Daily Rituals with Yasmine Ganley
Writer, photographer, publisher and mum of two are just some of the ways to describe creator Yasmine Ganley.
We were lucky enough to spend the afternoon with Yasmine, Emily and James at their home in Titirangi, where we spoke about daily rituals and the importance of a family garden.
What are your daily rituals?
At the start of the day, I breastfeed in bed watching the sun come up, then enjoy a big hot cup of Imperial Earl Grey Tea with oat milk. At the end of the day, (and it makes me cringe to say this outloud), but I tidy the day away, all the toys, all the dishes, leaving the kitchen bench, lounge mat and dining table clear, it's like a reset button for me, and definitely calming after a rowdy day of continuous play and chatter. I always like to read before I go to sleep, too. Sometimes a few books on the go, which is a metaphor for my brain's activity, eeep. At the moment I am reading Ali Smith's Summer (having just read Autumn and Winter back-to-back from the library), Joan Didion's Let me tell you what I mean, and a short story, Variations on the right to remain silent by Anne Carsen.
What’s your favourite tea that you would share with your kids?
I like to make any of the more vibrant and floral teas into ice teas, with loads of lemon and mint. Emily also loves anything ginger flavoured, so we drink a lot of turmeric + ginger tea too. We grow chamomile flowers, so this season we've been drying them and storing them for very special tiny tea parties.
Why is having a veggies / fruits and flower garden important to you?
When we first started planting our garden six years ago, we did so because we wanted to eat vegetables that were devoid of chemicals and harsh fertilisers. We wanted to eat fresh and organic as much as possible. Then we had kids, and realised how beneficial it is for them to witness putting plants in the ground, look after them and then finally get to pick, eat and enjoy them. There are so many examples of fruits and vegetables that our kids may have just avoided had they not been so interested in this process. Growing flowers is new for us, but definitely a journey prompted by Emily, she has her own little strip of wildflowers that she grew in our garden.
How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle with young kids and working as a freelancer?
I have no idea. I also don't think I am very healthy about it! Each thing just gets done when it needs to. And some things don't ever get done. I have a lot of lists! Lists for home, lists for work, lists for things I'll probably never get around to making. Right now is Sunday morning and the kids are out of the house so I can get some work done. During the week I work at night or when James is napping. I try to be focused, plan ahead what I want to achieve. And when the kids are with me, I just surrender to being with them and not try to juggle anything else, I find we both get far more enjoyment out of it this way. We try to go away as a family every now and then, make time and memories together. Life is busy, everyone can relate to that, and sometimes leaving the house so you're not distracted by chores or to-dos is the only way!
Where are your inspirations from?
Mostly reading, I keep a lot of notebooks! Also, my mum's old scrapbooks, and my Dad's boxes of old photographs. Researching for The Library store always leads me somewhere interesting - looking at artists who work with children to create their work. My partner Matthew always introduces me to new music, which I love exploring. Films too, I take many screenshots from films, their costumes and art department sets, and often they inspire me for my own photography. My friends and their work as artists and mothers inspire me.
