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What Is That In The Air – Aroma Of Love?

July 30, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

Distasteful or not, I am writing about it. 

It would be the smell in the air.  The smell that stamps in place the bucks are in rut. 

What does the smell also mean? Sticky bucks, yellow coats, and does that have come in contact that do not smell so pretty either.

When the girls come to the milkstand I no longer give them a big hug as they leave.  Well, some of them still get one.  They do not know they are offensive, and probably would not understand my desire to not smell like a buck. 

Love is in the air.  The bucks make sure they smell oh-so-odorous for the girls.  I have never understand why urinating on your own beard, belly, and legs, time and time again, is so attractive.  But I guess there are mysteries in the animal world that we will never quite understand.

So, I lead my “girls” with 2 fingers under the collar as needed.  I keep my distance. 

And I use a lot of goat milk soap to erase the inevitable brush of eu-de-parfume-de-buck from my own skin. 

Aren’t you glad men don’t have to go to such great lengths to attract their mates?

Posted in Goat Care (and General Farm) | Tagged , , | 2 Comments »

Product Monday – Annie’s Shampoo Bars

July 26, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

 

Shampoo bars are soap, nothing but soap (no detergents), with the addition of essential oils and goat milk. 

Annie’s shampoo bars contain a mix of oils that are not found in my facial and bath bars, such as castor oil and hemp seed oil.

Castor is a thick golden oil that helps promote a fluffy and bubbly lather.  Castor oil is soothing and lubricating.

Hemp seed is a green oil that has some amazing emollient and moisturizing properties.  It is a great source of polyunsaturated fat, containing essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6).

Washing your hair with a shampoo bar is one way to bring your hair back to its natural condition.  Most liquid commercial shampoos contain waxes and other ingredients that coat the hair shaft, leaving the hair with a soft and conditioned feeling.  But coating the hair shaft results in other problems, such as coating of the scalp.  In many cases, the coating of the scalp leads to itchiness and flaking issues.  Removal of the waxes and other surface ingredients from the hair requires diligent use of the shampoo bar.  When the shampoo bar is first used the hair may feel sticky or heavy.  After several days of using the shampoo bar, the coating on the hair begins to lift. 

Results from the shampoo bar depends upon several factors, one is water hardness.  If you have soft (or softened) water, you will notice quicker positive results from the shampoo bar.  If you have very hard water, it may take longer before you achieve the results that you are seeking. 

If you have very hard water, you may want to: 

  • rinse your hair with rain water
  • rinse your hair with filtered water
  • pre-rinse your hair (before you shampoo) with a baking soda/water rinse (1 tablespoon baking soda to 1 cup of water)
  • rinse your hair after you shampoo with a vinegar/water rinse (1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup of water)

How do you wash your hair with a shampoo bar? You may be inclined to wet your hair and rub the soap bar directly in.  I recommend wetting your hair, wetting the bar, lathering the shampoo bar in your hands, and then apply the lather to your scalp.  Work the lather from the scalp down the length of your hair.  Rinse well.  Repeat if necessary.  Note: when your hair is wet following a shampoo bar wash,  it may not feel slick, as it might after using a bottled shampoo.  You will notice, once you have used the shampoo bar for a length of time, after your hair dries, it has a new softness to it (unlike the feel when it is wet).

Several varieties of Annie’s Shampoo Bars have been added to the online store, with more to come in the near future. 

If you have any questions, please shoot them my way.  I’ll be here!

Posted in Products, Skin and Hair Care | Tagged , , | 8 Comments »

Humble Lessons In Learning

July 18, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

 

Patience is definitely a necessity when learning new skills in life. 

Our learning abilities are affected by certain things such as fear, natural talents, and even bad habits.

In my own life, for example, I found soaping to be rather simple.  I did not learn to make soap the “chemistry” way, I learned it by trial and error.  I used no special tools or calculators to develop formulas.  Learning soap required patience, with no frustration involved.

I am self-taught in goats, by studying everything I could get my hands on.  I do believe any animal keeper encounters new and frustrating situations, raising animals is not an exact science.  Nature involves living things.

I am learning how to ride a motorcycle.  It is difficult for me.  I am learning in baby steps.  Each hour of learning varies.  One hour feels like I move forward, the next feels like a step backwards.  But when I sit back and think about what progress I am making I realize that even the failures are not exactly that.  Being able to recognize where I make mistakes, where I go wrong, is progress in itself. 

Making natural perfume falls into the learning curve as well.  Loving fragrance does not mean that I can whip up a concoction that smells like something a person would enjoy wearing on their skin.  Patience is required with perfuming because the end result, a matured blend that fails or passes, isn’t ready for many weeks.  I purchased natural perfume samples from others, thinking I was way off-base with my own creations, something I hesitate doing – comparing my work to others.  I did not like the samples.  It nearly prompted me to quit.  I didn’t, I decided to give it more time. 

I have my moments, we all do.  We can easily say, “I quit, I give up. I was not meant to do this!” But where would that get us? Would we stop chasing (and accomplishing) our dreams if we did not work at them? Myself, I could easily say, “I will make soap and focus on nothing else, because I know how to make it!” Who said, however, good things come without work, without disappointment from time to time?

Instead, in humble honesty, shouldn’t we admit to ourselves and others, our efforts will take time? More often than not, the end result takes more time to accomplish than what we first thought it would.  Can you think of many pursuits where time and patience were not worth the effort?

Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. – Proverbs 12:24

Posted in General Reflections, Inspirations | Tagged , , | 7 Comments »

The Making Of Annie’s Merlot Wine Soap

July 13, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

 

As I’ve said before…I am a soap nerd.  I never get tired of the process of making soap.  Finding time to make soap is the biggest problem, it certainly is not boredom!

I wanted to share with you how the Annie’s Merlot Wine soap looks in the mold, as it heats (goes through the gel stage), as the soapers call it.

When you look at the soap in the mold, you wonder how it ever gets to this point:

The bars often are a bit more brick red, sometimes lighter, darker at other times.  I attribute the variances to the nature of the sugar in the wine, even to different brands.  Subtle differences adds to the ambiance of handcrafted soap!

I boil the alcohol out of the wine before it is used to make soap.  It is not complicated, but I do follow an entirely different process than I do when making milk soap.

Pretty, isn’t it?

I simple cannot say it enough…I am blessed to be doing what I love!

Posted in In The Soap Shop, Products | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments »

Nature’s Awesome Goodness

July 12, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

I sat on the yard swing at daybreak this morning in the cool air.

As I sat down I felt the dampness of dew against my legs.  It was not a bother.

I held a warm coffee mug in my hands and closed my eyes.

I listened to the morning doves, the chirping birds, the frogs, and the goose enjoying his bath on the pond.

It was beautiful.

The words “Thank you” came from my lips.

It was nothing short of pure life, nature’s awesome goodness.

Posted in General Reflections, Goat Care (and General Farm) | Tagged , | 9 Comments »

Learning To Ride

July 11, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

Learning to ride has been interesting, funny, and sometimes painful. 

For those of you who don’t know, I bought a bike for myself a week ago.  I decided I did not want to ride on the back of a bike, I wanted to do it myself.  Mind you, I knew nothing about motorcycles.  I plunged into studying the written test and somehow aced it (more on that story here). 

Training happens in the lower field, which is fairly small, the only place flat on our property.  I am not ready for the road.

I read, study, listen to advice (my husband is a saint), and then I go for it myself.  Somehow I do better without an audience.  I even waited until the Mennonites quit mowing their church lawn this morning before I began my session!

Let the fun begin…this week I have:

  • hit the goat’s fence, missing my husband (whom was watching my activities) by mere inches
  • laid the bike down 3 times (once on top of my legs)
  • learned to pick up the 310 pound bike (after laying it down while crashing in the grass very gracefully, ha)
  • maneuvered around the infamous escapees (carrying them over and over again back to the barn…because where I am practicing is the place they graze when they leave their assigned premises)
  • put the key in the gas cap instead of the ignition. (took 10 minutes to put the cap back in, as I laughed hysterically!)

I keep saying I will be a slow learner, and I have been.  I am certainly not going to push myself.  The first session was great, the second was a total loss, the third (today) I finally put my feet on the pegs.  I let go of the ground which was heart-stopping for a moment.  It was incredible how my balance was right once I placed my feet where they actually belonged on a moving motorcycle! I even u-turned back without losing the bike, with no training.  Amazing.

Big sigh.  What a mess.  Big sigh.  I will do this!

I am having fun.  And I am determined to be ready for the Motorcycle Ohio basic rider’s course in August.  I hope to step into the class putting aside all of my practice, except for confidence, because I want to learn things the instructor’s way.  Safety is first. 

This escapade has been expensive.  I bought a pair of sturdy boots, on sale, with sticker shock.  My husband is laughing as I wear the boots in the house with my shorts, trying to break the leather in. 

I purchased saddle bags, which now I realize I will not place on the bike until I stop my little crash episodes.  I cannot mess up my pretty bags! A lady especially needs a place to put a few lightweight belongings, tools when riding, you just never know. 

So…that has been my excitement.  All a part of living healthier (laughing, eating better, and balancing my life).   No more taking it so seriously!

Posted in All In A Day's Time | Tagged , , | 4 Comments »

It Might Just Be The Season…

July 10, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

My husband and I laugh together, sometimes work together, and of course we like separate things as well.  One difference is our tastes in food.

Recently I realized that I was not feeling up to par.  I decided to take things by the reigns.  The first step was a better diet. 

How did a nearly 52-year-old woman get into the habit of eating potato chips with a sandwich for lunch? It isn’t exactly the perfect picture of  a food full of health!

My husband does not like many vegetables.  If it isn’t corn, green beans, or a ripe red tomato, it really isn’t pleasant in front of his eyes.  He doesn’t like to see spinach, and he really sickens to the smell of vegetables cooking.

A week ago I went to the grocery and stocked up on frozen and canned vegetables.  You should have seen that cart! I started taking vitamins and I began eating vegetables while my husband is at work.  The first day I ate an entire can of turnip greens, like a ravished animal.  They were so good!

Next week I am going to cook brussel sprouts, and then aerate the house as best as possible.  Funny.  Wish me luck!

The 4th of July weekend opened my eyes to several things, one was making sure I worked fun back into my life, another was the eating habits.   It really was a refreshing weekend.  I hope it was the same for you.  Very much a blessing!

I am heading outside to enjoy the sunshine as soon as I post this…enjoying the balance in life!

Posted in All In A Day's Time | Tagged , | 5 Comments »

What A Farmer Does For Fun In Her Spare Time

July 7, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

Several months back my husband began talking about purchasing a motorcycle.  I was skeptical, but knew that it would be a fun past-time. Recently, he decided on a bike and brought it home a few days later.  Oh boy, was he wobbly.  He had not ridden for 20-something years.  I trailed close behind him in my truck that evening.

On a whim I decided I wanted to learn how to ride.  I surprised myself.  I did not want to ride on the back of a bike.  I wanted to learn to ride!

About as quickly as that thought entered my mind, the next thought pushed its way in.  Not only did I not want to ride tandem, I wanted my own bike.  48 hours later I parked my own bike in the garage.   And I am still laughing at that maneuver!

That same day I began studying the Ohio motorcycle manual.  I studied it through the holiday weekend. 

I also field practiced on the bike once during the weekend.  I wanted to get a feel for the clutch, throttle, let off of the brakes (send power to the back wheel).  It was too hot to practice long, especially in a helmet.  I went for short jags, 20-100 feet.  That was enough for day 1.  I did better than I thought I would.  I laid it down once in the grass.  As soon as my husband pulled the bike off of me, I was giggling.  Rolling in the grass giggling!

Yesterday, less than a week after I began making all of the moves to learn to ride, I passed the 40 question motorcycle exam.  I missed 4 questions.  It was stunning to me.  I am grinning as I type this! I am having a time of my life with all of this. 

Can you see me trolling along a country road with a baby goat, or 6 week old bottle fed kitten, sitting on the handlebars, or strapped to the back seat?

The Goat Lady has went wild. 

Actually, slow cruising, back roads, enjoying life, with a new hobby, is all that I am looking for.  But, it is new, and it is fun, and who would have thought?

I go for a 16 hour rider’s course in August.  And, guess who said he wanted to go with me? I cannot ask for more, he is my best friend.  Bless his heart!

Life is short, better enjoy it now!

Posted in All In A Day's Time | Tagged , , | 13 Comments »

Washing Your Hair With Goat Milk

July 1, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

 

Goat Milk Shampoo Bars

We drink goat milk. We eat goat milk cheese, and wow, it is a popular item right now! We bathe with goat milk (soap).  Why not wash our hair with goat milk (shampoo)?

Here is where I am at in the journey with goat milk shampoo bars:

In the past I made a test batch of shampoo bars that left my hair with a sticky, stripped feel.  The hair did feel clean after it dried, however, it felt dirty and heavy after a mere 1/2 a day.  Not desirable!   

Last month I returned to testing goat milk shampoo bars.  I left out one key base oil.  Why? I did not trust it and worked the formula to use the oils that I already had on hand.  Results:  my hair felt clean, and seemed to have more body.  My scalp and hair did not feel dry, and my itchy scalp stopped, however, I normally do not use conditioner, and with the shampoo bars I did apply a touch of conditioner to the very ends of my mid-length hair.  Using a shampoo without waxes, detergents, or man-man chemicals for body or luster, leaves the hair in a more natural state.  Be prepared to know your “real” hair!

What you are seeing in the photo above are the shampoo bars that I cut today.  I used all of the oils that I could have used to make a conditioning and thick lathering soap.  I definitely can tell the bars are richer at this early stage of the game, 48 hours after making the soap.  The shampoo bars will need to cure for at least 6 weeks, for hardness.   I will test them at 4 weeks for cleansing and conditioning properties. 

Most shampoo bars include distilled water, why not goat milk? It works so beautifully in bath and facial soap. 

More of this digest will follow, I am excited.

As my dad always said, “We shall see!”

Posted in In The Soap Shop | Tagged | 21 Comments »

Social Media and Smart Phones

June 28, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

I am going to go against the popular grain here.

I recently shut off my smart phone.  I got tired of the problems with the phone that I had and didn’t want to pursue another.  The prospects (especially cost) of that upgrade simply were not appealing to me.

I own a netbook.  Whenever I am going to be away from home for very extended periods of time, especially when I know I have loose ends hanging via email, or on the website, I will pack the “mini laptop”  in its case.  It may take 20 minutes of my entire day to do a bit of business away from home.  At crucial times it is worth it.

I truly feel liberated from the smart phone.  My new phone doesn’t even have a camera on it.  Isn’t that a hoot?  I have a camera and a Flip video camera.  They are enough.   I took a step backwards in technology!

You can see the badges in my sidebar,  I have a Twitter and Facebook account (both personal and Annie’s Goat Hill.).  Those accounts are also used with limits.  I work social media into my daily schedule, perhaps a 1/2 hour or less in the morning, a short period of time after I eat lunch, and a few minutes in the evening.  I have met some wonderful people, customers, and other soap makers through social media.  I think social media has its place, and it can be effective and positive, with limits set.

Phones are getting fancier and more costly.  Can you imagine the money that is being made on smart phones these days? Always a new one, always a better one.  I agree, the applications for the phones are excellent.  And yes, they do help those that operate small and large businesses.  But when does it stop? And does it need to? Does a $699.00 phone repay for itself?

What are your thoughts regarding the smart phones, constant connection (an entirely different topic), and social media? In my own opinion, less is definitely more.  How do you feel about it?

Posted in All In A Day's Time | Tagged , | 9 Comments »

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