This has been a very hot summer thus far! I am grateful because highs are now in the upper 80s rather than 90s as they were over the last couple of weeks. I’ve taken over morning chicken chores and I was coming inside drenched from the minor exertion at 8 am. I’ve gotten fancy with my chickens, and am feeding a more expensive feed as I try to eliminate certain things from their diet and thus our own. To make it stretch a bit more, I am fermenting it. It’s easy, doesn’t add much more work for myself, and has me staying on top of the chickens’ care at a higher level than I was before. If you’re curious, I am giving them this feed now, and I supplement my birds that don’t free range (they are in a portable a frame coop that is moved every day) with these (Amazon links are affiliate links) black soldier fly larvae.
We recently celebrated Silas’s 14th birthday followed soon after by Mabel’s 9th. Silas received a variety of blacksmithing tongs, stock metal, and coal. There were no surprises and nothing was wrapped but he was fine with that. He knew exactly what he wanted! Mabel is currently very interested in owls following her introduction to the Guardians of Ga’hoole series. She and Job have both been reading them this summer. Most of her gifts were barn owl themed including a pair of shorts that I made that are too small for her (I don’t sew much anymore) and a very cute large zipper pouch using the same fabric for her colored pencils. Maybe I’ll stick to sewing pouches. Last year she was obsessed with foxes so I bought her a canid field guide, this year I bought her Owls of the World, and this really cute owl book. I wonder what next year’s animal will be? I think previous to foxes it was giraffes…
I started so many seeds this year, and when it got super hot much earlier in the season than usual, I got really behind. I still have flats of herbs that need to be transplanted. And before I can even do that, I have lots of weeds to pull to make room. Jonny and I did manage to plant our first big vegetable garden at this house. We’ve been here nearly nine years, so it was time! The soil is terrible but hopefully over time we can build it up. Everything went in really late, but I am keeping my eye on the cherry tomatoes. There are lots of green ones right now. The bar is set pretty low, so if I can just have cherry tomatoes for my morning omelet I will be happy!
My calendula has already peaked this summer (It did not appreciate the intense heat) and I am planning to start new seeds next week for a fall harvest. I just started my first batch of flowers steeping in jojoba extract using this year’s flowers, but I still have a good bit of salve that I made recently using last year’s flowers. I dry my flowers throughout the summer and then use them to make consecutive batches of salve until the next year’s flowers are ready, so it’s always made freshly. I would like to sell all of my current batch before I start listing salve from this year’s flowers in late August, so it’s on sale in my shop right now! It’s a great time to stock up. My salve is unique in that I use jojoba extract rather than olive oil which has a much longer shelf life and doesn’t require preservatives. It is also really good for your skin! I got a request for more vanilla bean lip balm in cardboard tubes, so you will find that restocked in my shop as well. It’s my favorite lip balm and I think you will love it! It has such simple and pure ingredients and it works! I love the soft vanilla scent that is the result of slowly simmering vanilla beans in organic coconut oil and jojoba extract. It’s just perfect for me, not overpowering at all.
When I cast on for my granddaughter Elsie’s birthday cardigan a few months ago, I thought that I was probably starting much earlier than necessary for her October birthday. At the rate I’ve been knitting, I’m glad I got started when I did! My other looooong term project has been reading War and Peace. I started it last August shortly after I finished (and loved) Anna Karenina. My goal was to read War and Peace over the course of a year at the rate of a chapter a day. I have mostly stuck to that plan with the exception of a long break surrounding the Christmas holidays and extra chapters when it’s interesting. I am about 200 pages from the end of this roughly 1300 page novel and I cannot wait to be finished with it. There have been good bits, but I have mostly not enjoyed this book. I hate to say that, because I know it’s such a classic and well loved by many. It’s just not been for me, and that’s okay! I will be very glad to shelve it, hopefully before the end of August. I recently compared my relationship to this book to a marriage. Perhaps an exaggeration, but it has definitely required commitment.
Now, back to my feeble attempts to cultivate a “summer break” mindset… Jonny laughed at me when I told him that was my goal. I really do want to try to relax, but I don’t live in an environment particularly conducive to that. I’ve been kind of a maniac this summer trying to tackle a million things that have built up over the last few years. Basement cleanout, boys’ bathroom (shudder) mini-redo, drawers organized (already a mess again) etc. Though it often feels like bailing water from a rapidly sinking ship, I’ve accomplished a lot over the past couple of months, and I am so thankful I found the time and energy to do it!
Ginny, I would like to know where to get the stuffed toy owl that your daughter is holding.I enjoy reading you very much and love the products you make.
Hi Janet! Here’s a link to the owl puppet: https://hansatoystore.com/products/BARN-OWL-PUPPET-22.4L-8396
I always love seeing your blog posts. Thank you for sharing. I can’t get over how big the kids are getting!!!! Beautiful flower photos and love the sewn pouch. You always have the most thoughtful and meaningful birthday gifts for your family. Stay cool! It’s been hot up here at the Jersey Shore too.
My older sister gave me War and Peace when I was a teenager with the instruction “skim read the battlefield scenes”, which was good advice I think as I really enjoyed the rest of it. Something to bear in mind for anyone out there thinking of reading it.
Thank you Ginny for Small Things from me here in Suffolk, England, not only the beauty of it but it encourages me in so many ways.
Best wishes to you and your family
I did love War and Peace when I read if first in English. Then in college (Russian Major) I had to read it all in my [not-up-to-it] Russian. It makes my chest tight just thinking of it.
You comforted me when you mentioned cleaned-out drawers that are in disarray again. My story exactly.
Please can you tell me the name of the ball-shaped flowers in your photos? They’re so beautiful and I’d love to try growing them if I can.
That is common milkweed!
I love the beautiful owl pouch! Do you have a pattern link for that please? I would love to make some.
I followed the same pattern that I used for the smaller pencil pouches that I posted about previously, I just changed the dimensions for the larger one!
https://orangebettie.com/2020/05/13/how-to-sew-a-pencil-case-easy-sewing-tutorial/
Thank you so much!! I’ve been looking all over for the darling ring-pull zippers…Do you mind sharing where you found them?
Ooh! Can you share a link to the pattern for that adorable pouch! I want to make a million of them!
And sorry the shorts didn’t fit. It’s always so frustrating when you’ve spent precious time sewing clothing only to have it not fit.
Hi Monica!
My dimensions are different, but that pouch was based on this pattern:
https://orangebettie.com/2020/05/13/how-to-sew-a-pencil-case-easy-sewing-tutorial/
They are addictive! 🙂
They look like a fun quick sewing win! I need fast projects for these days that are flying by.
I agree with all the other comments. It’s always a happy moment when I see you have a new post. I enjoy my “visits” to your beautiful home life so much. All of your outdoor photos are such a helpful dose of beauty and peace. Thank you for sharing your life in this way.
Where has time gone that I’ve been following your blog and Silas is 14 and Mabel is 9. Wow!! Sounds like a busy and fun summer.
I also get a happy feeling seeing your post in my inbox. I have never had as busy a life as you as we didn’t move to the country until we were 50 and had only the last child left. And she was 18! But, since my husband passed two years ago I feel manic too. Trying to keep 5 acres and a 45 year old house up and going makes me feel like a fireman. I just seem to run from one intense fire to the next. The boys help, of course, but they have their own lives and their own fires. Still I don’t want to move. I love it here with 22 oak trees in my “yard”. You give me inspiration to keep plugging along. I find joy in your posts and that makes me feel joyful and lucky about my surroundings.
Thanks, Ginny, a lovely read, as always!
I too am always so happy when I see a post from you in my in-box! Such a beautiful family, such amazing photography, such an accomplished woman!
What a beautiful post from you. I am always thrilled when I find Small Things in my inbox! Your life is so full and family oriented and that makes me feel a yearning and gratitude for what’s been given by the Lord. Your photography always brings a tear to my eyes and fills my soul. Thank you!
Barbara
I thoroughly enjoyed this post — of course, I usually enjoy looking in on your family and homestead, and this time is different only because I’m feeling that summer relaxation this week 🙂 and want to say a word as I “look over the fence.”
The books on owls I have added to my Gift Ideas for my grandchildren. I always appreciate you sharing these kinds of ideas.
May the warm (but not too warm!) summer ambiance give you a peaceful, restful heart. God’s blessings on you all.
Your posts take me away from what’s going on in the world and as far back as when I was growing up and got to spend summers with my grand, aunts and uncles in the country. Those were simpler times and I learned so much about nature and farm life. Thank you.
Be well
Always happy to see one of your posts pop up in my inbox! We just started trying a more expensive feed for our chickens with the goal of healthier eggs as well–thanks for reminding me about fermenting it.
“Bailing water from a rapidly sinking ship”–as a good friend of mind used to say, “I resemble that remark!” 🙂
Hi! You are amazing Ginny! I have loved reading your blog since Silas was born. It makes me feel happy when I see all the beauty in your life! Even in all of life’s imperfections, you have so much beauty.