Moving on up! Soap Edition

A few weeks ago, a news segment was released about my husband and I creating the soap we started selling at local markets.

For those interested it is linked Here. The experience itself was very exciting, nerve wrecking, full of all the what if’s. It’s just a local segment to help boost homemade items but let me tell you…the phone calls,emails, and text messages afterwards were amazing. The idea that the small midnight oil we burn to create these consistent loaves of soap became statewide visible blew my mind. It was a rush for two weeks and now we are back to regulars again. I don’t mind. I still have my day job. 🙂

The garden is in full bloom too. I tried to time the cabbage out to pick at the exact harvest date of 4 months but we really just let it go. They’re all beautiful heads that are nearly all digested in our tummies. We have about 3 left to eat.

Valentine’s Day with the Mesclun and Cabbage

The monster one was picked about March 1st for stirfries and rice bowls that entire week, with the one behind it being a St. Patrick’s day dish. I even added additional rows using the Charles Dowding ‘no dig’ method. I was given a signed copy of his book for Christmas (seems like I’m terrible at updating that I’ve mentioned so many holidays in a row) and just couldn’t wait to try it. My current obsession is getting the two compost beds I made up and steaming for full production as this earth needs proper soil to keep the humans going.

Twisted carrots! March 22 harvest

I’ve been feeling the affects of burnout even heavier, not because I buckled down with the side business and gardening…but mostly the isolation of having hobbies that don’t seem very interesting to others. Covid created more screen time in a way that made me feel like a wild horse attempting to break free for outside. There’s also the frustration of wanting to know and do better for myself but not really having the time or idea to figure it out. Until I do…I’ll just keep investing in the ground and creating more.

Growing up in costumes

We’ve had an exciting month and a half. Some of it not quite the excitement we were looking for….hurricanes not only decimating the area and lives but also the mental ability to see past them. It’s a little rough. All the bad climate disasters and the only thing you can do is offer up your hands in service and watch. The evacuating and boarding up of homes/packing was traumatizing. I feel like this entire year has been a bit traumatizing as all bad things keep happening from trumpdom and on. (Seriously, Mr. President…stop twittering. Just. Stop.)

I had very …. overzealous neighbors..

But in the midst of moving forward and making the world have a better outcome with each growing kid, we had a birthday party to throw! Sure, I slowly worked on stuff for months. But they were cardboard pieces that I had to collect,’measure, tape/glue and paint.

Lots of love went in to these pieces.

Then there are a lot of things that can’t be done until the actual day! Sandwiches, cookies, cakes! I like to make my cakes the night before any party. I typically go for a wild assembly but you know, I’m there for the taste too. People won’t buy from me if they look great but taste stale. Little miss K wanted the actual alice cake for the party. You know, the one they serve at the mad hatters party and it blows up and a mouse appears reciting “twinkle twinkle little bat.” 

I couldn’t do some of the effects (for obvious reasons…no mice in my cake please.) but look at that smile! 😍 ah. She makes my heart melt. The cake was divine too. Top layer was a funferto cake and the bottom was Rice Krispies to give it that skinny appearance. I think I ate whatever my friends didn’t eat of the Krispies, which wasn’t a lot. I thought no one would realize what it was but it was being torn apart before I knew it. It was her day, but the party also made mine. 

Did I mention that nothing is impassable? 

Little Victory Garden

March has turned into such a gorgeous month. The air conditioner is taking a much needed break and our household is spending more time lounging outside. Come to think of it, even late February was beautiful, spent lovingly outside as much as we could.My childhood was an amazing one and if I can boast about it for a minute, I think its because I spent an incredibly large amount of it outside.  In the mud usually but let’s be honest…I still go for mud and puddles. My favorite pair of shoes happen to be rainboots.

Farm fresh!

Look at these gorgeous, hairy little beauties. These are NOT from my garden. We partake in a CSA every other week and these came from our pick up this weekend. Every single portion will get used. The heads (or stems? bushy top part?) go to composting, and anything chopped that I will not eat goes to our spoiled puppies.

Wut, Hooman. I’m eating.

 Very spoiled. I feel like she is smiling as she chops down on these. This is her payback for not being able to go out in public this week. She just can’t handle giving everyone a piece of her mind. Doxies WILL be doxies.

Our garden is quite different. It’s L shaped, it’s a work in progress, it’s ours. Hours of research went into companion planting/seed selection from prestigious companies/penny counting/soil delivery charges. I would say that this is a $200.00 garden. It might not produce much but it’s been a very valuable learning process. We have also learned that regardless of how much one of us (ahem..me) is type A personality with sh*t it still appears that other one is more relaxed in where he lays seeds. Instead of digging my claws in for breaking the plan its been the hardest thing for me   I suppose I’ll just have to enjoy all the sunflowers that we could have and figure out a cucumber plan later. Last years seed operation is proving that they cant handle it. But is it last years seeds or the fact that they did not get the new dirt we had delivered? Questions questions!!!

Did he really just take my cucumber space?!?

This is what I consider our tiny piece of the world. Our tribute to what a victory garden was and should be today. Everyone should have some sort of garden, some sort of provision they are providing themselves.  Advice given to me by the soil dude was to have as many obnoxious, spinney lawn ornaments that you can possibly stomach. He said that even though they are silly, they still served a purpose of keeping birds/animals out. Doesnt work on cats. (MEEP.)

We even made a tiny colorful tribute to bees in our yard. If i cant have a hive, I shall try to provide and thank them everyday for their help.

Just a few starter blooms to get the bees attracted.

It’s true. They go, they take us with them. So be kind. Even if you’re an asshole while you do it.