Welcome to Seasonal Simple Life

Join me in creating a self-sufficient, sustainable life through gardening, preserving, and simple living.
Every season offers fresh opportunities to grow your skills and reconnect with nature’s rhythms. Angela of Seasonal Simple Life 

Latest Posts

How to Do a Pantry Audit: Step-by-Step Organisation and Rotation System

How to Do a Pantry Audit: Step-by-Step Organisation and Rotation System

When my son brought me a six-year-old jar of brown, sluggish pumpkin from our pantry, I knew something had to change. A proper pantry audit and rotation system isn’t just about organisation—it saves money, reduces food waste, and ensures you’re always eating fresh ingredients. Learn how to transform your pantry chaos into an efficient system that actually works in real life.

January Reflections: The Beauty of Rest and New Beginnings

January Reflections: The Beauty of Rest and New Beginnings

When I look outside my bedroom window on a typical January morning, I can see the nearby woods, sometimes covered in tiny snow hats. January in Bavaria is a month of deep rest—for the garden and for us. While the world rushes with New Year resolutions, nature shows us a different way: the necessity of dormancy, the beauty of bareness, the wisdom of slowing down.
In this reflection, I share how I embrace January’s dark, quiet energy through cozy rituals, winter self-care, and following my garden’s example. From gratitude journals and candlelight to homemade preserves and Gemütlichkeit, discover how to honor this season of rest. Spring will come soon enough—for now, let’s hibernate.

From the Garden

Autumn Garden Cleanup: Preparing Your Garden for Its Winter Rest

Autumn Garden Cleanup: Preparing Your Garden for Its Winter Rest

When the leaves start to paint warm hues on the landscape, it’s time to prepare your garden for winter. An autumn garden cleanup isn’t just about tidiness—it’s an investment in your garden’s health and vitality. From knowing the right timing to protecting sensitive plants and creating wildlife habitats, discover how to give your garden the care it deserves before its winter rest. Your garden has given you months of joy; now it’s time to return the favor.

How To Grow Garlic: Complete Planting Guide

How To Grow Garlic: Complete Planting Guide

Growing garlic is surprisingly simple—even for complete beginners. The secret to success lies in choosing the right variety for your climate, planting at the optimal time (autumn is best for larger bulbs), and ensuring your soil has excellent drainage. Whether you’re working with a spacious garden bed or just containers on your balcony, garlic adapts beautifully to your space. This comprehensive guide walks you through every step, from selecting quality seed garlic to harvesting and curing your bulbs for months of storage. You’ll learn the differences between hardneck and softneck varieties, discover how to avoid common problems, and master proper storage techniques. Plus, you’ll get the bonus of edible garlic scapes for your kitchen. With just 8-10 cloves per person planted in autumn, you can enjoy homegrown garlic all year long!

From the Pantry

How to Preserve Quince: 5 Easy Methods for Beginners

How to Preserve Quince: 5 Easy Methods for Beginners

Quince may seem intimidating at first—hard, tart, and inedible when raw—but this golden autumn fruit transforms into something magical when preserved. Whether you’re making fragrant quince paste, jewel-toned jelly, or simple quince compote, preserving this heirloom fruit is easier than you think. In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll discover simple techniques to capture quince’s unique flavour and fill your pantry with homemade preserves that will last for months.

Pickled Zucchini: From Garden Surplus to Flavour-Packed Treasure

Pickled Zucchini: From Garden Surplus to Flavour-Packed Treasure

Every gardener knows the cycle: the first zucchini of the season is a celebrated trophy, but by number ten, the family is in full revolt. If you’re watching your zucchini plants with a mix of pride and panic, this pickled zucchini recipe is your salvation. This simple preservation method transforms your garden surplus into flavor-packed jars that will brighten winter meals for months to come. The best part? No salting required, any size zucchini works (even those that have grown into baseball bats), and the recipe comes together in under an hour. With a tangy brine infused with curry, dill, and mustard seeds, these pickles are perfect for sandwiches, cheese boards, or mixed into potato mash for an unexpected flavor boost. Stop letting those zucchini go to waste—turn your overflow into a pantry treasure you’ll actually be excited to use all year long.Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

Channel Your Inner Oma: Simple Homemade Sauerkraut That Actually Tastes Amazing

Channel Your Inner Oma: Simple Homemade Sauerkraut That Actually Tastes Amazing

Every autumn, when the sharp, tangy scent of fermenting cabbage fills the kitchen, you know winter comfort food season has officially begun. If you’ve been settling for mediocre store-bought sauerkraut, it’s time to discover how ridiculously simple it is to make your own at home. With just cabbage, salt, and a little patience, you can create sauerkraut that’s tangier, crunchier, and infinitely more satisfying than anything from a jar. This traditional German recipe requires no special equipment—just a bowl, some jars, and the willingness to knead some cabbage. Whether you’re piling it alongside creamy mashed potatoes, tucking it into a flaky strudel, or serving it as a wine-braised side dish, homemade sauerkraut transforms simple meals into something special. Watch this ancient preservation method work its magic right on your countertop, and channel your inner German Oma as you create jars of probiotic-rich goodness that will last all winter long. Once you see how easy it is, you’ll wonder why you ever bought it from the store.

From the Kitchen

Vanillekipferl Recipe (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)

Vanillekipferl Recipe (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)

When my mom baked Vanillekipferl each December, their vanilla scent filled our house and my brother and I could barely resist sneaking them warm from the oven. These traditional Austrian vanilla crescent cookies are more than a recipe—they’re a holiday ritual. Let me show you how to make these beloved Christmas cookies that disappear faster than you can bake them.

Authentic Spaetzle Recipe: German Egg Noodles in 20 Minutes

Authentic Spaetzle Recipe: German Egg Noodles in 20 Minutes

If you’ve ever visited Southern Germany, you’ve likely encountered Spaetzle—and if you have, you know how delicious they are! These traditional egg noodles, whose name translates to “little sparrows,” are a beloved staple in Southern German cuisine. The best part? They’re surprisingly easy to make at home with just four simple ingredients: flour, eggs, salt, and milk (or water). Unlike store-bought versions, homemade Spaetzle have an unbeatable tender texture and fresh flavor. The dough is pressed through a special tool (or even a colander) into boiling water, where the noodles cook in just 2-3 minutes. Serve them as a side dish with beef and gravy, or turn them into a main course like cheesy Kässpätzle. With this traditional recipe and helpful pro tips, you’ll master this classic German dish on your first try.

Home and Hearth

Orange peeling soap

Orange peeling soap

Earlier this year, I got my hands on some organic orange peel... well, ok: a lot of organic orange...

About Me

Imagine growing your own herbs on a windowsill, turning summer tomatoes into winter comfort, or creating your own gentle soaps with ingredients you can pronounce.

These aren’t impossible dreams—they’re your next small steps toward a more self-sufficient life.

Whether you’re planting your first seeds or you’ve been gardening for years, every season offers fresh opportunities to grow your skills, reduce your footprint, and reconnect with the natural rhythms that sustain us all.

 

 

 

Angela of Seasonal Simple Life

Hi, I’m Angela, the “face” behind Seasonal Simple Life. Welcome to this blog!

Do you dream of creating a colourful and lively vegetable garden where you’ll cultivate all the vegetables you want?

Without chemistry but diversity and many tried and tested varieties that will fill your harvest basket with healthy and tasty fruit and vegetables?

In the evenings, the flavour of freshly cooked tomato sauce flows through the house; winter will come, eventually, and your pantry won’t fill on its own…

Do you want to live a seasonal simple life, decorate your house, craft things that make you happy and add beauty to your home?

Let’s do this together!

If you want to learn more about me, click here.