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.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

11.15.14 - blunderbuss or black powder?

There have been 3 big booms today. Booms I've never heard before. Definitely not shotgun blasts, I've heard plenty of those over the years and today too. These were louder and deeper. I don't know what a blunderbuss or blackpowder sounds like. I wonder what it was.

We had some sleet a little while ago but it only lasted around 30 minutes and mostly melted. Even so i felt like the temperature dropped at the same time. Not bitter cold but still cold.

I love it here so much but Wednesday and Thursday, with the cold and the wind, my painful hands were screaming "South woman! Go South!". I have pretty good gloves but I think I need furlined and waterproof or something. It's only my fingers really, but they hurt so badly i have to stop working and warm them. It only started a few years ago and I don't know the cause. My son diagnosed me with, as he usually does, old age. But I don't think that's what it is.

Anyway today was nicer and much appreciated. I didn't get as much done as I had planned but that's usually the way. Got to save leftovers for tomorrow  :)   I made 3 pints of persimmon jam and 2 of pumpkin butter. Boiling water now to wash dishes and then later to wash my hair. 

I was recently given a new/old blanket, which i intended to make a horse blanket out of but when i took it out of the bag (it had never been used but had been stored for years) it looked brand new. No mice evidence at all, no moth holes etc.. It just smelled very musty and slightly of cig smoke. I washed it 3 times in the electric washer and once in hot white vinegar. Plenty of good rinsing and it looks and smells like new. I may still make Anya a coat from it but I'm thinking more of keeping it for us. We'll see. 

I have been looking for some duck canvas to make Anya a coat, but not found any for my price range/trade. I'll keep looking. I'm also looking for some sort of cotton netting to make her a fly jacket for summer. My friend has one for her cow which works wonderfully to give a little respite from the bloody summer flies. I made her a simple fly mask from an old pink halter and a potato sack. She actually likes it too. She only wears it during the day and when we're home but it gives some rest from them. I make my own fly spray and mist the mask lightly before putting it on. I mist my hands and wipe her ears and other areas they bother a lot. But it's hard to get enough on her whole body and she sweats it off anyway.

I went through seeds last night and today and realized I got and saved more from the gardens this year than I thought. I'm an avid seed save but haven't done as well since moving here. My garden plan this year didn't go as planned and I didn't think I had saved nearly as much as I did. Most excellent  :)

I've not finished the moccasins I'm making but did finish and have already sold the skirt I was working on. I'll post pictures soon. It's a first try and I personally don;t care for the design. It's 4 panels, which i like but I don;t care for the shape. Anyway, I've started a new one, a patchwork skirt for myself made with all the leftover pieces from the last few years. I'm also starting another flannel skirt and a pair of flannel pants for Nik.

I've finally been able to set up a working, permanent apothecary. The permanent part is most important and working out marvelously. Before now I kept all my supplies put up in the pantry and pulled them out to work where ever I could, when i could. Now I can weigh, measure, heat, jar, label, print etc etc all in one area and it's always ready to go. It still needs more work but I'm very happy with it and the rest will work itself out.

I also finally got my website back up. It's still in the works  but working out much faster and better than I ever thought. This is the site that crashed earlier this year and I thought I had lost everything but when it was fixed there was still a lot left there. A lot was gone but any left was a boon. So WildMoonCottage.com is back up and running, still needs a lot of work but at least it's there t work on  :)

Peace on Earth & Goodwill to All Things


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