Merry Christmas!

Mouse mask gallery

15 year old Boss Mouse employee Jeremiah, aka The Rat Burglar

L.A. super woman Jen

5 year old Vivian

N.J. bestie Dahlia

T.C. bestie Jeanette

brother-in-law Ildeu

cousin Emily

Miss Julia in New York

Boss Mouse wonder-employee Teri

Detroit bestie Raquel

Christmas goodies

Look no further than your local ALDI store for the very cutest Christmas chocolates, cookies, etc.  Everything is European made, and so cute and delicious!   

sky study #162

Sunrise over the cheese barn November 24, 2017

soapy

David, Jimmy & I made a beautiful batch of soap while they were here this week. Home made soap is a little treacherous because of the use of lye, but is super fun, and the sky's the limit as far as scent and color combinations

We did an iridescent topped Patchouli scented batch

The cut slices - these will cure for 5-6 weeks before they can be used

the dried weasel

I found the dried, hollow carcass of a dead weasel in the barn this week.  Fierce predators and bad news in a chicken coop,  this little guy didn't look injured - more like he laid down and died.  I've never seen one at the farm before and have never lost a chicken to one.  Last year my sickly little lop rabbit Trevor was killed overnight, and my guess is this weasel was the killer.  Trevor was unwell and quite helpless, and would have been easy prey for the weasel. His mouth is tiny, maybe a 1/4" inch wide, but it looks like the mini-mouth within the mouth in the Alien monster. 

crumbly

Crumb top apple pie

my inner 10 year old

Just reached LEVEL 500 on Candy Crush Soda.  Not sure if I should be happy or concerned for my mental health.

goodnight Mama Cat

I came out to the barn this morning and found Mama Cat lying face down sprawled on the floor - I thought she was dead.  She was not, but was barely alive, and as I picked her up I found a large, deep gash in her neck and throat.  I moved her to a comfortable place and she died a few hours later.  Something must have attacked her during the night, my guess is an owl, as the wound was clean and deep, not a bite wound.  There was no sign of a struggle in the barn, no blood, nothing knocked over.  I imagine she was walking around the grounds last night and she was able to get away from whatever attacked her and make it back to the barn. A friend live-trapped Mama Cat and her kitten Mali in 2012 (original blog post here) Mali disappeared a day after we met her, but Mama Cat grew into a sweet, affectionate cat who loved being petted and would follow me all over the farm grounds.  I will miss her greeting me in the barn in the mornings and will always wonder what killed her last night.

yes I did

Ate a "Git-R-Done" brand salted nut roll from the marked-down basket at Tractor Supply.  It was delicious.

gaga for chaga

Traded a piece of cheese for some chunks of locally foraged CHAGA mushroom - this highly medicinal antioxidant mushroom grows on birch trees, looks and feels like petrified wood and makes a mild dark brown tea

ketchup & mustard

Thrift haul from Goodwill in Acme, MI: vintage red elastic waist skirt with cute pockets BLUE tag half off for $2.00, and yellow terry cloth sundress in the "swimwear" department $3.99

Vintage labels read Katie Brooke, Made in U.S.A  and DeMura, Made in Japan

St. Vincent De Paul haul - October 30, 2017

Excellent thrift visit today: Barbo brand boots from Canada - this is a mukluk company and their boots start at around $200...check out the dinosaur teeth soles on these!  Perfect fit $3  Also pink Banana Republic t-shirt on the $0.50 rack, and lovely pair of wool gloves that need a small mend - $1.00

Grand total with tax: $4.77

pumpkin carving love!

more R&R Hall of Fame pics

oh David

I forever love Dub

The messiah himself

more Bowie costumes

the original cartoon-covered Pearl Jam drum head - this was a popular t-shirt design in the 90s

Iggy's leather jacket

my dance

micro-fashion

T-shirt of the day at Saturday market, 10/14/2017

Joy

Housewife nerd time: I am happy to see Joy dishwashing liquid is using their signature vintage colorful logo!  I remember this from my youth and think it still looks great

Friday the 13th

This past week:

My dairy inspector informed me we (and all other small dairy companies) have to begin complying with a mountain of paperwork and record keeping.  It's fine, but requires expensive required classes, and hundreds of hours of back office work

I went to the dentist with a toothache, and he told me I have a cracked tooth - mine is the second image below, fixable, but nothing to do right now...just avoid chewing on it ;- /

And to finish up the week, on Friday the 13th, my 2004 Ford Explorer died.  REALLY died.  Bald tires, damaged axle, advanced rust, oil leak, damaged exhaust system, the works.  At 212,000 miles, she's been a good ship.  Mom & Dad and I drove down to Cadillac, MI to meet my new set of wheels, a nice 2010 Explorer

Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame

we LOVED it!

I went the most crazy over the costumes - this is one of Jimmy Hendrix's jackets

David Bowie jumpsuit

James Brown jumpsuit

Original Clash lyrics written on the back of a paper CD envelope

Detail from lapel of a jacket worn by Tom Petty

they wanted our stories too!

Common Ground 2017

covered bridges all over Maine

trip companion ultra friend Raquel - in our sweet Annie headdresses at the Fair

flower greenhouse at the Fair

we did shots of this delicious mixture

amazing posters and art for sale from Beehive Collective

 https://weestore.myshopify.com/

tattoo style - thank you Maine