New venture

I apologize for my prolific blog entries lately, but there is so much going on right now that I can't let too much time pass in between posts. Let me start out by dazzling you with this, a bouquet of flowers picked in my garden this morning. This is what I live for – beauty, heavenly smells, nature... Taking this picture was inspired by my friend Erin from Floret Flowers. She grows the most beautiful organic flowers, and if it was up to me, she would be more famous than good old Martha Stewart-Schmooart.

The newest exciting thing that's brewing in my life this week is a new outlet for my chocolate addiction: goat milk soap with Cacao.  I've been making soap for a while now, but have never put it out into the world.  I just finished curing a batch of coco and lavender soap that I made a month ago, and I have too much of it, so I decided to sell it.  Please don't roll your eyes at me.  I know, I know... do I really need another venture?  I love this soap because it looks like a chocolate bar - good enough to bite into (which I don't recommend).  It is also very creamy, nourishing and healing, so if you are looking for a gift for a friend (or yourself), consider supporting me and my little family.  Of course the goat milk is from my precious goaties, and the calendula was grown in my own organic vegetable and herb garden.  You can buy this soap in my Etsy shop here.  If you do buy some, please don't eat it.  Wash yourself.

Other going on's this week included, of course Father's day.  Steve spent 14 hours of it on top of a tractor, mowing some of his restoration projects, getting bounced around and saddle sore.  He rented a tractor over the weekend for the cheaper rate, which means he spent two full days, literally from sun-up to sun-down, on this machine.  Do you know what it's like to inhale pollen and dust for that many hours, your spine compacting over and over again, the sun beating down on you, inhaling diesel fumes?  Well.  I feel incredibly guilty thinking of my man spending Father's day (or any day) in this manner, just so he can bring home the bacon for his family.  And does he ever complain?  No!  (Unlike his wife, who is holding down the fort at home...)  I wish they gave out medals or something for guys like my husband.

When he finally came home Monday afternoon, we sat in the garden with a chilled bottle of white wine, marveling at the fact that we were actually sitting down, relaxing!  A neighbor walked by astonished, unbelieving at the sight of us actually doing nothing.  It felt mighty nice.

This week also is "Gramma camp" week, when our neighbors' grandkids (and our kids' best friends) come up from Seattle to spend a week in the wild.  They've been here for three days, and I haven't seen my boys much since then.  They literally live up the hill where the neighbors live.  They all run wild, do art projects together, and get immersed in all sorts of activities.  It is magical for them, and it's quiet nice for me.  The house is much quieter without the boys, and Eva and I get to spend girl time together.  This morning, we had breakfast by candle light.  We also went to the river, finding snail shells, and then stopped by to check on the pigs (who are growing and growing).  She also helped me with the Greek yogurt, because she loves eating it, and because she likes watching it drain (and she likes the sound of the whey drip-dripping into the metal bowl).

I will leave you with some snapshots from the garden this week.  Have a wonderful week!

Honeysuckle taking over the house.

Honeysuckle taking over the Alder tree.

Honeysuckle taking over the neighbor's fence.  She the Ancona duck on the left?

These are Kiwi blossoms on our Kiwi trellis!  There will be lots of them this fall!

A foxglove looking foxy.