Spice it up!

I always grab a Farmer's Almanac and rummage through the pages around early fall, and then remind myself to check the accuracy of the predictions as the days pass and winter blows by. I'm not very good at verifying the accuracy of the book as I get busy with other things and by the time, I remember that I was going to check, its Spring! However, this winter has been filled with sunshine warm days on one day and then by the next, its cold and snowy. Very much up and extreme down, and just what the almanac predicted. There's something comforting knowing that a book that's been around for such a long time forecasts the weather in accuracy.  At least I think so. Farmers still use the almanac as a guide for planting. The moon phases are listed, and a lot of farmers and gardeners plant their crops and flower beds by the phases of the moon. 

Now dreary winter's piercing cold, floats on the northern gale, and trees, though green, look dry and old; snow covers hill and dale. 

Elle looked at me with those sweet eyes as she stood by the porch door on that sunshiny day. Dog language, I call it. She ended up grazing in the sun for hours as I made soap! Little things...

It's a delight to be working on Valentine packaging. The alkanet root and dried cranberry powder offer a beautiful pale pink hue to this special soap. Not to mention that's flavored with Rose Geranium and Sweet Orange and dipped in Chamomile. A Valentine sundry treat for the taking, but they won't last long. 

My Saturdays have been golden! You know how when you don't have something that you sometimes want, and then you get it how much more you appreciate it? At least that's how I am. There aren't very many Saturdays throughout the year that I'm not at my shop. In fact, the past twenty-four-year Saturday's have been spent at my shop. So, when I have a few Saturdays off during winter break, I honor them and cherish them. They are cultivated and nourished and not too much thought goes into how they play out. Usually, I'll spend my hours cooking or baking, reading, and watching movies. An occasional load of laundry in between, but nothing pressing to worry my little mind. Little things...

I'm definitely a winter cook!  Roasted garlic, homemade cocoa, and soups of all types fill my kitchen with the smell of what I call winter. 

I made vegetable soup and roasted garlic and Irish butter rolls. Then right before heading to bed blended Dutch cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, milk, and sugar to create the most amazing hot cocoa. Oh yeah, and a large dallop of fresh whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon on top. There's nothing better than a cup of real hot cocoa on a snowy winter night! Dutch cocoa is a high fat cocoa and helps make the best cocoa ever! This is where I get it. 

4 cups of milk

3 TB. sugar

2 TB cocoa

a dash of cinnamon and vanilla

Blend over stove until warm. Top with marshmallows or fresh whipped cream. 

Enjoy.

Vegetable Soup

 

12 ingredients

Produce

 Carrots, Large

1/2 cup Celery

1 Garlic clove, Large

1 lb. Potatoes

1 (15 Ounce) Can Tomatoes

1 cup White onion

6 cups Vegetable broth or Chicken broth

1/2 tsp Black pepper

2 tsp Italian seasoning

2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp cooking oil

12 oz Mixed vegetables, Frozen

 

Add 1 TB of olive oil to stock pot. Chop onion, celery, potatoes, and carrot and simmer in oil for twenty minutes of so. Add garlic, spices, salt, pepper. Stir. Add fresh garlic, tomatoes, and broth. Simmer for at least an hour or longer, uncovered. Add the mixed vegetables when it's almost done or done. 

Enjoy 

 

I love the way the snow lays on the cedar and pine trees. It reminds me of a winter forest. We've lost a few of our cedar trees over the years, and it just about kills me when I see one start to die. Cedar, pine, cypress, all dear to my heart in the matter of trees. 

The Boho bouquets continually fill my soul with admiration. I don't ever recall a time that I didn't have a fascination for dried flowers and plants. Designing a dried flower bouquet fills me with joy. I'm filled with even more joy to see that other's appreciate the everlasting bouquets as much as I do. 

I've been traveling back and forth to the shop with carloads of freshly made Bittersweets. It usually takes five to six trips to get it all unloaded. This translates into a well-stocked apothecary shop!

Fresh cremes. serums, and an assortment of salves, and liniments fill the tables and shelves. Some new, some tried and true. 

There are a few lingering formulations dangling in my head that I'll be putting together and sharing as it gets closer to spring. 

The Christmas decorations are down, and I've been caring for my plants and pondering thoughts of a furniture change. Just thoughts though. I have to build up to that!

A new Herbal Massage Ball is fascinating to me! The best thing about this tool is how it produces moist heat during a massage. Years ago, I made Heat Pillows that were filled with corn. I had no idea how moist heat was so therapeutic until I started making these. There's really nothing that compares. 

 

Grandma Lucy's aromatic cleaning spray helps to change one's winter melancholy mood. The spicy home keeping aid smells amazing and will fill your home with its herbal blend. 

 

Dry brushing. Don't knock it before you try it. 

The new Agarwood Liniment is a must-have to keep in your medicine cabinet especially during winter months. 

A re-do on a popular scrub, and it gets a new name. Invigorating Lemon and Rosemary keep me coming back!

I received a request for jade rollers. I was intrigued with these little skin tools, so I found a supplier and they're now available at our shop and web site. 

We'll be back at the shop on Saturday! Woohoo! I'm ready, and excited to share the things I've been working on at home. 

The huge Soap Sale will kick off on this day! 

I believe that we have around two hundred pounds of soap for this sale! It will impress me if we sell out on Saturday! It does happen!

 

Keep smiling and hold onto that faith. It will nourish you in ways you never imagined. 

 

Jill xo