Posts

Joy in the Morning

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Dahlia This last two weeks have been hard work on my front bed and other projects that require a lot of elbow grease. Weeding under the trees that have been neglected for years (other than getting water), thinning the incredible apple crop we have growing this year. and working on the front bed which is nothing but heavy clay.  I always enjoy working outside and this year is no exception, actually for me it has been marvelous despite welcome (going to Scotland for two weeks) and unwelcome (having to curb most of my work due to a minor surgery on the back of my leg) I've still managed to get quite a bit done.  I went out into the garden one morning to find this beautiful Dahlia.  Reminder that some rewards for hard work aren't always monetary.  It's the ability to enjoy a beautiful flower that you grew, it's watching the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds enjoying the flowers you've planted to bring pollinators into your yard.   Daylily  I also had the ...
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STILL SOAPING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

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STILL SOAPING While I am trying to make some massive changes in my life, there are a few things that I may never stop doing and soaping is one of them.  I love making soap. I love the process of formulating skin loving oils, and other ingredients.  I love making them look pretty and smell amazing. I fail sometimes, but other times I make a soap that is what I was trying for.  This one is close.  The scent still isn't exactly what I wanted but it is close.  The colors I love and this picture doesn't really do it justice.  It is a turquoisy green color with copper streaks.  This is one of my new tallow soaps.  I've had a lot of requests for Tallow soaps over the last couple of years and this is the second.  The first is a lovely Pink clay, charcoal and rosehip powder swirl with a scent that is sweet and summery - Raspberry Vanilla. I also started making Castile (Saponified Olive Oil) and Bastile soaps which are 70% olive oil and 30% Hemp oil. S...
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Healthier Eating.

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  Healthy Eating I would love to say that because all of the health issues I've been struggling with that I have been eating waaay healthier and am doing great.  Honestly, I do great for a week or two, get busy and then I fall back on grabbing a bite from a fast food restaurant, go home and do school or work in the garden.  Weekends I have less of an excuse because I go to Farmer's Market and sell soaps. There are fresh fruits and veggies as well as home baked sourdoughs etc.  But I don't spend the money because I don't want these good fruits and veggies to go to waste if I don't have time to fix them. This weekend, I decided that I was splurging on a yummy Pineapple Tomato (if you haven't had one, and you have the opportunity to, do it! They are delicious!!! I knew I had mozzarella cheese, fresh basil growing in the herb garden and some balsamic glaze.  So I came home, unloaded my car and had a lovely Caprese salad for lunch. The best part of a salad like a Cap...
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WORKS in PROGRESS

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 Works in Progress It has been a minute since I posted. In my defense, I've been incredibly busy.  I've been in school and working. Probably a lot more than I ever intended but to be honest. I am loving it.  I have a new job and have decided to not enter the medical field. It was killing me.  I had made it to the very last class before I could test and apply for the X-ray Tech program.  Realizing that I had just about achieved my goal, the next step was one that I may never get the chance to even do.  I could apply and never get in because the program gets 75+ applicants (qualified) yearly but only 16 get in by lottery. They do not replace dropouts. At 50 years old I was like - if I don't get in what do I do?  I never came up with a great answer, so I switched gears and went into the Paralegal program. I love it.  I love what I do and am learning a ton every single day.  I couldn't have told you what a FOIA request or an IPRA is at the beginn...
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Questions

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  You may have questions...."why the heck am I reading this??" "Is this relevant to my life or any life for that matter?"  "What is with that first picture on the first post?"  and probably more.   The first picture chosen for the first post is an insight in to my rebellion to the conventional life I had.  A life I thought I wanted.  It is two fold in that it is a direct rebellion against my mom (whom I love dearly BTW but I have spent WAY to much of my life trying to please her, or at least not have to hear her disappointment at anything I have done in my life) and rebellion against the notions of what my husband thinks of as a proper Christian wife and mom. HONESTLY, is it actually rebellion when you are 52 years old and what you are doing isn't against the law? Probably not.  I lived in a very proper household (Catholic) growing up.  There are things we didn't do and I've always been the child/adult who toed the line.  Trust me, my br...
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I’m trying desperately to find myself as I’ve been lost for so long

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 At some point in time and I'm not really sure when, I lost myself.  I have spent so much of my life trying to please others: my parents, employers, teachers or professors, my husband and even my children some.  I've walked a line for so long to not disappoint those around me that I cannot figure out who I am. Add to this the fact that my body seems to have decided that it hates itself.  I do not know what to do any more. Add to this again that the older I get the less I like pleasing everyone else, and I do not think I should have to.   I am inviting you to join me on this journey of finding myself again.  Of losing those things that I have taken on to please others.  Of hopefully finding my health again because of all that I have lost my health is something I miss the most.  I have no earthly idea of what will happen at this point and for a while most of my posts are going to be just me coming to terms with what has been going on all these ...
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