Feta cheese

This is the feta I made 5 days ago. All marinating in olive oil with fresh cut basil, thyme, oregano and chives. It is SO good. I love to make a frittata and add this feta to it. With some good sauteed veggies and roasted garlic Bruschetta. Too good!

95

Yep. 95 degrees Wednesday. Farmer's market day. From 3-6. The hottest part of the day. On white concrete and rocks. By a busy city street. With lots of traffic. UGH! Not really looking forward to this at all. But we have to do it. We are tough. I'll take lots of ice cold water and some wet towels. And I have a canopy. But it's only half way in the shade. And I have soaps. And jelly. And now plantain slave. It could be a liquid in this heat. And so could the soap. That's very nearly 100 degrees. That's pretty hot if ya ask me.

So please think nice cold thoughts of all us farmers and artisan type folks out there in this awfully hot heat. And I hope you all have a very nice day!

Just another manic Monday

 I love that song. And I love Mondays. Always have. I had a productive day. I made privet jelly. 15 half pint jars. I had picked the flowers and made the juice a week ago. Finally got around to make the jelly today. It smells just like the flowers and tastes really good. I am pleased with it. Now I am wondering if people who have allergies from privet should eat this jelly?

I made 33 of the smallest canning jars of plantain salve yesterday. I made it in the crock pot. It all turned out really nice and solid. I really love this salve. It's great for all kinds of bug and any bites and bee stings and itches. Also great to put on tick bites. Good stuff.

And a few weeks ago I had infused plantain leaves in olive oil to use in a castille soap. Which I finally made today.It's so pretty and white with a hint of green. This will take 8 weeks to cure/ I like castille soap. It's rich and creamy.

Here is the soap I made with the lard from pigs I raised. It's a summer citrus scent with orange, lemon and lime EO's and orange zest. It smells amazing!

I made just 4 bars of Sandalwood for my friend who disbuds my goat kids.

Here's Heather and Kansas, on the lawn, having a nice little relaxing time together under the shade tree.

I always wanted Red bud trees here. This is the biggest tree and there is another little tiny one in my rock garden. I got them from my mom's yard. I need more.

I also mowed most of the yard and front by the road. And washed a load of clothes and hung them out on the lines. My favorite thing to do is wash my sheets and hang them out on a sunny day. Then when I get in bed, it's the most wonderful smell and I sleep like a baby!

The lady who wanted Ella Belle has decided to not get her. I am a little upset, but I'll try to put them all on CL. And my friend who was supposed to get the pigs didn't come this morning. It was raining. So I  hope he comes tomorrow. And I had a call from some strange person about the chickens. I was just going out to check the bees and had the smoker going and my mom was just leaving and hit the fence. And I, like a dummy, answer my stupid phone. And I couldn't understand them so I told them to call back later. They were asking all kinds of stupid questions. They did call back but I didn't answer the phone. Please tell me I am not the only one who has done this? I will not sell any animals to people who don't know anything about them. Like how big does a Cornish Cross meat bird get? Come on.

I had a call Saturday from a lady who said her daughter wanted a lamb. I knew right away I would never sell her A lamb. I told her sheep like to be with other sheep and she'd need more than 1. She said that would be fine. And did she want a hair sheep or a wool sheep? She said it didn't seem that hard to cut the wool off a sheep. No, I will not sell anything to her either. Sorry. It takes all kinds, I suppose.

I was going to make elderberry jelly too. But when I went out to pick the flowers, they weren't all the way opened. So I'll wait til they are all the way opened to make the juice for jelly. That should be really good.

I am reading an old book that I read several years ago, about bees. It's called The Keeper Of the Bees by Stratton Porter. It was written in 1925. I love old books. The smell is so cool. And there are several references to real bee keepers who wrote books, like Pliney and Huber. Love this book. And now that I have bees, I am reading it again.

So just another Monday. What have you all done today?

(By the way, all the jelly, salve and soap are for sale. If you'd like anything, let me know.)