A Bit Of This And That

Yesterday was delightful.  I didn't have to go anywhere.  I didn't have anything that had a deadline.  Ahhhh....just what I needed!
 

 It has been so beautiful around our county these days.  I adore dogwoods and wish I had some.  I know just where I would put them.

 I grew up in Southern California which is mostly cement and people in the populated areas.  I missed all this beauty growing up.  I am thankful that my children have wide open spaces, trees, flowers, creeks, rivers....

 beautiful blue skies....stinky manure, eagles, possums, deer, groundhogs, woodpeckers, cardinals, hawks, turkey vultures, road kill.   You get the idea.  I love opening my bedroom curtains everyday and seeing horses in our pasture.  HORSES!  The pasture is bigger than the whole property that I grew up on, so it is still amazing to me to have this privilege.  I am thankful everyday, even the days I have to feed them, and deal with Libby, the strong willed pony!

 We have been enjoying the candles from our Titanic dinner.  It was rainy yesterday so for a while in the morning and in the evening. we burned the candles and enjoyed the beauty....

 We watched Cranford yesterday.  It was fun to putter around doing home things, drinking tea, reading.

 Sarah surprised me with a gift earlier this month.  It says "All I need to wake up is TEA"  - so cute.  It is all her own design.  I love it!

I have been using this book for health class with my kids.  Today we made our own lip balm.

 Here are all the ingredients - Coconut oil, grapeseed oil, beeswax and essential oil.  1 T of both coconut oil and grapeseed oil, 1 t of beeswax and 8 drops of essential oil.  Put the coconut oil, grapeseed oil and beeswax in a small bowl and put it in the microwave until the beeswax melts.  Stir and put in the essential oil drops. We used peppermint and when we put them in they were strong!  But by the time the lip balm set up - just a few minutes - it was barely noticeable.  You don't even taste it, but I must say the lip balm is lovely.  With it this easy to make, we may never buy lip balm again!

 Here we are pouring it into the little tins we had on hand.

I kind of made a bit of a mess, but it was an easy clean up...
 

Sarah has been using her personal seal to close many, many notes and letters.  Since we are out of sealing wax, she has been using the regular candles.  I have found red wax everywhere!  Sigh...but she is having such a wonderful time!

So that's what I have been up too.  How about you?