Instructions That Read Like Gibberish

Lavender Sweet Orange Goat Milk Soap

Is gibberish a real word? According to Wikipedia:  “Gibberish is a generic term in English for talking that sounds like speech, but carries no actual meaning.”

Raise your hand if:

• you have high hopes of being able to use an new electronic device right away without detailed instructions
• you find it necessary to print the instruction manual that came with a new device because you find it too confusing to follow from a CD or PDF file
• you find detailed instruction manuals tedious, similar to taking a difficult latin course

I answered yes to all 3 questions.  Did you?

Enough said! I caved in.  The photo above was taken with my trusted cell on Monday after I cut a new batch of soap.  Today I hope to sit down with a printed instruction manual (not a “green” thing to do), and actually learn how to use a new camera!

Have a beautiful, stress free day! Enjoy the gibberish as it comes your way, tee hee!

Product Monday – All Natural Goat Milk Soaps

Lavender and Sweet Orange Goat Milk Soap

 

Today’s Product Monday is not about a product that is available in the online soap store.  I am making an announcement.     

My 2010 plans include heading back into all natural, and mainly near natural soaps.  I will be dropping soap recipes scented entirely from artificial fragrances.        

After I began making soap in 2003, I drifted into adding fragrance oils to my products.  Fragrance oils allowed me to bring scents into the products that were not available via essential oils, however, using fragrance is “bugging” me at this time.  I purchase product supplies, including fragrances, that are skin-safe and very much quality minded…but that does not erase the fact that some of the fragrance is not entirely natural.     

A business owner, and people in general, go through welcomed transitions in their lives.  They end up doing what is best for their businesses, their lives, and their customers, and getting there means always remaining flexible enough to change! With this particular change, I see Annie’s Goat Hill returning to the original track, using essential oil and all-natural blends that I am very pleased with, blends that reflect the bounty that nature provides! 

The featured soap in this post, by the way, is wonderfully scented with lavender and sweet orange oil.  I cut the loaf into bars last night, lovely! I will post pictures today.  I have also been muddling my way through the instruction manual that came with a new camera!   

Have a wonderful day!  

The Farm Comedy Continues

This week has included several “funnies.”

As some of you know I am raising a couple of pigs, Henrietta and her un-named sister.  The girls now average 90-125 pounds, much heftier than in the picture! 

They really have been good pigs.  I have had no problems with them escaping their pen…until this week.

Yesterday, my husband had taken the tractor further down the property, away from the barn.  At the same time I took advantage of the quiet.  I busied myself with wiping down the feed/milk room refrigerator.  As I stepped out of the barn to get away from the bleach smell I heard my husband shout something. 

Did I hear him correctly? Did he say something about the road?

I looked up at the road (above the steep barn driveway) and saw a couple of red blurs run past the guard rail. 

There was Henrietta and her sister working their way down the road! They were high-tailing!

I am not a fast runner, but somehow I got up the driveway like a sprinter.  All I could think of was, “Insurance, dead pigs.”  The liability!

A pick up truck had come up the road.  Thankfully it was a farmer.  He knew to stop in the middle of the road and sit.

I circled around, clear to the other side of the road, and quickly coaxed the pigs back down the driveway.  

One pig hurridly ran to the barn and found the gloriously large pan of cat food.  She was content. 

On the other hand, the huge rear-ended Henrietta had other plans.  And the comedy began.

Up the embankment she went.  Up I went as well.  Back down we went.  Up we returned.  Down we returned.  I am talking about some work here! And then I started giggling.  It became funny.  That darn pig!!!

I finally got the girls in the barn.  Henrietta sat down on her rear end  like a dog.  She looked tired.  No snorts.  Every once in a while she would stand up and walk a few feet, and then plop back down again.   

Who would have ever thought those short legs, and those fat rear ends could pick up such speed?

Truckin’ on down the road…there she goes!!!! All Henrietta needed was a knapsack.  Ha ha ha!

By the way, completion to the barn work should happen by sun-down today.  With running two businesses, and the farm, we get sidetracked easily…especially when…we chase pigs!

Have a beautiful day!

Hard Work With A Smile

The barn and farm project continues. 

We expected to have everything reassembled by today, but, things do not always go as planned.

My best mechanism to things not falling into place is humor.

And humor it is!

When I knocked my noggin on the bucket of the tractor.  I laughed. 

When the tractor would not re-start I did not laugh.  Neither did the husband.  We didn’t scowl either.  But, when I attempted to back up his pick up, turn it around so we could jump-start the tractor, I headed straight into a pile of barn debris.  We laughed.

We laughed so hard we could barely walk.

The good times are when things are not going as planned.  When a person is tired and not seeing the end of the task at hand.  Yet smiling because life is good.

Why not laugh? Why not have a good time?

I hope you are enjoying life as well, regardless of what you are doing right now!

Taking Advantage of Warm Weather (Busy Farm Work)

 

How about that heading? Warm weather? It is a LOT warmer than it was!

We are cleaning the barn this week.  A much neglected part of our farm this season. 

I am ignoring the aches and pains, and focusing on how much better it will be once things are back in order and kidding pens are set up. 

The boer girls are rather large.  Their bellies make me think of weighted down slings, heavy with something.  That something would be kids!

The dairy girls seem a bit less pregnant.  Some do not look pregnant.  They are though.

I have no expected due date calendar this year.  I actually had thought of only breeding 1/4 of the herd.  But the buck made his mind up for me.  So I check the ligaments, watch the behavior, and watch their udders. 

I hope to never go without a birthing calendar again.

Never say never? Well, I am definitely going to work on a major separation in boys and girls! Miles apart would be best (but impossible).   Until then, in high hopes that it never happens again.

If I seem missing in action…I might be, but rest assured I will be much happier once I see the much improved set up for the girls!

Product Monday – Goat Milk Lotion

The joys of owning a small business are never-ending.  I really am delighted to be able to offer one-on-one service.

In most cases, when an order is received I make goat milk lotion fresh.  When I make lotion fresh it allows the “best used by date” to be one year from date of purchase.  

There are also other options when ordering goat milk lotion:

• Order the thickness of your lotion (example:  if you want a thinner or thicker lotion)
• Order the fragrance strength (light or heavy)
• Request a particular fragrance (fragrance is not limited to those that are listed on the website)
• Inquire about a formula that is suited to your complexion needs

As a customer said to me today, “It was very nice talking with you.  I enjoyed it!”  Honestly, I always enjoy talking with customers too!

Please contact me at anniesgoathill@gmail.com , or visit the website at www.anniesgoathill.com .

Being Thoughtful Is Not So Popular

Times seem to have changed…being thoughtful appears to no longer be popular, neither is being kind or polite.

Do you treasure those that speak their minds, but are cautious enough to not deliberately hurt?

What about the words please and thank you?

Do you still appreciate them?

Genuine people are hard to find.  Genuine friends are far and few in between.  Genuine friends tends to mysteriously know how you are today without you telling them.  They love unconditionally.  And trust is so very important in those special relationships.  And last, but not least, a friend that honestly and openly can say what they think, in a way that offense is not caused, in a manner that really rocks your world = one genuine true friend.  And honestly, isn’t that what we aim for, to be a genuine person in life?

Despite the un-popularity of being polite, do you also chose to be there with me?

It does not mean that we paint the world with butterflies and roses.  No, we are aware that life is difficult.  No bones about it.  However, it does mean that we treat each and every encounter with much deserved respect. 

Are you with me?

Country Cottage Bathroom

Do you have a favorite bathroom style?

I love the country cottage look.  Whitewashed walls, antique claw foot tub, painted wood floor. Billowy soft curtains.  A lot of antique white!

I am considering redecorating a small bathroom, however, I have stained wood Amish made cabinetry that I probably should not distress or white wash.  But, we only live once, right?

This is the type of thing I love:

I would probably go with a light sage green instead of robin’s egg blue, or perhaps caramel or a deep sand beige.

Simple, rustic, country cottage feel…and, of course, I have to add, I can see a large bowl of goat milk soap sitting somewhere in the room, along with a claw foot tub, great for the aromatherapy bath treatment!

By the way, this photo came from Valspar.com.  I had a load of fun picking out colors, and using the “digital painter.”

Ways To Save (On Goat Milk Soap)

There are a variety of ways to save when shopping in the Annie’s Goat Hill goat milk soap store.

• There are bargain basement “2nds”  in the back of the soap store!  Why (“Y”) a sale? Normally these soaps are smaller (3.0-3.75 oz), some have faded scent, not as pretty, but perfectly good goat milk soaps! Good for the budget-minded.  Each product description clearly explains why the product is discounted.
• A 5-bar volume discount is also available.  The soaps are not “2nds,” however, they may range 3.5-4.25 ounces.  $17.00 plus shipping is a great deal for 5 bars of skin loving goat milk soap.  The bars are your choice of soaps.  You may order more than one 5-bar set. 
• Goat milk soap by the log.  The log is sent to you after it cures (3-4 weeks).  You slice off whatever you want, whenever you want, for whomever you want.  A great discount at 58.00 (plus shipping) for 5+ pounds of soap!

Thank you to my customers for asking such thought filled questions! I love to answer you here.  You never know when someone might be wanting to ask the very same question!

Now…for a brief word on discounts.  We are living in a tough economy, but I do not believe in marking down products just to get them sold.  I know you would rather receive the value of the products and services you pay for rather than money back in your pocket.  Money back in your pocket is nothing when it equates to poor quality! For the sake of doing great business, and because I remember when I purchased hand-crafted soaps by the numbers, volume discounts are perfectly in line with my way of thinking!

Enjoy!

A Beautiful Surprise In The Mail

The local postal carriers are used to picking up many packages from my home, but seldom do they deliver one to me.

Yesterday, as my husband retrieved the mail from the box, I saw a familiar package.  My first thought was, “Why was it returned? Did I not calculate the postage correctly?”

The package had not been returned at all.  In fact, it was addressed to me, from a wonderful customer.

Susanne B., a thoughtful warm person from South Carolina, surprised me with these beautiful hand-made gifts.  And I cherish them!

I actually had been wanting to try some hand crocheted or knitted wash (or dish) clothes.  Now I have 6 beautiful ones.  They are soft, delicate, yet sturdy.  And the neck scarf is gorgeous! Susanne stitched a “Hand-made by Susanne” tag inside the scarf.  Absolutely fantastic!

I cannot thank you enough, Susanne. 

I couldn’t wait to make an announcement of the surprise package here!