We're getting close to the deadline, so there's work being done there, but there are a couple of other things to talk about.
First - one more bead class for the year. On Sept. 25, 6:30 to 8pm we'll be teaching this class at Radiance, 9 W. Grant St in Lancaster, PA. The fee is $18 and you can register by calling Sarah at 717-290-1519. Participants will be making some beads to take home, and will leave knowing how to make them on their own. This is a fun project - especially with the holidays coming up.
The on-line class fired me up. I've been picking and drying all kinds of flowers and petals and leaves to try for myself, and Maryanne is working on combining some of the herb beads with her lampworked beads. It's a great combo.
Let's see... the other day, we took the still out to Leola for a demonstration for the Conestoga Herb Guild. What a pleasant group they are! We always love to reconnect with some of our shop friends, and many of the members remembered us from the soap demo we did about 10 years ago! They had a table full of tasty refreshments. y-u-u-u-m-m-m, cooookies.
We decided to cut the mountain mint (I've posted about the little slip that came home with me from LA this past spring) and toss that into the still. WOW! That is some potent stuff! In fact in the future it will only be distilled on the sun porch. I don't *think* it bothered anyone else, but hovering over the still answering questions, it got to me. The hydrosol is very strong, and we got quite a bit of essential oil - probably the most we've ever gotten from a distillation - even though we turned the still off after only about 20 minutes. The group was very interested, and also took home many of the books, magazines, and soaps we took along for sale. We were also able to steer them towards some of the newer shops in the area to purchase things they haven't been able to find since we sold the shop!
The market on Saturday mornings is starting to wind down, and we'll miss it. We have so much fun adding a couple new things each week. The funny part is, no matter what new things we take, they are always the first purchases of the day. Odd.... The best part is that slipping from the market right into the shop at Frog Hollow Evergreens will be a breeze. We have things made, some new things that will interest the tree shoppers, and we've made many new friends at market who want to visit us at the tree farm AND pick out their tree for the holiday. It's funny sometimes how things have a way of blooming without much attention.
Yesterday, Molly was off school and decided to spend the day with us to see what our days are like. I think she's decided that she wants to be an herb lady. We were all over the county, doing deliveries and picking up supplies. Because she was along, we stopped for lunch at the Smoketown Diner (usually we just grab something along the way). It was a lot of fun, and a good bit of work, but it was good for her to see. Next year, she will have her own garden. I think the bug might have bitten her.
We have a couple experimental/requested soaps to play with today after another delivery. Then back to the magazine. Even though we still have another day to the deadline, we can get a lot of the things that are here plugged in.
Life is good.
