Midwest Weather

All I can say is YUCK!! We have had rain, thunderstorms, wind, more rain, tornadoes, and now the weather app is hinting at snow tomorrow. You would think after living in Indiana all my life, I would be used to this on again off again springtime. I'm over it. I want to work in the garden and the flower beds, open up the hot tub and the pool. Get ready for sunny days and starlit nights. Not that I don't like all the seasons, but this teasing stuff has got to stop!

In the meantime, I have been working on learning how to render tallow for creams and soaps. When you compare the cost of purchasing already rendered tallow at $17 per pound but can buy 5 pounds of beef trimmings for 5 bucks and get over a pound of tallow, I think home rendering is the way to go. I'm on my third render of my first try and hopefully this one will be the last. Next week will be soap and face cream making. All in time for our first market of the year.

What else will I be putting together for our first market? I already have some candles and tinctures and bath salts. I'm more than likely going to create some more tin punched designs and some embroidered kitchen towels. It just depends on how much time I have in the evening and on the next two weekends. After all, I do have a couple of books I'm writing.

I just finished up reading the first book of Lucy Score's Blue Moon series and absolutely loved it. I'm also finishing up listening to the first book of her Knockemout series which is equally great. Now I'm on to Tricia O'Malley's Wild Scottish Gold.

However, I didn't get any reading done tonight. Nope. I watched the finale of 1923. Holy Smokes! What a poignant episode. i was left speechless at the end, but in case you haven't watched it yet, I don't want to spoil it for you. I'm so torn over which of Taylor Sheridan's series I liked the best. There's not a one that hasn't brought me to tears at some point or several.

After diligently watching plane fares, I'm about ready to get the charge card out and book my flight to Scotland for the event in Stranraer. While doing so, I've also been looking at Airbnb lodging options and found a cute little apartment in a CASTLE just north of Glasgow and the Highlands. I think we will probably hang out there for three days before driving down to Stranraer with a side trip to Wigtown then hop over to Edinburgh for a couple of days then back to Glasgow for a day before heading home. I'm really looking forward to this trip and seeing some of the beautiful historic sites.

I've waited so late this evening to do my blog posts that I'm going to make this a short one. Both dogs are snoring...one on my lap and one on the sofa so I know it's about time to hit the bed. Tomorrow is Monday and back to the day job for another week closer to retirement. Then I'll be able to write, craft, garden, bake, travel and read to my heart's content. Maybe. No rest for the wicked...with that said...off to bed I go! Have a wonderful week everyone!!