Sunday, February 21, 2016

Art,acting, Artisan lifestyle continuum, wine, vinegar, chicks, classic layers ...and so forth.

This is not an abandoned blog!  I swear! Its just that there was nothing to blog about over the dark rainy holidays. I mean I can only  write so much  about sitting in front of the fire  reading or  binge watching netflix. Once the holiday ho-hums  were over Jimmy and I were  busy getting back in the groove. While I was doing art and acting things Jimmy was working on his  'botanicals'. I think I mentioned before that the previous owner left us all kinds of  herbal treasures all over the yard and that we have several indigenous  medicinal plants in the secret garden in the back.   Jimmy and I both spent time making  coconut oil infusions with our  herbs.     We have  a shelf in the kitchen now full of mason jars ready for use in  other things.  I made soap out  of mine and Jimmy has been making  salves and  balms.  We are excited for spring this year so we can gather leaves from indigenous  deciduous  trees like our twin berry. Jimmy harvested most of  the comfrey  plant we have been nurturing for the last 4 years. So, we are almost starting over with that one. Fortunately comfrey is impossible to kill.
When  Mini Break Massage http://www.minibreakmassage.com/  heard what we were doing, she made a donation of  essential oils  to our project..... a shoe box full!  Many Thanks Sherry! Of course one of the 'after holidays' things we always need to do is  continue to process out some of the harvest from last year.  The raspberry and blackberry wine started last summer had to be wracked off for possibly the last time.  This stuff is so good I'm not sure its going to make it to the  bottling phase. I pulled off a bottle of each to take down to seaside with me when I delivered  some art to Angie of  Expressions Avenue.  It was  a delightful almost all nighter of wine  and art and conversation on  every topic imaginable. Ya know those  nights where your eyes are burning and you are so tired  you cant remember the names of things but, you just cant bring yourself to go to bed yet? It was one of those. And Angie thank you for the coconut oil sugar scrub!
Feral Jane and I had the opportunity to  do some script work  this month too.  I got to show off my  blackberry vinegar while she was here.  She brought some  great costume pieces with her too.  The best thing about hanging with Feral Jane  is that we have as much fun now playing dress up as we did when we were kids.   (think horsehide  biker jacket and long blond wig)
In the mean time DD and I are patiently waiting for  Feb 22nd. That's the day when we get  our chick order. 12 leghorns and 12  RI Reds plus a couple extra.... just in case. DD and I are going to  try turkeys this year too.   Over the last 6 months  we have had long conversations about the merits of classic layers.  She  has had the same problem I have  with heritage breeds  spending all their time trying to make babies.  I only have to chase mine around one acre  but DD has to hunt 7 acres to keep them from hiding in the bushes and laying.  And then of course we have the roo issue.  Nature  wants to keep things balanced, so in any brood  half of them will be boys.
Lots of things going on at mystic cedars.  One of the current projects is coming up with a logo  for Mystic Cedars soap. Way too many ways to go with this one.

1 comment:

  1. Glad to hear your winter doldrums are coming to an end. I think ours have, too! We have new wheels, so maybe I can get someplace to have a visit with you this spring!

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