Soap!

Happy December!
It's always such a wonderful time of the year, and with the craft fairs to visit each weekend there is no shortage of aromas in the air. Soapmakers abound and the variety of bars is endless!
We visited 3 small fairs on the weekend and found 5 soapmakers and a vast array of beautiful products. I am very picky about the products we use, especially since I learned that 85% of everything we put on our skin is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. One lady from Union Bay, BC, sold me the best all natural handcream ever. It's amazing and my hands are loving it! I found one of my favourite soap scents, Raspberry, from Michelle in Royston, and a new one for me, Citrus Mint from Finlay Creek Farm, Courtenay.
The house is filled with the fragrance of handmade soap, what a treat and a lovely way to kick off December!

A young bear cub we saw along the roadside when we went for a cook-out last week. He ran and hid by this tree when we backed up to get a closer look.

Our 'Farmer Boy'

...in his glory mowing the grass and making paths so we can hike around all 12 acres. We've always dreamed of making the property into a little park with trails and stops along the way where you can rest your feet or enjoy a picnic lunch. We have a couple of campsites, 'Pine Site', which is closest to the house and so named because it is set amongst the pine trees, and 'OutBack' because it is literally out back. Scorch Hill, which is in the background in the trees, was given it's name years ago by our daughter because it gets so hot there. There is a creek (which runs dry in the summer) and a bridge over it which leads up the hill and out to the back pasture. We usually get about 200 bales of hay off but this year we decided to keep it cut as a way to lessen allergies.

Can't believe it's March 2nd

Happy March Everyone!

So far this year the old time rhyme rings true - "in like a lion, out like a lamb". Well... in like a lion it is with snow falling here again today making it the 3rd time this week. Hopefully the other half of the jingle will also prove true with the month of March going 'out like a lamb'.

I was going to head off to town to look at some bathroom rugs, and back splash material (maybe tin??) for my new appliance/message centre in the kitchen but it appears to be more of a baking and project day instead as the snow is actually falling quite heavily. I am quite content to be at home :-)

I love the country because the country is serene (if you don't mind the sound of cows mooing and sheep baaing) and it gives us a freedom which we don't have in the city.

We keep chickens which provide us with a constant source of fresh eggs, we have room for a garden as big as we want, we get lamb and wool from the neighbours, and at night it is dark. Truly dark.

One particular evening just after we moved here stands out in my mind - the evening we learned about the darkness of the country.

We had been visiting with our neighbours and when it was time for us to head home they graciously offered us a ride since we had walked over. We quickly declined the offer thinking it would be a pleasant stroll because we only lived up the street. However, they argued that since it was dark and we didn't have a flashlight, we really should let them drive us. We assured them we'd be fine and left.

They were right. It was dark, and when we got to the end of their driveway and away from the yard light we couldn't see more than a couple feet ahead of us. We felt completely disoriented, and it would have been impossible to find our way home without risking a few unpleasant side trips (yes, there are open ditches). Needless to say, we sheepishly turned back, had our share of humble pie, and got a ride home.