Just a Life Update

I have been doing a lot lately. Work adventures, school and exams, and keeping up with the rabbit and babies, and doing a few pre-homestead activities. This is actually kind of hard to write because I feel like I don't have much to say. I don't think I have really been doing anything interesting since school started if I am being completely honest. I got to go trapping with my friend Aly here and that was the best day I think I have had so far down here in Louisiana, and yes- short sleeves in February. It has been so warm here lately like in the 70s-80 degree range. I'm hoping I can build up my heat tolerance for the hot, humid Summers here! 

Aly and I holding otters in front of a sign with 4 beavers. they cause a lot of land depredation and erosion here and are very abundant so it is good to thin out the population.

Hunting season is over here in Louisiana and I regret to say that it was extremely unsuccessful. I have never hunted public land before and didn't really know what to expect; we tried a bunch of different places, found deer trails, fresh scat and tracks, and even saw a deer in the parking lot as I was pulling up but none showed up when I could have taken a shot. As prices of meat and groceries keep getting more expensive I realize how important hunting for food is. Wild game is meat you can trust and know its clean and where it came from.  

Parker and I while hunting

Speaking of clean and a product you can trust, guess what I have been doing!? I made my own tallow lotion! I called around to local butcher shops and I found one in my area that sold beef fat that I could render down to tallow. They only charged $1.50 a pound so I got 4 pounds to start out with. I followed the recipe linked HERE. It took a very long time to render down the fat the first round and had to wake up in the middle of the night to strain and set it in the fridge to set up.  Then I rendered it down again and was left with the final product of clean tallow. I melted it in the microwave for a few seconds after it set up again and added the ingredients (I should have melted it completely but I know for next time). I put it in the fridge to get a little more solid and whipped it with a whisk and put it in the jars. I have actually had great reviews on this tallow lotion with how good it smells, how good it works and that is just has so many healing benefits. I have been putting it on my face and I have a really even skin tone and my skin feels really smooth and a lot less dry. I am going to try and make soap sometime when I get all the supplies for it, so I may just do a tallow blog of it's own with more detailed pics and descriptions. 

Whipped tallow lotion in lemon-bergamot, lavender-cedar, and my favorite so far sweet orange-lavender. 

The bunnies are already weaned from Scarlett and it is time to find them some homes. I have no idea where to begin- I have tried craigs list, just telling people but I'm not sure if we can sell them in time before we need to separate the boys from the girls😬. They are super sweet and very fluffy, and would make great pets for even very small children because they are just super gentle. They climb up in my lap to get a treat like an apple slice or their favorite- crunchy bears from tractor supply. We did get them a new little cage I call their house. I sold a bunch of art and was able to completely cover the cost of this. They are getting bigger and I wanted something they could have more room in. They actually have learned to sleep up top in the darker room and play and eat in the bottom portion. When I get home I like to let them out so they get more exercise. 

Scarlett on her favorite rug

Bandit drinking water in their new house.

I feel like all I need now is a yard. I want to garden so bad with all this nice weather we have been having. I actually have a really great DIY green house plan to start plants in- sort of a hydroponics low maintenance thing and very easy to build that I did last year at Creekside but wanted to wait until gardening season rolls around again. After my test on Tuesday I'll have to get that started because I think y'all would like it. 

My best friend/cousin found the verse for this blog, "Use the wealth of this world to demonstrate your friendship with God by winning friends and blessing others. Then, when it runs out, your generosity will provide you with an eternal reward" -Luke 16:9.  It is so nice to use things that is given to us in nature ( like beef fat who would have thought that is is this good for lotion) and being able to make something useful that others can benefit from and to take care of ourselves in a better, healthier way. 

-Nichole💜