Herbes d'un vert tendre

Bonjour, mes amis!

So I promised you a post about my wonderful invasive weeds...em...herbs!  I've been wanting to create a wonderful baby soap made with green herbs found locally.  I have a  recipe and it looks ever so luscious. It would aid in diaper rash burns and a host of other maladies.  Yep, It would have.  But.....

But I have been horrible at doing infused oils.   Namely, I gather them, I dry them, I get expensive oil, I pack them in sterile mason jars and cover them with oil.   But something always goes awry.   That something would be ME.  Yours truly.

Either I put them it too cool a clime, or too hot a clime, or I forget to shake them, or put them in the sun, or take them out of the sun, or take them out of the oil or WHATEVER.

This last time was no exception.   Every morning for DAYS I went out to gather herbs in the fresh morning dew.  I gently rinsed them, snipped and cut away any bad parts or roots.  Picked pine needles out of their tender entwines.   Gently laid them on fresh tissue paper for them to evaporate most of their moisture.  Gently turned them every day until they diminished in mass and water content.

Went out and purchased some extra virgin olive oil.  Placed them lovingly in the crock pot.  Which has two temps: low and high.

Covered them in the olive oil, set my timer to about 10 minutes, placed the crock pot on LOW, and walked away for 10 minutes, after which the timer notified me to turn crockpot off.

Here is a picture of them, freshly gathered:

If you are imagining that they are fragrant, then you are right.  More about these weeds/useful medicinal herbs later.  My daughter Casey is who informed me of this particular wee/useful herb; and that it should be used in our endeavors.  That in itself made me glow with pride.  Hehe....

So last night was the end of a long day of multitasking at it's finest.  I had been carefully adding herbs to my crockpot for a couple of days.   Setting the timer for 10 minutes, dutifully turning it off to steep, on and off, several times a day for about 3 days.   Turning it, basting the precious herbs in the expensive olive oil.   It was turning into a  fine, BEAUTFUL emulsion.

Last night, however, I said to myself:  "OK,  Let me saute this chicken for ข้าวผัดไก่, affectionately and phonetically pronounced Cow Pot Guy.    I would not forget to shut the timer off.  Nope, not me".  It was all under control.

At about 9:00 PM I heard a popping in the kitchen.   The dogs' ears perked up; we all glanced that way but "Nah.....what could it be"?  we surmised.

About 15 minutes later I heard a pop sufficiently loud enough to get me off the couch and bounding into the adjoining kitchen.  "Cranky old hot water heater," I thought.   But then the lid on the crock pot was cheerfully emitting a steady green-smelling vaporous steam into the kitchen, and I heard the weeds/useful medicinal herbs not simmering, or poaching, but BOILING, and I mean boiling loudly.  A raging, full ROLLING boil, as they say.

So sad at my own ineptness, I turned the crock pot off and lifted the lid.  A nice herbal spa treatment greeted my curious visage, and only about 10 seconds later, Joe asked me, "WHAT'S that smell????"  To which I replied, "Another experiment, FAILED....." simpering soflty...

I just wanted to update you as promised.   I will toss this oily mess into the garbage and start over.   I will  not be foiled.   Even if I have to stand there every 10 minutes, not diverting my gaze, and wait.   I will prevail!

Ha! So THERE!

In other news, I read this most interesting article today on Etsy.   I try to read as much as I can but thought this was of particular interest, and something for all of us who produce handmade goods to think about it.
Why not take a read:

http://www.etsy.com/storque/handmade-life/noted-can-local-manufacturing-make-a-difference-12575/?ref=fp_blog_title


So then, dear one, I so love that you take time out of your busy schedule to read my posts!
You have no idea how much that means to me!


Toodles!

Lovely Lovely Lavender!!!!!

Here it is, the end of August! I just realized that my blog activity has been, well, nill!

Those of you who keep up with me on facebook all know what I've been up to, etc etc.


This week I am busily beginning finalizing preparations for the busy holiday season. We have to be proactive or we will be left out!


I did another batch of cold processed soap this week: you see a quite un-glamorous self portrait of me in the kitchen with rubber gloves and eye goggles on: ready for any mishaps with the lye that is central to the soapmaking process!


I am writing an article on soapmaking and will post that soon! But until then, these lovely lavender essential oil soaps are a fresh batch. Made on August 25th, they must "cure" a good 4 weeks before I can sell them! The pH balance of these soaps right now is way too alkaline to even touch with bare hands. After curing, the bars will contract slightly while the water evaporates and the soap will be ready for use.


I have plenty more batches lined up: Oatmeal, Milk & Honey, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Frankincense & Myrrh and the traditional Hot Apple Pie, along with a host of herbal and essential oils soaps.


More on this later!


Recently received a great bolt of inspiration for this blog: I have a number of friends that are either in full time ministry or are entrepreneurs or small business owners. I am planning on hosting friends of mine on this blog once a week for an indefinite period. Topics will include small business, attitude, launching, faith, endurance, hope, creativity, being a woman in small business, how we got started, inspirations along the way, tips and some sage lessons learned along the way! Stay tuned!


In the meantime, my friends, be encouraged! This is a season of preparation, so be diligent, steadfast, and abouding in faith, hope and love!


Until next time... My wish for you is that your life will be as fragrant as Cassia's Kitchen.

MULTI TASKING IS A MISNOMER; aka shop vacs are wonderful!

Well, I finally admit it. Multi-tasking is on it's way out for me. I concede.
Not graciously like John McCain. Not even smiling like Sarah Palin. Just a quiet acquiescing to the fact that I am not quite like I used to be. Better, I know, just not THE SAME.

I used to be able to run with the horses. I mean, run! Suckas, watch out when I was in my 20's! Able to travel and not have to pee for hours at a time. Suck it up was my motto! Yeah! Go army!

I remember the summer of '86. Had to run the office in Hong Kong for my sick office manager. There was nothing I liked better than to run all the machines in the office simultaneously. Computer, 5 phone lines, FAX, teletype, (does my audience even know what that is? (NOT!) I would get to feeling so POWERFUL to have the hum and droan of all them puppies goin'at once! Relishing how many neuro synapses could pop all at one time and still fire, accurately, simultaneously, with the precision that only a mastermind could handle.

Not so anymore, Watson! Why, I am doing good if I meander into any given room and remember why I have ambulated to said location. It all comes from doing too much, too much! at one time and racing the clock for more output.

Rewind to approximately 9:09 AM..... kitten left, Batman left, bacon smell was being sucked out ventahood. I was so SSOOO looking forward to LABEL TROUBLESHOOTING. PART V! a WHOLE DAY of troubleshooting, planning, making, wrapping, posting, website management....etc etc. Yesterday was prayer and fasting, meeting,and paying bills. all on list was completed. A sense of purpose and resolve had filled my heart.

Holy Spirit nudged me. "Read Bible now!" yes, Lord! I am! I will! I glanced over at last night's production, revelling how beautiful they looked. Maybe I'll take a picture first, I thought. Then I will.......

So I grabbed some snowflakes, some gold ribbon. Wow, that looks good! Let's snap a picture and throw it up on the blog....maybe this could make front page of website later...after I read Bible.

Suddenly, I heard a dripping. I glanced toward the guest bathroom doorway where the original kitten was gazing in mesmerized, detached amusement at the floor. Oh yeah, turn faucet off I reminded myself. (I always turn the faucet on for kitten and he jumps up and drinks every morning.) Must not waste water! The environment and Al Gore would truly thank my conscientious pursuit of water conservation. But, back to gold ribbon and musings how these looked so Neiman Marcus.....

Must turn off water, said self, so I went over to doorway to find the floor mats afloat and the digital scale under water. The NEW digital scale, that is....not like I love it or anything or like it actually helps me be dedicated to a lo carb lifestyle, but nevertheless, a new $25.00 scale which is now out of commission.

I love SHOP VACS, without which today I know I would have otherwise despaired. ELEVEN,
COUNT EM, ELEVEN DUMPS OF THE SHOP VAC INTO BATHTUB LATER, MY FLOOR IS ALMOST DRY, YET THERE IS THIS queer leak onto the floor. Opening the toothpaste drawer, i discover that it is at maximum capacity and overflowing on floor. Meanwhile cat is a detached onlooker. WHY AREN'T YOU A TALKING CAT? I muse.

Meanwhile, phone rings and BATMAN is wondering if I will drive 20+ miles to his job in the snow to fetch him his chop saw. OH yes!!!! I replied, I would be delighted to do so! So I go upstairs, get dressed, go outside, find the saw, and look at my rear back wheel which is flat. Upon inspection, someone who last filled up air neglected to put valve stem cap on valve stem. Let me just way it was not me. thank god for that.

Quietly and composedly I drove down the street passing my neighbor. 5 minutes later she calls me on my cell to inform me that my beloved dogs dug another hole in her front yard.

Whatever. I sweetly told her that AFTER it get done sleeting today I would be RIGHT OVER to tend to that little detail. Sweetly, I brought over to her one of my little cupcake bath bombs. She being thus delighted, we are once again, (tentative) friends.

Thank you Holy Spirit! Your peace reigns!

Just wanted to let you all know! Now, to that Bible Reading and to label troubleshooting part V! If anyone out there cares to point me in the direction where some troubleshooting might take a human form then hook me up!

Is this all worth it! I think so! Just checking email, two more people are requesting brochures, so, there you have it. Do NOT despise the day of small beginnings, saith the Lord!