Sunday Progress Report

The overnight temperatures brought a skim of ice to the animal's water bowls. It is beginning to feel like winter here. I've been adding new items to my shop... lavender sachets, a holiday dessert stand and new, sample sized soaps. The men are hard at work on the fab shop, which is coming right along. J hopes to be working in it by the end of the week. I'm pondering tonight's meal, and thinking it feels like a pumpkin pie is in order. I've got to do something to use up that whipping cream :o)

Thankful

The show last Saturday was wonderful. I met a number of lovely folks. It was in a great space, and was very well done. The fab shop is coming along nicely. I'll have some new pics of it up soon. Joseph and I got some windows at the Habitat store yesterday, which we'll use, in addition to a large, half round window I'd gotten, but didn't use for the house. The weather has been so nice, with sunny days and warmer than usual temps. Though it's been a busy time, we're enjoying ourselves. Wishing you an enjoyable Thanksgiving, doing whatever makes you happy!

Wafts of Citrus and Spice

The past couple of days have been filled with lots of soap wrapping, as I'm getting ready for the show. My newest soap, St. Clements, will be making it's debut. It has essential oils of sweet orange, mandarin, clementine, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove in it. With a bit of cinnamon and lemon zest thrown in for good measure. It smells just right for this time of year. The name comes from a line in an old English nursery rhyme: "Oranges and lemons, rang the bells of St. Clements". If you're in the Greensboro area on Saturday, come on by, shop local & make sure to enter for doorprizes.


What: Pre-Holiday Market at Forest Oaks Country Club
Where: 4600 Forest Oaks Dr., Greensboro
When: Sat., Nov. 20, 10-3

Free admission. Over 30 vendors will be participating. Hope to see you there!

Smiling with The Weepies

Well, I had the best intentions of sharing a video with you. The Weepies were in Raleigh last night. I began downloading a video while getting ready yesterday. It was still "processing" when I was ready to leave, so I left it running for, oh... 8 hours, until I got back home. It still wasn't finished. That was on the laptop, so this morning, I gave it a run on the PC & changed it to an audio only on youtube. 90 minutes later, same story. So, I guess our "highspeed" just isn't? Any tips, my friendly fellow bloggers? In any case, the concert was wonderful! And the first act was excellent, too. Hope you enjoy the links!

A Fragrant Monday

It's a busy time, here in my neck of the woods. The potters are loading and unloading their kilns, getting ready for this weekend's Celebration. I'm getting ready for Saturday's Pre-Holiday Market at the Forest Oaks Country Club in Greensboro. I've been up since before the sun this morning, making fragrant lavender sachets. I've been pondering making a few sachets with rosemary, eucalyptus and peppermint from the garden, to use as natural air fresheners in the car or elsewhere. Maybe I'll use some of the coffee bean burlap for this. I'll be listing the sachets in my shop, though it may not happen until after the Market. What crafty goodness are you up to this week?

The Beauty of Squash

The menfolk are hard at work on the fab shop. My only contribution today has been the sorting of nuts and bolts. I just cut up some yellow squash for tonight's dinner, and found the loveliest design. These are the last of our garden's summer squash. I'm thinking it's quite a nice farewell. Today is World Kindness Day. May yours be most wonderful!

Fab Treasures

I wanted to pop in here to share a most excellent treasure I found this week. For next to nothing, I might add. I love all the character and history. The pieces each have tape with a handwritten name on them. They're faded, but the names are different....hmmm. I suppose the names are so it makes it home after a potluck, or maybe when it has been left at the home of a bereaved neighbor. Well, I'm off to assist on the fab shop project. I'm thinking about an apple cake. I'd love to know your favorite recipes.

Brewing Fruit and Ideas

It's been a fruity kind of morning. I juiced another 3 cups of passionfruit, which I've been freezing until I can come up with a good recipe. I'm thinking I may make jam or jelly with it, possibly with berries, but may do some sort of dessert. Or both! Anyone have a recipe to share? I juiced a few more pears and added it to a batch of pear cider, or perry, I began on Monday. This is our first try at perry, and we're using a simple recipe. Just the pear juice, and yeast. I believe the yeast is a Sweet Mead activator, from Wyeast. There's about 3 gallons of pear juice, in a glass carboy with airlock. J has been the one researching it. If I remember correctly, the primary fermentation is done in the carboy, then sugar added, and put into bottles for the secondary fermentation. It will be a slow process, taking several months, but hopefully worth the wait!

I'm going to get the dehydrator going, for some apple rings. I like them as snacks, and J likes to break them up into his oatmeal. I've had some ideas brewing for new handmade items for my shop, and am excited about starting on them today. Here's a peek at the new fab shop, as it begins to go up.

A Good Long Run

The days feel like they're whirling past. J & I got all the sections of the metal building loaded up and brought here on Friday. The fab shop began going up on Saturday. Our first hard frost arrived this weekend. I'm sorry to see the flowers, basil and tomatoes go, but the garden had a good, long run this year. We had our first winter salad last night, which was a delicious consolation. I took this picture of the cosmos last week. Have an enjoyable week!

Wordless Wednesday