Jamie Estes started making natural soaps in her kitchen 8 years ago. We taught writing courses together for our homeschool co-op.
Now, she's got a "factory" and ships all over the country to shops and individuals. Her storefront/factory is in Walhalla, a town 6 miles from me.
Below, she stands next to racks of hundreds of bars of soap curing. I like her coffee soap. 
My husband uses her shaving soap and it smells great!
Her website is
Thistle Ridge Soap
Ah yes - I must maintain my reputation as a master burner of stuff in the kitchen.
I was blithely doing e-mail clean-up when I heard strange sounds from the kitchen - what-the-hey? Behold the utterly melted honey jar - I only had hoped for a mere warming of the contents - not utter destruction - but what is there to do when memory fails - oh yea, I DID put that on there and turned flames on under it! duh.....
When we want privacy in our phone calls - and a better signal, our family goes out on the deck. When I was growing up, my sibs and I would drag the kitchen phone cord around the corner and into the bathroom, closing the door on the cord. dd here is chatting with her boyfriend - and I snapped this through the kitchen window.
What we're drinking this morning - we are recovering from plain-label colds. This tea is good stuff! Guess which mug is my hubbby's!
I can leave my windows open (this is my dining room overlooking the backyard) round the clock, and the house stays comfortable - no air conditioning, no heat -- but that will end real real soon here in South Carolina!
OK. So collards are green leafy veggies right? But looky here! When they go to seed, they first produce little yellow flowers, and then they make these bean looking seed pods! We are letting our garden go to seed to see how the next generation grows.
And these are broccoli plants going to seed.
You know, going to seed means we reach the end to which we were made, we complete our purpose, we've been through the whole cycle of life --- It's when we are most fascinating and amazing!
This was a half mile from my home Monday morning - I had to stop in the road and take this. I am seriously partial to sunrises!
We drove up to North Carolina on Thursday the 10th, and spent the day with Becky and Jerry and Juli. It was a wonderful time that included, rock skipping, a little ping pong, a leisurely stroll, wonderful weather, great conversations, yummy munchies and a GORgeous drive through the Blue Ridge! We love their rustic cabin retreat - it truly is a real getaway.
A lovely corner of the yard.
Jerry perusing the Smoky Mountains Trees Book.
Becky perusing the Smoky Mountains Wildflower Book.
On the drive home we picked these, since we had discussed "what are those blooming trees along Hwy 215?"
Steve decided these are probably Halesia carolina rather than Halesia monticola.
Carolina Silverbells rather than Mountain silverbells.
And these are Amelanchier arborea or Serviceberry.
Also is known as service-tree or shadbush
"Sarviceberry" traditionally used in mountain wedding services - hence the name.
Steve on the porch of their cabin.
I had to see if I could match the ambiance of Laura's rocking chair photo -- (I had blog365 envy...)
Yea - that's my name on Monday night's Toastmasters agenda - yikes, I need to prepare a 5-7 minute speech that accomplishes a clearly defined purpose - either to inform or persuade.
And I have a column due Monday noon - and a toast to write for tonight's graduation - and a benefit (for a burn victim) to attend tomorrow afternoon - which may yield the column....
And MY MIND IS BLANK! ooooo - doesn't my adrenal system love deadlines.... not!
And they smell so goooood!
This tree service company knows we will take their chips when they are in the neighborhood. It was a surprise morning gift to us. Now we have a big pile of mulch at the foot of our driveway -- hmmmm, more work, too.....
This is the offending joint. Recalcitrant cartilage dwells here. It's puff puff puffy. It hurts.
Today I visited my doctor who sent me to get an MRI which was read by a radiologist who called my doctor back saying I have a torn meniscus - Hence the doc called me to report that his referral lady would call me and set up an appt with the orthopedic surgeon (May 15.)
I am awake because I am on prednizone (and because I wanted to post this.) Jess, I just saw your post of May 1st! I pray your exercises do the trick.
So this is where the brooha happens - this is where digital history is made and archived - this is my mess, my way of doing computer, my brain on fiber-optic bundles - the place where my dear husband shudders, the place where synaptic pulses become finger pecks become Courier New font laid out neatly in 12 pt - where faint images become posters to the world ---
Welcome to Claire's 365 blog.
