Lifestyle

There is a faint but unmistakable fragrance in the air when you visit the top of One World Trade Centre in New York.  The distinctive scent, which was commissioned by the centre,  is a blend of the fragrances of trees native to New York State, with citrus undertones. It is diffused through air vents in…

When I first started writing this blog post, words like “COVID19”, “lockdown” and “social distancing” weren’t a part of our everyday language yet. The world is a totally different place since I typed those first words and I was blissfully unaware of how significant this topic would become. Why do local businesses matter? According to…

Clean Living Clean living is about going back to basics and living as naturally as possible. This is not a new trend but it is growing in strength and becoming more mainstream. Just go into any grocery store and look at their shelves of beauty products and see how many claim to be “clean”, “natural” and…

Are itchy, inflamed mosquito or sandfly bites driving you crazy? Is this hot weather causing your delicate skin to chafe? Do your children always get little cuts and scratches that need a little TLC? Are your cuticles dry and ragged? There is one balm that I always have on hand to help with all of…

The start of a New Year can be a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, it’s a chance to start again but there can be a lot of pressure that comes with that. It’s as if you only get one chance, and if you’ve already blown your resolution by February, you can feel…

Christmas is a time filled with family traditions and special memories. I have celebrated Christmas in both South Africa and New Zealand, so for me, it’s always a summery time with family. This December we’ve been doing Elf on the Shelf which the girls have enjoyed. On Christmas Eve we usually watch a family movie…

This weekend I walked out into our garden and was overcome with memories of childhood summers that have long since passed. I tried to figure out what the trigger had been. The sun was shining but that wasn’t why. The sky was blue but that wasn’t it. Then I realised that it was the smell…

One of the most special items we sell at Little Olive Tree is our memorial candle for honouring the precious people in our lives whom we have lost. Anniversaries, birthdays and family events can bring back the sorrow and grief of the loss. Lighting a candle in memory of them is a practical and meaningful way…

When I heard this quote from planning and productivity mentor Josephine Brooks, it stopped me in my tracks. Doing less could make me more productive? Everything in me rebelled against this idea – surely being busy all the time and accomplishing more makes me productive? Choose One Thing Some people believe that their long to-do…

We’re a family team here at Little Olive Tree and Gavin is our guy who makes it all work behind-the-scenes with our website. He’s much more than just that though, he is also a very supportive (patient!) husband and a wonderful Dad to our two young girls. With Father’s Day just around the corner, Gavin sat…