A disgustingly fun day

Some may say that my friend and I are devoid of common sense. Others may say that we are crazy. But to my friend and I? Well, it may be all of the above, but at least we're having fun... ;)

Both of us being herb nuts, we eventually had to try using an herb that brings mixed thoughts the the public: Henna.

When most people think of this herb, it's usually not thought of in a good way. My friend and I use it in a blend for our hair. Henna is a colorant, but not exactly a dye; It doesn't change your hair color, it instead brings out undertones that you already have. You can get a rainbow of shades from the plant everything from neutral to almost black, but again, these are shades to use for hair color that you already have. It's also really nice that it isn't permanent; it lasts about a month before you are once more back to your original shade. I love using it, not only for it's coloring abilities, but because it leaves your hair so shiny that when you're in the sunlight it shimmers brilliantly! :D

But there's a catch. In order to use it in your hair, you have to make a sludge that, I'm sorry to say, resembles a cow pie very well. :-/

So my friend and I began! Unfortunately, there were three cameras documenting everything from start to finish.... ;)

Here we are, mixing up our "sludge". ;D This is a mix of horsetail (the herb!), oat straw (yup, same thing that you find in a barn), stinging nettle (see! It has a use!), cinnamon and of course, henna. Our liquid ingredients included olive oil, eggs and black tea.

Applying henna is the funniest thing. We (I had sisters and another friend watching) were all laughing so hard because we looked so comical! We do it outside as it is a very messy process.

You just have to wrestle your victim to the ground (Ooops! I meant to say "politely ask them to lay down ;D) Get a nice disgusting handful of your mixture and start rubbing it in! Yes, it is as gross as it looks. ;)

After it is completely rubbed in, and your head feels ten pounds heavier that when you began, you have to stay "turbaned" for 1 to 2 hours.

Oh dear, then it was my turn. By the look on my friends face, I figured I was in for it (and I was). To keep a teeny shred of dignity, I threw a towel over my face. With three cameras clicking, I really didn't care to be their sole object of interest. ;D

Yummy....

We kept our lovely up-does in for about an hour, then began the next step. Rinsing. We've learned that the best way to get henna out is to just grab a hose and start washing. You can kind of see in the picture my "new" hair color (blue shirt). My hair used to be a dark brown, now it's got a lovely mahogany tone to it.

And sure enough, when our hair dried, we were rewarded with shimmery, soft beautiful hair.

As disgusting as the process is, my friend and I love doing this to each other, and can't wait until next time....

~Caitlyn

Well THAT was unexpected!

While upstairs this afternoon, I was suddenly called down by mom and Megan who were urgently telling me (and all who were upstairs as well) to hurry. Upon getting to the kitchen I looked out the window that views the porch and saw....

A huge, fluffy black dog that didn't belong to us! "Where on earth did he come from!?" But none of us could identify him. He looked quite comical; lolling on our porch as if he had always belonged there. :)

He turned out to be a very friendly fellow and our dog Copper was ecstatic to have a playmate. But alas! He had a collar; so we had to phone the owners and tell them that we was here. As it turns out, he lives just up the road from us. :)

Quite fittingly, his name was Bear. ;D I'm thinking he is perhaps a chow chow/ lab cross? He's got a very blue tongue, which hints to his chow chow ancestry.

I admit, when I got called down I was expecting to see a squirrel or something; I never expected a dog!! ;D

~Caitlyn

Things that go bump in the night

Now, I am not afraid of the dark.

I usually enjoy it.

It's noises in the dark that scare me.

Upon closing up the barn and returning to the house, I heard something rustling around near our creek that borders our property. Knowing full well that my dog was snoring inside, and that what I was hearing could in no way be a deer, I froze in my tracks as I listened to twigs cracking, and water splashing as something crossed the creek.

I really, really don't like noises in the dark.

I hurried into the house, only to be greeted by mom asking me if I could pop back out and get some catnip to make some tea.

Outside? In the dark? All the way to my herb garden? fifty feet away from the creek? Oh corks...

My herb garden had never seemed so far away as I cautiously crept back into the inky dusk. I tried to tell myself that it was probably just a raccoon, beaver, nutria or a Bigfoot, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched....

My courage finally failed (did I mention I don't like noises in the dark?) and as soon as I grabbed a handful of catnip I hightailed it back to the house. Mr. Bigfoot could have the creek to himself.

Moral of the story? Get needed plant BEFORE it gets dark, and if it's already dark, SEND SOMEONE ELSE!

I really, really don't like noises in the dark.... ;)

~Caitlyn

Music to my ears....

I awoke this morning, to the wonderful noise of a tractor rumbling past our house. :)

I love that noise.... 'Tis music to my ears. Forget Mozart or Bach, I'll take the melody of a tractor any day...

I also love seeing the combines out in the wheat fields, harvesting the crops. They make me think of great, lumbering beetles. ;)

So, how has your summer been?

~Caitlyn

They say you learn one new thing every day....

And today I was informed by a younger sibling that:

Cheese is a fruit.

There! my education is now completed! Imagine what struggles in life might have arisen had I not known that cheese was a fruit!

~Caitlyn

Sisterly Affection?

Emily and I learned something today.

Bush beans, fresh from the garden, will stick to clothing when someone throws one at you.

Sisters can be dangerous....

Especially when in the kitchen with a huge bowl filled with fresh beans.

I can't even tell you how it started, but before I knew it, I found a long, skinny bean sticking to my shirt and a certain sister trying to pull the "ever-so-innocent" look. being the very mature older sister that I am, I, uh--well-- that is to say-- retaliated! ;)

Maturity went to the wind as Emily and I pelted each other with the poor vegetables. Laughing, throwing, feeling ridiculous, the war waged on.

Let's just say that after a few minutes, I ended up stalking, er, walking off, with seven green beans sticking to my shirt.

She may have won the battle, but I'll yet win the war.....

Sisters are so fun! ;D

~Caitlyn

Day #7

Five things I couldn't possibly live without.

Meg has been having fun teasing me about my five choices. Her guesses were: my spinning wheel, yarn, knitting needles, tea and my library card. She was close. ;D

Drumroll please!

1. Laughter. What can I say? I live in a big family, and I have goats. My sense of humor is well developed and almost everything makes me laugh; or at least smile. "Love life, live, laugh" is sorta' my motto. ;)

2. My goats. They are such goofy, sweet, loyal, patience testing creatures. I can't imagine life without them!

3. Lavender. What's life without lavender?

4. My spinning wheel. Megan guessed right on that one!

5. Small Farmer's Journal Magazine!! I absolutely love this magazine and can't possible imagine life without it!

Voila! Five material things I couldn't possible live without.... Does laughter count as a "thing"....?

~Caitlyn

Day #6

It's taken me days to think of a moment that I would want to relive.

It's not that there weren't any times I wouldn't want to redo; it was that there were too many! How on earth do I choose just one! :-/

But in the end, I decided that if I could relive one single moment, that moment would be have to be a whole day. The day I spent shadowing at a vet clinic. :)

Now THAT was a fun day! The staff was friendly, it was a busy day, and I was amongst people who loved the same things I do: animals, and helping them. :)

I still chuckle when I think about the Irish Wolfhound puppy that we had to haul onto the x-ray table. It stood higher than my waist! Oh, and then there was the overweight, heavily pregnant, St. Bernard that also needed to somehow get onto that x-ray table. Took four people for that one... ;)

I remember the sweet little Belgian Malinois puppies that came in to have their dew claws removed. I wanted to hold one sooooo bad, but was too shy to ask! Finally, after five minutes of agony, I hesitantly asked to hold one. The owner was delighted that I liked her puppies, and quickly gave me three puppies to hold! ;D

So there, one moment to relive. That of being at a vet clinic....

~Caitlyn