My Beautiful Things by Lucy AitkenRead

Ah Lucy. Lucy is the most wonderful writer, a staunch feminist and peace activist, a very funny lady and a warm and wise mother. She has inspired me, made me laugh and made me think. She is a lady who lives her dreams and her values. I am glad I know her.

Lucy has blogged at Lulastic and the Hippyshake for three years about parenting and eco-thrifty living. At the start of this year she concentrated all her frugal powers into one spot and launched an extra blog, Wonderthrift. Lucy also has a new beauty book out  – Happy Hair: The definitive guide to giving up shampoo she has stormed the Amazon charts with her book and has caused a big media stir. Way to go Lucy!

Over to Lucy …..

The most beautiful day I ever had ……

What makes a beautiful day? For me it is a general sense of contentedness and happiness and I feel WELL lucky to experience that a lot at the moment! We live in a yurt on an organic farm and having nature right up in your space makes for a pretty happy place, I think. It is winter here in New Zealand and in the mornings the whole farm is covered in ice crystals- even the cow pats look stunning. We make dens out of blankets in the trees, and row the red boat around the tiny pond/swamp. If my family and friends from the UK were here enjoying it with us it would be heaven on earth. *weeps a little bit*

 

The most beautiful thing I have ever seen  …

Last year we went travelling around Europe for a few months in a VW camper.  There were so many days that were eyepoppingly lush – lakes in France and the islands of Croatia. But down at the bottom of Spain we got to duck into the Alhambra Palace for a visit. Blimey, I have never seen tiles like it! I am a bit of a tile geek and the whole place was kitted out with perfect, ancient squares of riotous colour and wild design.

The most beautiful thing I have ever owned …

Just last week I spotted a vintage typewriter in the junk shop. I have wanted one MY WHOLE LIFE so I am completely delighted to have this massive, unnecessary machine sitting in our tiny home. It is quite impractical but it just shines out of the corner like this glorious,  clunking, turn of the century beast.

The most beautiful song I have ever heard …..

It is a few years old now but the first time I heard Bon Iver’s Skinny Love my heart cracked with the simple beauty of it! I was listening to Radio One while I sat at my desk in the office and I immediately bought it and played it relentlessly for about 8 months. Even now the tune just stops me in my tracks and fills me with this weird nostalgia.

The most beautiful person I know is….

Holy moley, this is a tough one.  I know so many beautiful people. My mum and dad have this all encompassing grace and love for people… and my sister is so brave and so passionate. My two daughters, Juno and Ramona, are these little sparks of wonder – all the astounding creativity of the world condensed into two tiny people. My husband is kind and has this wondrous talent at bringing out the best in everyone he meets… Hmmm. He also brings me a cup of tea in bed every single morning. So yeah. My husband totally wins the beautiful person completion.

The most beautiful thing about me is……

My love for my children. If you could bottle it and then get a paintbrush and swipe it on to a canvas you’d make something to rival a Monet. It surprises me, every day, how I can love them so. I always wondered if I was capable of it. It has been a relief for me, to see this potent love welling up after their births. It is like this petrol that powers me through the day and then explodes into this crazy ability to just understand them and nurture them.  (And then also, I have to admit it, sometimes I just want to poo alone.)

Thank you Lucyx