Tuesday Spotlight: Vanilla Bean Dream

Click To Save On Vanilla Bean Dream

Today's spotlight shines upon Vanilla Bean Dream. This warm, rich, decadent soap is a blend of vanilla scents, dried vanilla beans that have been finely ground for gentle exfoliation, and our original lux goat's milk soap recipe. If you love all things vanilla, Vanilla Bean Dream will put a smile on your beautiful face.

I resisted creating a vanilla-scented soap for many years because using vanilla in cold-process soap turns it brown. I questioned whether I could make a brown soap beautiful. Although I don't consider Vanilla Bean Dream my most beautiful creation, I do believe it is a lovely soap that, once you take one sniff, all is forgiven. From the shelf, it smells lovely. However, add it to a steaming shower, and it moves from lovely to divine.

If you enjoy layering scents, I gently suggest following with our goat's milk soap moisturizer of the same scent. You will smell of warm, rich vanilla all day. Let's face it: there are far worse things one can smell like...insert a wink. Combat dry, itchy skin with our natural, small-batch, handmade-with-care personal care products. Your skin will love you.

This week, Vanilla Bean Dream is on sale for 25% off exclusively on the website. No promo code is needed to save; the savings will be applied at checkout. Stay safe, be smart, enjoy the savings, and keep washing your hands on this lovely spring day.

Is This The New Norm?

Storm damage from a few weeks ago

As I sit writing to you, dear reader, I am watching the wind blow, the rain fall, and the oak trees bend in the wind. This spring's weather has been unlike anything I have seen in my fifty-plus years. For the first time, I am actually fearful of the weather. After the storm that blew through a few weeks ago, taking down trees that were too close for comfort and knocking out the power grid for days, I view a thunderstorm with apprehension. There was a time I would sit on the porch and watch a good summer storm. Now, I feel like at any moment the weather could take an unpredictable turn for the worse, and it is unnerving.

Is this wild weather going to be our new norm? Will I need to worry about trees blowing down onto the house or barn every spring, or is this year just an anomaly? I certainly hope it isn't the new norm. As I plan my garden/landscaping, I am reluctant to plant any trees near the house or barn. I love trees. I enjoy the birds that make trees their home, the pollinators that come, and the beauty and shade they provide. However, after the close call we experienced a few weeks ago, with five trees coming down and fortunately not hitting any buildings, I feel that planting trees near buildings is a gamble.

As farmers, we are directly impacted by the weather. Now, we don't have the added pressure of weather affecting crops. We lease our land to a local farmer who plants our farm in corn, soybeans, and hay. The farmer trades us hay for the use of our land, and it is a beneficial agreement. However, our animals are affected if the hay fields are damaged or the weather impacts the growth. We have been fortunate not to have had to purchase hay for our animals in the years we have had them. Purchasing quality hay would have a significant financial impact. Two years ago, when the weather was so dry, we did not get a second cutting of hay. The second cutting has more nutrients and is better quality than the first cutting. Even that small, seemingly insignificant situation impacted our animals and their care. Farming is a precarious balance. We are at the mercy of Mother Nature, and she can be temperamental.

If the weather is too wet, our herd suffers from foot issues. If the weather is too dry, the pasture fields don't replenish. If the weather is too hot, the girls drop in milk production. So much of our livelihood relies upon the weather; it can be very stressful. Conditions must be just right to maintain the balance and ensure a successful year. Aside from the wind, this spring has maintained a lovely balance. We have enough rain to replenish the fields, the hay is growing nicely, the pastures have an opportunity to dry out between showers, and the temperatures have been a bit cool but pleasant. It's the violent storms that have been troublesome.

After the storm passed yesterday, yet another tree was down across Tonkin Road. The Bibbed Wonder made an impromptu trip to town and was forced to turn around and go the long way over back roads. I knew there were significant wind gusts, but I didn't think they were strong enough to fall trees. This spring has been plagued by downed trees, which often lead to power outages. My latest campaign is to install a natural gas generator that will automatically kick in when the power goes out. It's just my opinion that we have too much riding on electricity not to have a generator. If we had had a generator when the power was out for days a few weeks ago, I would have had a few more baby goslings. Hatching more baby geese is not at the top of The Bibbed Wonder's priority list, but it makes me sad because the little lovies were so close to hatching. More significantly, we have a business to run. When the power is out, everything comes to a halt. Even the barn chores are more difficult to complete when the power is out. Concerningly, water is the issue. When you have animals who rely on you for all their basic needs, it becomes worrisome not to be able to provide for them easily. I am also campaigning for an old-fashioned hand pump at the springhouse to provide water when the power is out.

My husband grouchily points out that my list of wants continues to grow. I, however, believe this want is rational and needed. I mean, I would also like a floating duck house, an extensive chicken coop for my chicken obsession, a stone root cellar, an orchard with at least sixteen trees, a berry patch, and a raised bed garden, but I know those will all come with time. It takes time to wear down a stubborn and obstinate man who would be responsible for doing most of the work. I have no idea why he is such a grump; it's a conundrum. (Written with complete sarcasm.)

As I sit writing to you, watching the wind bend the mighty oak branches this way and that, I hope that there is no damage. I also hope this weather we have been experiencing is a fluke and not the new norm. On this blustery, rainy day, stay safe, be smart, do what you can to prepare for emergencies, use planning and forethought, and keep washing your hands. Allow me to point out to one bib overall wearing a nay-sayer that it is impossible if you don't have water. I'm just saying...

New Moms

Well, dear reader, round two of baby season is well underway. To date, the first year moms who have delivered are Freckles, Baby Boo, Beatty, Lavern, and Aggie-Girl. The only one left to deliver is Shirley. It's always a gamble with new moms. Like humans, some of our girls take to being a mom more easily than others. Some moms are very attentive, some are helicopter moms, some are survival of the fittest moms, and some take the approach of "F around and find out" kind of moms. One just never knows how motherhood will affect first-year moms.

When The Bean was born, she was very ill. I was a helicopter mom for sure. I would sit in the NIC unit and hold her for fourteen to eighteen hours a day. I would stay until the NIC nurses, sometimes gently, sometimes forcibly, sent me home. When The Bean was born, she was no bigger than a squirrel, I mean this quite literally. Watching her struggle not only broke my heart, but it turned me into a fierce protector. Although I did not give birth to my darling girl, I loved her the moment I laid eyes on her birth mom's baby bump. By the time she took her first breath, I was so in love with this child I thought my heart would burst.

I had a strong support system helping me to become the best mother I could be. To aid in her recovery, we implemented massage therapists and physical, occupational, and speech therapists. These women came to my house every week, worked with my baby, and, to be transparent, worked with me as well. Jordan was not meeting her milestones, and I was in a panic. I remember Margo, her physical therapist, asking me how much belly time she had. I looked at her like I had no idea what she was talking about. Margo smiled gently and said, "You never put her down, do you?" The truth was, I was holding her for easily eighteen to twenty-four hours. Sometimes, I would sleep in the recliner in her nursery and hold her throughout the night because it gave me as much comfort as it did Jordan. I would put her down for a nap sometimes so I could do a load of laundry or shower, but no, I certainly never put her on the floor where it is cold, drafty, and hard.

Margo explained to me that Jordan needed to spend time outside my arms so that she could stretch and move. She needed to figure out how her body worked so that she could meet her milestones. We put several quilts on the floor, and laid her on her tummy in the middle of them. She fussed at first, and I was scolded when I tried to pick her up. Eventually, we both learned it was okay for her to be on the floor with her toys and me sitting beside her. Lo and behold, she began meeting her milestones after a week or so of tummy time. Margo was pleased with her progress, and we went on to learn many more lessons together.

If I have one regret about Jordan's early days, it would be that I wish I had learned to relax about motherhood, trust my child, and trust the process so that I could have enjoyed her first few years to their fullest. I spent so much time fretting and worrying that I clouded my enjoyment of early motherhood. I am the type of person who tries to be ten steps ahead of any problem at all times. I want to be proactive rather than reactive, even in motherhood. I'm sure there is some sort of psychological motivation behind this behavior, but it's how I work.

Our goats are no different. Baby Boo is probably the closest to my mothering style and to be truthful, she is the biggest pain to deal with. Baby Boo adores her little ones. She won't allow them out of her sight. If they are out of her sight, she fusses and works herself into a panic. She stands over them, sleeps beside them, and rarely allows them outside the barn. Eric has begun to put Baby on the milk stand in the morning. She won't settle down until her little ones are on the stand with her. When Eric puts the milker on her, she lies down on the stand to knock the milker off her udder. Counting how many times Baby has lain down on the stand is a game every morning. She is a lot to deal with. Eric is the epitome of patience with her. He has started sticking his thumb in the indentation of her chest when she tries to lie down on the stand. The thumb trick seems to deter her from lying down, but she makes every effort to try. We have always said that Dot has the most quirky personality of our girls, but we think Baby Boo has surpassed Dot in quirkiness. Baby will settle into the milking routine eventually. It's just going to take time and a lot of patience.

We are fortunate that all the first-year moms are attentive. Nobody has left their little ones in the field alone, allowed them to drown in a water bucket, or refused to feed them. Everyone is gentle and caring and has taken to motherhood well. Fortunately, everyone produces more than enough milk to feed their little ones. This is a good sign that they will be successful, productive milkers. I would rather have a barn filled with helicopter moms than a group of careless, inattentive moms. As long as they behave well on the stand, we will have many good years with the first-time fresheners.

Like me, our first-year moms have a strong support system to help them be the best mom possible. Our retired girls often lead the little ones out to the pasture so the first-year moms can have a break. Red rules with an iron fist and takes no nonsense from little ones. She is known to bite the ears and tails of little ones who are misbehaving or doing something dangerous. Lily also has no patience for nonsense. Lil will bite, push, and head butt a little one who is too rambunctious or misbehaving. We don't see Lily with the little ones very often. She has embraced her retirement wholeheartedly. However, Boo, Fuschia, and Mama are the wise and gentle ones in the herd. They can be gentle and understanding, but the herd has little room for nonsense. The older girls are often seen pushing and head butting Baby Boo when she is in the middle of a meltdown over her little ones. You can almost read their minds. It's like, "Miss Girl, get yourself under control!" Baby will settle down with age and experience. Undoubtedly, she will become a well-loved and respected herd member in the future. If I could offer Baby Boo any advice at all about motherhood it would be to relax, everything will be okay. You don't have to be ten steps ahead at all times, and your little ones will be just fine. Enjoy them while they are small. Soon enough, they will talk about attending college ten to twenty hours away from you and smile about it. Sigh.

Everything is all very Kum Ba Yah, as my dear friend Jane would say. Baby season is almost over, and it has been a healthy and successful one for the most part. Watching our herd, seeing our first-time moms move into a new phase of life, and watching the herd dynamics change as the girls grow older is fascinating. Someday, the first-year moms will be the experienced ladies in the herd who offer guidance and look after the ones who come behind them. Someday, our retired girls will no longer be with us; it is a fact. However, they will continue to live on as long as we have their lineage. I can see Lily's fun, mischievous traits in her offspring. I see Boo's wise ways in her babies. I see Red's loving nature in her daughters. I see the intelligence in Fuchsia's girls. I see the gentle wisdom in Mama Boo's little girl. We are truly blessed to have such a delightful herd of goats.

On this rainy Wednesday, stay safe, be smart, take the time to relax and enjoy whatever phase of life you are in, help those who come behind you, and keep washing your hands.