McKinney Falls State Park and Onion Creek

Since this is an AUSTIN Homestead, i thought i would write a quick post to show off the super awesome flooding action out at McKinney Falls after this week's rain. I got about 7 inches of rain at my house, if my rain gauge is accurate. Last summer this waterfall was barely a trickle, last week we took Pocket to the lower falls to wade about and swim in some shallow waters. Last NIGHT we marveled at the booming waterfall sound audible from the parking lot and gasped in shock and delight at how high and tumultuous the waters really were! Puppies were kept securely on leashes at all times.

Last Thanksgiving the falls looked like this:




(that's my mama)

Yesterday - note the change:

Aren't you glad you're not standing out there now, mom!

No more crossing!

The Cypress from above - now neck deep in rapids!

We even found a special friend for Pocket:

It was pretty awe inspiring for sure - and really helps to secure faith in the 'turn around don't drown' mantra. Watch out for those flash floods! Rain water is a powerful force!

South Austin Urban Farmers Market

We had a lovely time with Robin and the other south Austin vendors this Saturday at 5109 Manchaca - a lovely, treed front yard just north of Fair Oaks. We hope to be sporadic regulars to this venue, and are applying to the Cherrywood Market happening in early December.

It was really great to bring our projects out to the open air and get responses from the public.

I would also like to make my soap, salts, and hair rinses available for online orders - pick up locally, or pay a little extra for shipping (within the usa). I'm working on a banner link for the side of this blog to make ordering easy - for now click the 'contact me' at the top of the page and let me know what you would like to order. Currently in stock:

• Herbal hair rinse, 3 blends - all natural with homegrown, organic herbs to sooth and beautify your scalp and hair   $8 - 8 oz
• Growth
• Shine
• Dandruff relief
• Aromatic bath salts   $6 - 10 oz

• Lemongrass/Rosemary for an invigorating bath (or foot soak)
• Lavender/Jasmine for a relaxing bath (or foot soak)
• Castile soap with soothing oats, calendula oil, and lemongrass essential oil (among other delightful ingredients)  $4.50 - 4 oz bars

My next batch of soap will be a shea butter soap with lavender essential oil, followed by another castile soap with tea tree and perhaps sandalwood. Feel free to email me at any time to see what i have in stock! And of course, thanks for supporting your local (or not so local as the case may be) gardener and budding herbalist!

Found: A great Austin resource

On developing the packaging for my newest venture, i searched the entirety of at least 3 stores on the quest of recycled fiber cardstock.
To no avail.
But a friendly salesperson at OfficeMax (or someother such cookiecutter store) recommended a store up on Cesar Chavez street called "OK Paper." I did a google search when i got home and discovered a super wonderful resource, a mere 10 minutes up the road from my house!
O-K paper is a branch of Olmsted-Kirk Paper Company, a business that appears to focus on responsibly harvested and manufactured paper products. Oh, how i wish i'd known of this place two years ago!

(Little back story: my husband and i got married last June, and i designed and put together all the invitations myself. I wanted to have low environmental impact, so i ordered a sheaf of paper from the Neenah Paper Company that contained entirely recycled content. It was gorgeous paper, but sure cost a lot to buy and have shipped. And what do i do with this entire sheaf, you may ask? We only invited 50 or so folks.... Well, i printed ALL the wedding invitations after much careful scrutiny- only to have my then fiance look at one and point out a typo. Dang. So i fix the file and print them ALL out again. Only to notice myself that i'd put 2008 on them instead of 2009. IDIOT! So three batches of invitations later, there is no paper left. Alas)

 So, I may not have that pretty paper leftover, but i've discovered a great company right here in Austin that sells the stuff - so i stopped into their storefront, that is much like a factory warehouse adjacent to a bunch of construction (ah, Austin). I picked up three sheafs: brown cardstock for business cards and hangtags, cream paper for soap wrappers, and some regular old printer paper for every day use. The total wasn't pretty, a whopping $39. But if i can avoid printing everything three times, i think it should last us!

What is your favorite local shop for basic supplies that meet your moral shopping guidelines?

Recent Projects

My husband and i have long been planning a joint business venture of crafting, growing veggies and making cheese for market: selling our co-produced wares. It's mostly a future plan, but we've been gearing up to sell crafts and homemade products at a farmer's market this Fall. I was tinkering with some logo ideas the other day, and the very next day was approached by a friend asking me to sell at a small event she's putting together for mother's day.  

!

A bit sudden, and i'm not entirely prepared, but i felt it was 'a sign' or at least a catalyst to get off my duff and start working. I plopped down a decent chunk of change (investment costs?) on some soap making supplies, paper for packaging, and other items i'll need for my part of our project, and i'm getting some good work done!

The project will be known as The Relic Jar, and is a combination of my husband's brainchild and gourd art, with sewing assistance and herb knowledge by me. I've tacked on my own facet to the project, to be known as Tinctures and Tonics: assorted bath and body products, as well as candles and other crafty novelties. I'm also working on our little blog/website, TheRelicJar.wordpress.com - so bookmark that and check out the cool stuff being born over there.

In the meantime: here's a quick glimpse of what's going on in MY studio:

New desk from Thriftland, plus old spice rack to hold spools of thread and some curing soap (plus my old sewing stool, finally being used for actual SEWING)

Curing soap. Not entirely homemade this time, just some glycerine soap that i added botanicals, natural colors, and essential oils to. I quite like it - feels and smells good on the hands. Looking forward to playing with lye, though.

Recycled cup candles, and the first draft of packaging printed on paper made from hay.

And isn't this just pretty? 

I'll try and scatter some of this poppy's seeds by the Salvia 'Hot Lips' as their colors go so well together:

 

Here's to a productive week, happy Monday!

8 Months Old and Laying Like Champs!

We're gearing up for Easter here at the homestead. The fridge is full of eggs destined for hard boiling, dying, and hunting amongst friends. The girls have been much obliging: Olive didn't even take a day off last week. The four laid 23 eggs between them, and the prior 3 weeks each brought to nest 22 beautiful eggs.

It is really feeling like Spring here: germinating corn babies, popping wildflowers, timely rain quenching the thirst of baby plants. Easter used to be my favorite holiday (you just can't beat Cadbury mini eggs in my opinion) and i'm excited to share my first Easter With Chickens with a few friends, and perhaps some brunchy cocktails.

Another first this spring is a new publication, Whole Kids Lifestyle Austin. It's a magazine and a community that promotes a holistic, eco-friendly and sustainable approach to life. They’re passionate about all things related to creating healthy communities – whether it’s the latest in educational science, the newest eco-fashion product, or an update on organic foods.  Obviously WKL fits perfectly with all of my interests and goals, and i've been lucky enough to be a contributor. I'll be writing articles with family friendly recipes, gardening/chicken raising tips, and other homesteading ideas that may or may not be in line with current blog posts here. I'm also contributing fun artwork for the kiddos to look at while their parents read the useful stuff between the jackets of the magazine.

Check out the first article i wrote for Whole Kids Lifestyle Magazine. It is a very brief primer on the raising of chicks up to 8 months old. I had to limit my words (which is hard for me to do!), so many details are left out- it's still a good basic guideline to get you started if you're interested in bringing home some Easter chicks. The online version of the magazine is up now and the print version should be in stores (like Central Market, Whole Foods, Sunset Valley Farmers Market, etc) in April.


Will you be donning your saddle shoes this Easter?

PASTA PASTA PASTA **GIVEAWAY**

As promised, the pasta giveaway is here.
One batch of whole wheat pasta made with backyard fresh, organic, free range eggs and optional garlic and herb flavoring could be yours!

A local winner could swing by 'the farm' next Monday for uber fresh pasta, and out of towners would receive their pasta dried and in the mail.
I can't guarantee that pasta that is shipped in the mail arrives nice and unbroken, but i'll package it up as carefully as i can.

For your chance to win simply comment on this blog post with a link to your favorite (easy) bread recipe or visit my online portfolio/shop and let me know what your favorite image is. 

Special favors will not be granted to folks who forward those links to a few friends, but you'll make me a little happy :)

Have a wonderful week, and check back on Friday to find out who the winner is!