Foråret har travlt. Fuglene bygger rede, bierne summer og luften er lun. Knopperne på kastanietræerne er kæmpestore og safterne stiger. Det er lidt svært at følge med. Der skal forspires til Domen, den skal repareres, der skal fremstilles sæbe til sommerens markeder, der skal tappes og fryses birkesaft. Og mit pokkers skinneben gør ondt og vil helst have mig til at sidde stille i en stol med benet oppe hele dagen - det bliver ikke lige nu.
Det smukke japanske kirsebærtræ inde i byen er nu næsten sprunget ud.
Morgenfruesæben er skåret i rustikke stykker. Den er heldigvis blevet god.
Der bliver frosset små portioner birkesaft ned i en gammel skotøjsæske. 4 dl. passer til en portion brød eller til en portion sushiris.
Kamillesæben var en fejl. Jeg havde regnet forkert - ja grin bare, men Uglemor og tal bliver aldrig gode venner, så ifølge min hjerne er 98,65 gange 2 minus 3,4 lig med 99,4. Sæben blev aldrig stiv, men mindede mest af alt om gele. Den måtte smeltes om og tilsættes mere NaOH. Nu står den ude i ovnen kun med lyset tændt for at give en smule varme. Så håber vi på en fin sæbe i morgen.
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Spring is busy and so am I. The buds of the chestnut trees are almost buds no more. I can hardly keep up. Seeds have to be sown, there's soaping to do for the Summer's markets, birch sap is running now and has to be measured, frozen, thawed, poured off, and re-frozen. And my shin bone is still swollen and hurting, urging me to sit down with legs propped up -- not going to happen much.
The Japanese cherry tree in town is almost in full bloom now. It's so pretty.
Marigold soap is being cut in rustic blocks. It is still soft, but coming along nicely.
Birch sap is frozen in an old shoe box. Each bag contains .4 litres. Perfect for 2 loaves of bread, a serving of sushi rice and a lot of other things, we have yet to try.
The chamomile soap was botched. My mistake, I tried doing sums in my head and ended up not doubling the amount of NaOH in the recipe. That makes for a soft, rubbery and oily soap.I tried rebatching and adding the missing lye. Not it's placed in the oven with only the light turned on for a little heat. Let's hope for perfect soap in the morning.
Uglemor,
SvarSletI sounds like spring has arrived in a hurry. Everything is bursting back into life. I'm sorry to hear about your sore leg. Have your hands healed yet?
This year everything is rushing along. My hands are healed, but they insisted on gloves when I found the mortar again this week. They simply curled up, and would not co-operate until properly dressed.
Slet