Winter Feels

We have a little over a month before Winter's arrival... and yet, it already feels as though it is here.  The thermometer read 24 degrees (F) when we reached the barn yesterday morning.  

The pasture was quite frosty and water buckets had a thin layer of ice across their tops.

It was one of those mornings that found me running back and forth into the pasture to capture the magnificent show of fire and color as the sun reached the horizon.

I am so much less efficient when a spectacle such as this is happening.

How can any day that starts off this magnificent be anything but a good one!

With everyone happily munching away, I got down to business and started picking up manure - keeping one eye peeled to the sky...

 I looked over the pasture fence and saw the runner ducks hanging out in the fallen leaves.  As soon as I moved closer, three of them took off running... leaving one behind who, amazingly, stayed there relaxed in the leaves.  (on the left side of the photo)

These four are funny creatures - afraid of everything - spending their days running all over the farm, consuming every insect in their path. If you have never seen it, you have missed a great video - one that shows a vineyard in South Africa that keeps hundreds of runner ducks.  Each morning, the barn doors open and the ducks go running en-masse to field of grapevines, spending their days taking care of the insect population - a perfect form of natural pest management!  If you have never seen the video, it is worth watching HERE on YouTube.

After chores were finished, Forrest enjoyed a frosty bout of "zoomies" in the pasture. 

Each time he would stop for a breath, he would lie down in the frosty grass to cool off.

As soon as I got close enough, he took off running again... a joyful game of "just try and catch me!"

By the time he was finished, he was wearing a good bit of frost, himself!  This boy is definitely a winter boy - you might remember he took his daily swims through the entirety of last winter.

For those interested, I have been making new soaps every chance I get.  Many will be up for grabs in the beginning of December if you are interested.  The rest will be available later in December.  These all smell delightful!

(Bottom, left to right) :  vanilla/blackberry, lavender/rosemary, citrus sunrise (orange with a hint of lemon) 

and sea salt soap (no shea butter used... cocoa butter in these rounds) (very light scent)

(Top,, left to right):  frosted balsam (woodsy scent), orange calendula (several batches of this favorite) and sea salt soap (cocoa butter instead of shea butter in these) (Mint/eucalyptus). 

The sea salt soap makes for a harder cake but still has a good rich lather.

I invested in a better soap cutter and am making each bar just a little thicker than previous bars... trying to achieve uniformity.  We've used nothing but homemade soap and homemade moisturizer for the last year and I am hoping to never have to buy these items again.