preserves. Needless to say, this changed the way folks ate.

Since resources were being focussed on the war effort, there was a massive shift from importation to local production and consumption. To do their part on the homefront, women had to be creative in the kitchen, making do with what they could buy for their families. There’s a lot we can learn from them.

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