Little Moments

Today, I am hanging out with my BFF. Is it odd my BFF is twelve and my daughter? We don't think it's strange. It's just our relationship. I knew when Jordan came to us that she was special. Her inner strength, bravery, and undeniable light have shown through since she was just minutes old. I knew with certainty that we would have an unbreakable bond when just a few minutes into this world, she nestled her little face into the curve of my neck, breathed deep, and relaxed as if to say, "Yes, this is where I belong."

Being that my bestie is twelve and my daughter is not without challenges. I definitely spend a lot of time in "mom mode." However, I have always told Jordan that my job, first and foremost, is to guide her, support her, and keep her safe. Even when I am in "mom mode," she knows what I say and do I do out of love. It does make it difficult not to laugh at her shenanigans, and there are times when I am addressing an issue; if I were in her shoes, I would do the same thing, or I understand her position. However, I take my job quite seriously and maintain my mom mode.

However, today, I get to put mom mode aside. Today, I am hanging out with my BFF, and we are going to begin our day with Starbucks. I will have a Vanilla Cream Cold Brew, and she will have a Pink Drink without strawberries. We will then go to Ulta Beauty and bask in the glory of make-up heaven. Our final destination is Barne's and Noble, TJ Maxx, and Chic-Fil-A. Is it a big thing? No, but we seem to enjoy the small things just as much. We're both ecstatic about spending the day together and doing so off the farm. Not that the farm is a bad place, we just spend all our time here.

I am looking forward to conversations about Stranger Things, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobbi Brown, seventh grade, and Christmas. I'm sure there will be a lot of bad jokes and impersonations done as well. I treasure this time, and I know that it, too, is fleeting.

I hope, dear reader, you are looking forward to your day as well. As always, stay safe, be smart, enjoy these fleeting moments, and keep washing your hands.

Tuesday Spotlight: Facial Bars and Facial Moisturizer

Our Tuesday Spotlight shines upon our line-up of facial bars and facial moisturizer. Our facial products are made with only pure, clean, natural ingredients. We now offer three facial bars, and our facial moisturizer works well for all skin types and conditions. Caring for one's skin does not have to be complicated or filled with multiple products. I do best with a simple routine of washing my face with a gentle cleansing soap bar and moisturizing twice a day. In the past, I have used elaborate and expensive skincare systems, but I find my skin does just as well, if not better, when I keep it simple and stay consistent.

We make three facial bars, all with specific skin types in mind. Although I make no medical claims, some people with certain skin issues find relief from using natural products. First, there is the Activated Charcoal bar. This bar is formulated with oily or troubled skin in mind. Activated charcoal and tea tree oil are believed to help alleviate redness, fight acne-causing bacteria, and balance skin. This bar is gentle enough to use every day. The Activated Charcoal bar can be drying, so I suggest using our Facial Moisturizer with it as well.

We also offer our Rose Clay Facial Bar for those with more mature skin. French rose clay is a gentle exfoliant filled with free radicals to fight the aging process. We also use rose geranium essential oil and frankincense essential oil for their skin-loving qualities and anti-aging properties. I recommend using this bar twice a day, followed by our Facial Moisturizer.

We also offer a new Shea Butter Facial Bar for those with sensitive skin. This gentle bar has a shea butter base with no scent and no essential oils. It is just a pure, simple soap that is gentle and moisturizing. This is the bar I am currently using, and I love how my face feels. I also recommend following with our Facial Moisturizer.

As always, our Tuesday Spotlight is 50% off on our website. We will also honor our discount at The Ligonier Country Market on Saturday. However, quantities at the market are limited, and we often sell out. As always, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, wash your face and moisturize, and of course, wash your hands.

Moving Day

Brown-Brown, a responsible leader for a group of tween boy goats.

It has been a busy morning here on the farm. Today, we are moving forward with our plan to rent a small group of our goats to a nearby farmer for clearing brush. It is a big day for the wethered little boys, and two of our grown Boer does. This chosen group will take a short vacation and eat brush to their little hearts' content. We just finished loading the brush crew, as we are deeming them. The Bibbed wonder trimmed their feet, gave them probiotics to help their bellies deal with the stress of being moved, and loaded their feed onto the trailer. Our goats are relatively calm, so it was not a difficult job.

We decided to move two of our grown meat goats with the young ones to keep them calm and offer them an established leader. Young kids can be what my dad would have called "knuckleheads." Like human children, it seems as if what one young goat does not think of another will, often leading to mischief and danger. We chose our grown Boer does because they don't require being milked and are scheduled to be bred a bit later in the season. We are hopeful this new endeavor will benefit the farmer and the growth of our young kids. I do believe it is a win, win situation.

Saturday evening, we revisited the farm where the goats will be staying. We were pleased with the setup of the pasture and barn. It looks like a safe environment for the goats, and all fencing is secure. I did have one concern. The farmer raises beef cows, and his cows are being treated for pink eye or conjunctivitis. Just like in the human population, pink eye is highly contagious. The illness is spread mainly by flies, which are always an issue even in an immaculate barn. However, the farmer had his veterinarian out that day to check the cows, and the veterinarian said everyone and everything should be okay. Of course, we will be extra diligent with keeping an eye on everyone and ensuring their good health. However, there is always something with which to be concerned.

Although I am excited about this new prospect, I do have concerns about my goats leaving the safety and security of our farm. Even though we will not be keeping the little boys long-term unless there is an opportunity for more brush clearing, they are still part of our farm family, and it is a bit worrisome when they are out of sight. I am confident our farmer friend and his family will take good care of our goats. Eric knows the family from childhood, and he graduated high school with the farmer's daughter, who is the sweetest person. Two little boys also pinky swear they will take good care of my goats; it doesn't get any more solid than that, insert wink.

I feel as though we are doing a good thing. We have an opportunity to help a fellow farmer clear his pasture fields without the use of chemicals or herbicides. Also, our goats have a chance to eat delicious, nutritious, and natural food, and we can find a service for our little male goats who may otherwise have to go to the market. I am hopeful this is a beneficial situation for all. I am always amazed by creative ideas to solve problems. As always, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, think outside the box, and keep washing your hands.