simplicity

 
i see the dictionary definition has 5 parts.  as i child i remember my grandfather (he was a very funny man) calling people "simpletons".  it always sounded a bit like a surname to me and i had a picture in my mind of this family of simpletons - do you know the simpletons?  funnily enough i have not heard that word in ages - i must try to use it again sometime.
 
when we talk about something being simple people assume that it's lacking in sophistication or good sense or intelligence.  i think that is very foolish.  i like the last definition "clarity of expression". 
 
what springs to mind when you think of simplicity?
   

dressmaking patterns?

there is this whole new way of living -  voluntary simplicity - "a lifestyle that is characterised by living with only essentials".    i tried very hard yesterday to practice some voluntary simplicity.  i had the afternoon to myself and decided to de-clutter and organise my clothing.  why do i get attached to clothes that i know i will never wear again?  why do i have 21 black t-shirts?  do i really need them?  i unfolded them all and managed to discard only 3. re-folded them again and at the end of an hour i had completed only 3 of the 6 shelves.  18 black t-shirts, 8 longsleeved black t-shirts, 5 white t-shirts, 6 white longsleeved t-shirts.  i managed to de-clutter and give away some colourful tops (4, maybe only 3 if i pull back the one i am not too sure about giving away) that i thought i may one day wear but i know i won't.  so the 3 top shelves are still too crowded but are now colour co-ordinated (if you can call black, white and grey colour co-ordinated) and very, very neat (even if i say so myself). 

would i love to live a minimilistic life?  i don't think so, i love surrounding myself with all the things i love.  i found this picture on my computer the other day of my kitchen taken 2 years ago

not much has changed except that the cement counter under the window is now filled with plants, cuttings of plants, herbs, a new coffee maker.  i'll show you a picture soon.  also quite a few more tins added to the collection which i managed to steal from franklin at work (don't tell his wife but he is addicted to auctions).

so basically i am not a simpleton, i do like the whole idea but it is not really me. 

off the subject, aren't these simple soaps divine?