Wild Moon Cottage is a small working homestead in the pristine Ozark Mountains. We have dairy goats, poultry, organic herb and vegetable gardens, a start of a tiny fruit orchard, several black walnut trees, wild berries and fields of wildcrafting goodness. We raise our own milk, our own eggs, much of our own medicine and food. I do laundry by hand, make my own vinegar, candles, soap, bread, cheese ........ For a living I am an artist and herbalist. My goal for myself and our homestead is to be as self sufficient and self sustaining as possible.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Bittersweet & Roast Beef

The smell of beef roast and herbs and the warmth of the oven, have filled the house this evening. We usually have our largest meal at dinner but today was a busy one and we barely ate at all except for toast with butter for breakfast. That won't matter much in about an hour tho because I have a lovely little beef roast with fresh cracked pepper, garlic, onion and bay on a bed of wild rice with mushrooms. With fresh cooked carrots on the side and homemade oat bread.

The day itself was damp and cold, the kind of chill only chased away by a warm fire. We did some work outside, regular chores of feeding and milking and such. Milking in winter is going to be a very cold affair indeed. I tried milking with gloves but that didn't work at all, not even with fingerless gloves.

We remeasured the cabin width for it's upcoming trip to a new home. Yes! it has finally sold :) I am sooo thankful. We didn't get nearly as much as I had hoped and yet I think we're getting the exact amount we need. Plus it's helping some friends and that has great worth alone.

We have just two more weeks until the last of November. It makes me ill to think of staying past that and having to go back to court etc etc caca etc. But I'll do what i must.

On the other hand :) we have a good chance at something else and while I can't say much about it now, it is promising and well worth any extra fight. It's a good thin I already have an ulcer tho because I wouldn't want to ruin a perfectly good stomach with all the stress. All will be well tho, I'm quite sure of it.

In the between time I keep busy with going through things, packing preparing ... we currently have a small path through the labyrinth of boxes. It's closing in but when it gets to be too much I just go outside and breathe. So it all continues as some things come to an end and new things take root. We are so blessed by both.

The Blazer is back at the mechanics this week. We have an appointment for it on Monday but he's going to try to fit it in sooner. I'm hoping so for several reasons but mainly so that we can go to a get-together this weekend. I will be so thankful, whatever day he gets it done, to finally have it fixed properly again.

I've found a wonderful new series on Netflix. I love it so much i intend to try and get it on dvd someday. It's called Lark Rise to Candleford and it's quite wonderful!

And I wanted to share another wonderful things as well. It's called Bittersweet and it was a little publication put out here in the Ozarks when I was just a kid. Many years ago, one of the women who bought milk from my grandparents would always bring my grandmother a copy of Bittersweet. My grandmother would let me look at it when she was done with it and I would go sit in my grandpa's favorite chair. It was a spinning rocker and I would spin slowly around as I read. And read I did! I would read each one cover to cover and it always felt like I remembered doing the things I was reading about. Even back then I planned to live the life I live now, tho it surely seemed impossible sometimes :)

Anyway, here's the link to Bittersweet, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and still do.
http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/fa73toc.htm


Blessed Night All!

3 comments:

the wild magnolia said...

It feels like things are coming together. ;)

Looking forward to seeing how things work out and work together in your behalf.

Blessings.

Anonymous said...

I have been checking here everyday...I am glad things seem to be turning around for you...I am sure I will enjoy reading Bittersweet...thank you for such a gift.

Traci Hendrix Hart said...

I remember a visit to our 8th grade Creative Writing class by the Bittersweet staff....lovely publication. Thanks for bringing it back in my memories!