Rosemary-Mint soap.

I cut the soap today. I really had a hard time getting each slice to 4 oz. Hard for me to gauge. So I have some samples now. I really like this soap. Smells amazing and I love the color.

So I am really wanting to make some HP soap now.I found a crock pot at the thrift the other day. And I just love the rustic look and the HP soap. I may even be able to make goat milk soap this way. I just need to research the process and watch you tube videos. It'll have to wait til Thursday now. Tomorrow's market day.

There is something HUGE under my kitchen sink, rattling the bottles I store under the sink. And trying to get out! I saw some really big rodent poop.Way bigger than tiny mouse poop. More like a big gigantic rat or maybe even a possum. Huge poop. So awhile ago, when I heard it again, I got Bubba and Stella in there. Bubba just about disappeared in the cabinet trying to find what ever's in there. It was even rattling the doors. Big evil creature, in my kitchen, just a few feet away from me. I do not like this at all.

More storms. And soap. A good combo, right?

There were more storms all around last night here. Several mountain roads closed due to mud slides. A lady in Walker Co. where we live, was killed when a tree fell on her mobile home. So sad. And scary. And more heading our way. It's been like this for weeks now. Storms at night. Late. Huge loud thunder and bright lightening. It's so wet here. Just a mud pit. Wonder if it's going to be like this the rest of fall and winter.

I worked in the studio most of the day. Made a new soap with shea butter, cast, coconut and mostly olive oil. With rosemary and peppermint EO's. I also used dried powdered parsley flakes for color. It's still a bit soft so will wait some more to cut it. And I have no idea how to cut this one. This is the mold, which is a glass loaf pan, that I made the lavender-oat soap but wasn't this tall.  This is taller than the mold. They will be thinner bars but 4 oz. each. It really smells good.

Also worked on more dryer balls. And made a few more smaller orange felted pumpkins. And have been working on a goat for a week now. Goats are really hard. This one's a Nubian. Got her all done, with an udder, but every time I look at her, I have to work on her some more. IF I get her to where I like her, she's going to be $50 at least. Lots of hours so far. So I may just stick with cute fluffy sheep.

The soap in front is some I made with goldenrod tea. Had to take a pic for a soap forum because someone was thinking of doing this. I used a bar last night in the shower and really like the lather. It's a bit more squeaky than the other soaps. Don't know if it's the goldenrod or not. But I liked it. Not much scent though. Just a nice clean bar.

I might be going out today with my mom, if it's not pouring rain and windy. I need more oils for more soap! I need to make more charcoal soap. I have 2 bars left. So far, the best seller.

I could not get the husband to go anywhere yesterday. He seems fine now. Blood sugar is great. Been feeding him good healthy foods. We had the oldest and youngest grand daughters most of the weekend, so that keeps him happy. I hear him telling someone on the phone he may go see if his PC doc can see him this week. He's been going to her every other week so far til last week. She said she's see him in April if nothing happens. I guess it'll be sooner.Will let y'all know. And thanks SO much for all the prayers and good thoughts for him. He needs them for sure!

Some flowers...

   for your Monday. Hope you enjoy!

Pretty scary last night.

Last night, while putting sheets and blankets on the couch for the youngest grand daughter who was staying the night, my husband said he wasn't feeling right. He had the Nascar race on TV and had been sleeping a little. I asked what he felt like. He had a hard time saying anything. Then he said he couldn't remember anything. Like all of us. He couldn't remember who his kids were. Or the grand kids. Or me. I was getting scared. I usually laugh when someone gets hurt or falls or anything like that. It's the way I handle it. I don't mean to at all. It's just what comes out. But not then. I was starting to get really scared seeing my husband like this and was crying. He was trying to say something and would look down and had tears in his eyes too. Then he'd try again. This went on for at least 15 minutes. Both kids came in the living room. I was getting dressed to take him to the ER. He was remembering a lot by then. He went to the dining room and took his blood sugar reading. It was 200. This happened about 9:35. About 9:50 we took his blood pressure. It was 198/100. Took it again a few minutes later and it was down a little. Then back to normal for him about 10 minutes later. I had given him 2 low dose Bayer aspirin too, before taking BP. I called his sister and she told me to do that. Anyway, he refused to go to the ER. He seemed fine after all this.

 It must have been a TIA. Transient Ischemic Attack. I looked up the symptoms of a stroke and got a whole page on TIA's. He had all the ones listed. Numbness, confusion, trouble seeing. He had all these. It also said that 15% of people who have TIA's will have a stroke within 2 days. 45% will have a stroke in a few weeks after.

I was with Mrs. T not long ago when she did this, but so much worse. She couldn't get any words to come out right.  It doesn't last long. Maybe 10-20 minutes. But in that time, it's the scariest thing ever to witness. I just absolutely panic and freak out. I cannot handle it. I am worried to death now. Like any minute, he's going to have a major stroke and I'll lose him. I hate this. I'm afraid to leave him alone now. Or let him drive. My mom called him and talked him into calling his doctor tomorrow. But it's a holiday.

And it's done nothing but  RAIN for days now. And more rain to come this week. Yay?

My "ewe"nique flock...

is ready for their trip to market in the morning. I had fun making these guys. I love how each one is so different from the next. The blue one is my favorite. But then they all are. I love sheep! I'm working on a Nubian goat. It's really hard.

Have a great weekend!

Slow down and have a seat.

Fallen leaves...

there's starting to be a lot of them, all over now. And with all the storms we're having, that just makes them fall faster. We have several maple trees in the yard and down the driveway.  Most are Silver maples. But in the corner of the yard is a beautiful red maple. I also planted a Sugar maple a few years ago in the front yard. It's not doing as well as some of the other maple trees I've planted. I hope it will take off soon. They are so pretty.

 Yesterday, on the way home from the farmer's market, I just had to pull over and stop. In front of me were the most beautiful clouds I had ever seen. They were huge and probably a few miles ahead. I was facing South. There was a big white cloud surrounded by light gray clouds and a long narrow shelf of cloud underneath. I wish I had my camera so I could have taken pictures of this. So the outer clouds had the most beautiful lightening, that would light up the clouds almost pink. It was awesome. I don't usually like storms, but this one had my full attention. Every few minutes, there would be a long streak of lightening shooting straight down. But the colors were amazing. And it was very slow, moving to the east. I probably sat there 30 minutes watching this beautiful cloud show. Just thinking about how awesome God is. And how powerful. But then it started getting dark, and I hate night storms, So I went on home. And it got darker and darker. It had already went through my area. The roads were all wet. When I got home, the sheep and alpacas were out back, in the barn. It must have been pretty fierce for them to have gone in the barn.

I am going to town, to the courthouse today, to see what I need to do to get my little studio opened as a fiber art store. I have no idea. Maybe a small business license? I will find out soon. I hope I will be able to do this here. I am just a little frustrated with the farmer's market right now. I am not making anything extra after fees and gas and time. I will also go around to some little shops and see if they might let me put my soaps and fiber art on display. Or sell them soap. Don't know how that works either. Will find out soon.