Nubian Alpine
Here’s hoping you have a wonderful Sunday!
The girls have had a good time recently. Pretty scary to see a 175 pound gal whirlygigging her way down the side of a hill. Saw one the other day rubbing her belly. She started at the top of the slope, on her belly, inched all the way to bottom, still flat on her belly. Needed a video camera. Would have been quite the You Tube item.
Posted in Goat Care (and General Farm) | Tagged Goats | 8 Comments »
A person very dear to me said, “I just cannot do this. I simply can not do it!” Yes, you can.
I admit, I was well into the middle part of my 40’s before I realized that all things are possible.
Self-doubt is very defeating. Dreams can be squashed by a little voice that whispers, “You might not be able to do this.” Self-doubt causes us to shun our aspirations, our hopes, and our plans. Self-doubt causes us to not make corrections in our lives that frees us to move forward. We vigorously ignore and take detours because it appears much easier than facing a challenge.
So sad. Such a waste of time and energy.
To the one that is struggling…call them brick walls, stumbling blocks, hurdles, whatever the term for challenges might be for you…if you never test the waters, if you never jump through the ring of fire (the vision that I use), you will likely not get where you want to be in life. As grandmother used to say, “Nobody is going to hand that to you on a silver platter.” You have to make it happen.
It is a fact, the more you accomplish, the stronger you get. Stronger = more faith in yourself.
I hope to not listen to the self-doubt voice ever again…but I am sure it will whisper something in my ear again soon. I love the challenge, because it reminds me that I am human, and that I am weak. But I also love it because it reminds me that I can freely do whatever good I know I can do!
“Let’s check and see if I’m going
ahead
or backward,
or nowhere . . . .
-Gladis and Gordon DePress
Posted in Inspirations | Tagged Inspirations, Motivation, Self-Doubt | 14 Comments »
I have to throw this in…I have to!! I have worked so hard on my website. I have NO idea what I am doing, but I do it…whatever IT is!!! I started out on page 9 with the Google search, then 19, then 25, then I started moving up. Today, when I did a search on goat milk soap, I found Annie’s Goat Hill on page 1 of the Google search! Big sigh…it has been a lot of hard work, and I am going to have to work even harder to keep the search engines happy!!! Thank you to everyone that has helped me with links, linking back, etc…, thank you to everyone for your support.
I received an email yesterday from a client that melted my heart. She said, “It is so refreshing to actually be doing business with a real person.” She told me that my soaps are helping her skin, her children’s skin, and even her grandchildren. My heart is filled with joy. Why? Because there is nothing more important to me than to hear words of happiness. I want to make a difference. Everything else falls into place later.
Posted in AGH Business News | Tagged Google, keywords, SEO | 6 Comments »
Tippie - Boer Doe
Most of the boer goats on my farm are not publicly slathered with the attention that the dairy does receive, so today I am honoring one of my boer does, Tippie.
Boer goats traditionally have white bodies and brown/red heads. They developed this color pattern to fight the heat and dry climates. They originated in the early 1900’s in South Africa, for meat production. To this day, boer goats are a main stay in that region. They are a sign of prosperity amongst African villages.
Boer goats entered the United States in 1993.
Against popular belief, boer goats can be rather docile. Tippie loves a good head rub, so does Annie, and so does our big stinky bucks. Speaking of big…a boer doe can reach 200 pounds, the bucks can top out over 240 pounds. Not all of my goats are that large, but some, such as Tippie, are (excuse the pun) tipping the scales.
Did you notice a connection between Tippie and her name? She has a brown tail.
Posted in Goat Care (and General Farm) | Tagged Goats | 7 Comments »
Did you know the human sense of smell is 10,000 times stronger than any other sense we have? Amazing fact! And we love to savor our world with our noses…from our fresh brewed morning coffee, to our dishsoap, shampoo, hair spray, cleaning supplies, and it even extends to the delicious aromas of the food we consume.
As I waited for the oils to cool down for the goat milk soap I made today, I satisfied my love for scent by working on some fragrance blending. I am NO master perfume blender! I am self-taught from reading piles of books. I have fun with blending.
My fragrance blending supplies consist of:
Blotter paper, glass eye droppers, essential oils (fragrance oils as a last resort), and alcohol to clean the droppers (to prevent contamination from bottle to bottle). If I do not have blotter paper on hand I cut up coffee filters. Yes, inexpensive coffee filters!
The Body of a Perfume or Fragrance Blend:
When describing a scent or blend, perfumers often use the term “notes.” Notes are directly related to the evaporation rate of a single fragrance (or a group, or bouquet of fragrances that bond) within a blend.
The base note, for example, can last for hours (or days) on the skin. A base note evaporates very slowly. Base note fragrances are often dark and thick, like patchouli or sandalwood.
The middle note can last up to 3 hours. The middle note normally rounds out, or binds the fragrance blend.
The top note is very short lived. It normally lasts about 30 minutes.
How I Blend:
When I decide what “mood” or thought I am trying to project, I select oils that compliment the “painting” (ex: juniper-sweet or musky, lavender-relaxing and clean, orange-uplifting). I called it “painting” because the creation of fragrance blends does feel very much like artwork!
I begin by adding my base notes to the blotter paper. Depending upon the intensity of the essential oil, I add a few drops at a time. I then move on to the middle note. Again, adding a few drops at a time. Once I have obtained the desired effect, I move on to the top note, adding a few drops at a time. I always take notes…notes are a must!
I end up carrying the blends with me throughout the day. It is a good way to know whether I will love a blend, or be sickened by it! Today, in my left pocket (fragranced blotter paper wrapped in wax paper), is my holiday blend. It contains a little cedar, vanilla, frankincense, orange and juniper. In my right pocket is a lavender, citrus, cinnamon and anise blend. I smell pretty aromatic today! The blends are getting the benefit of my body heat, helping the scents to bloom. And, I enjoy checking the blend throughout the day to see how the notes change, and they do!
So, there you have it, basic perfuming 101…Mary Humphrey style!
I wish you had sniff-a-vision!!! These blends make me think about the natural potpourri that I used to find in a little shop in Nashville, Indiana. Talking about scent and memories…another blog post!!
Posted in In The Soap Shop | Tagged essential oils, fragrance blending, perfuming | 11 Comments »
Cammille - Nubian Dairy Goat
This is Cammille, one of my nubian dairy goats. Her milk plays a big part in the goat milk soap that is made on my farm.
Cammille is a smart doe. As with most of my dairy goats, Cammille arrives at the milk room door twice a day, following the same pattern. This season the order is Iris, Bonnie, Cammille, and Carmella. Goats love patterns, in fact, some become rather upset when a normal routine is not followed. They also know their own names. They have individual personalities. Cammille, for example, will not allow the milk inflations to be placed on her teats without first having access to the grain in her dish. With Cammille, everything has to be pre-planned, in perfect order, before she arrives on the stand. If not, a person had better hurry! She has a gentle nature, she does not kick, she more or less shifts from hoof to hoof, dancing, and the impatience quickens when food is not at her lips!
Athena - Snubian Dairy Goat
Athena is a young dairy doe. She has not “freshened,” meaning, she has not given birth and gone “into milk” yet. Athena is a 2nd generation snubian (cross between a saanan and a nubian). I love snubian dairy goats. They produce a nice volume of milk, and they retain the wonderful rich fat-laden nubian qualities in the milk they produce.
Snubians are generally very laid back goats, easy to lead and train to the milk stand. Athena does not fall short of those abilities. Goats love to nibble with their lips (no teeth involved). Athena has a habit of nibbling with her teeth, and it certainly can hurt! I am trying to break her of that wonderful practice! She loves to follow behind, and ouch, nibble!!!
Have you ever seen a goat bury their head in a huge pile of hay to find just the one morsel they were searching for? They cannot see through the hay, but they can smell, and amazingly their lips can feel better than most any other animal! Try to hold a young bottle-fed goat kid. Try it without a bottle in your hand. What you will get are nibbles. Little nibbles to your neck, chin, earlobes, and they love to target the nose!
Goats…amazing animals.
Posted in Goat Care (and General Farm) | Tagged Dairy, Goat Milk Soap, Goats | 15 Comments »
I have studied loads of books on natural skin care, “green” cosmetics, and cosmetic ingredients. There is a lot to learn because the list keeps on growing! Let me tell you, the products (cosmetics) sitting on most department store shelves have some scary stuff in them!
My promise to you are products that are as natural as possible, and as safe for your body as possible. And, I will share tips and recipes that you can make in your own home as well.
With that in mind…I love a good exfoliating scrub. They say we really cannot do anything, short of surgery, to fix the fine lines that appear on our face, but I feel confident and convinced that I see good results! Our skin is one large organ. It takes in air and it absorbs what we put on it. Our skin can do so much better once we help it by removing dead skin cells.
Honey and Salt Scrub
Mix 2 parts honey, one part mineral or sea salt (unrefined salt) to form a thick paste.
Rub the paste on the skin in small circular motions. Do not pull on the skin. Do not apply pressure, use a very light hand.
Rinse with warm (not hot water).
You will find your skin refreshed, softer, with the dull rough skin removed.
I first tested this recipe on the top of one hand and arm. I could not believe the difference between my arms! The scrubbed arm was soft and silky. The other felt dry and rough.
My facial skin did tingle slightly after the scrub. If you have sensitive, broken, blemished, or thin skin, use caution. Do not use this scrub more than once a week if you have sensitive skin.
Avoid the eye area.
I did follow up with applying my own goat milk lotion to the face.
I use milk goat milk soap, my own, once daily, to cleanse my face. I follow up with goat milk lotion, twice a day. Nothing will replace that routine. The natural lactic acid in the lotion and soap helps to renew the skin cells.
Recipes to come include deodorants, hair care, bath soaks…the list will go on! When you try the recipes, I would love for you to share your results (pros and cons). I hope to hear how they work for you!
Posted in Skin and Hair Care | Tagged natural skin care | 10 Comments »
September Sunrise
Massey Harris 50 Taking A Bath
Posted in Family & Friends | Tagged Family, Friends, Labor Day, Relaxation | 4 Comments »
When I ask myself the question, have you been reflective recently? The resounding answer is a definite yes! Meditative? Very!
The world comes with trials, disappointments, and frustrations. What I do to armour myself against those trials is what helps me to win the battle(s).
My battles are won through faith in God. Period.
I could oh so easily throw my hands up in the air and say the words, “I give up, this is too difficult.” But I am not turning back, I am sticking with the One that created me.
Jesus said: “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…But seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” Matthew 6:31, 33-34
Amen! Over and out! When I find myself slipping into the notion of worrying about tomorrow, I quickly remind myself that it is up to Him to do the work. He has plans for me! I need only concentrate on this very moment, do what is best for my future today.
With love to all of you!
Posted in General Reflections | Tagged Inspirations, Reflections | 7 Comments »
Color From The Flower Garden
Today I am talking about a blog that inspires me, The Lylah Blog – Simple Home Living.
I could not tweak my own words to suit the purpose, so here are Lylah’s own words, “The Lylah Blog is about encouraging women to apply the Simple Home Principles to become great wives, loving mothers and on purpose home makers who learn the value of creating sanctuary.”
In my own words, there are a lot of blessings in life, and Lylah is one of them!
In her post, Being an On Purpose Home Keeper, Lylah wrote: See, I am in no way perfect. I have not arrived. I am in process. And, when I write what I know is true, what I know is Biblical, what I know works and what I know honors God – I get reminded. I get to be challenged all over again. I don’t know about you, but I need that. I need the kick in the pants – as I run this race . . . as God develops character (His) in me – for the sake of the Kingdom and That Day (2 Corinthians 5:7-11).
Inspiring!
In her post, A Farm on Every Floor, an article embracing vertical farming and gardening, Lylah captioned a photo with: And, what would happen if we raised our kids on a farm? Think things might change?
Lylah surprised me in that post as well with a link to my own Annie’s Goat Hill blog.
Thank you to her post, My Friend LaRue. I finally have an idea how to display my grand-mothers colorful aprons! You need to go see!
Lylah authors more than one blog, her French inspired blog is: La Maison Et La Jardin . I drool over that one!
I lived in France for a couple of years as a young child. Now I have a few French-related blog posts in my drafts! My memory has been incredibly sparked! Life is good!
I think I met Lylah on Twitter. At this point, I do not remember, and it does not matter.
Blessings!
Posted in Blogging, Inspirations | Tagged Blogging, Inspirations, The Lylah Blog | 5 Comments »
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Annies Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps 