Projects, Ideas, and New Releases

We've got a few projects going on here at the farm. One thing I love about our lifestyle is that there is always something new and different to occupy my mind. I tend to lose focus and get bored quickly, but new projects inspire me. My days are filled with diverse activities; from writing to creating to blending new scents to working with the animals to projects on the farm, each day offers something new. Today, I'll share those new projects with you, dear reader.

I am thrilled to share that we are releasing a new scent of soap and moisturizer tomorrow. This soap is a very personal creation, and I gathered inspiration from various sources. The farmers who lease our land planted winter wheat this year. First, let me say that I am so pleased with how the Shanks care for the land. They add minerals and lime, rotate crops, and a new practice they have adopted is planting winter wheat to help with topsoil erosion. As the wheat grew, it turned a gorgeous golden hue. Each morning, as I walked my big red canine bestie, I would look over the fields and think how fortunate I am to live in such a beautiful place. It's true; gold is priceless. Sting, one of my favorite musicians, created a gorgeous, haunting song called Fields of Gold. As I walked, this melodious tune ran through my mind on repeat. The fields and that song inspired me to create a scent blend that captures the beauty of the fields of gold on our farm.

The scent is a soft, gentle coumarin scent of freshly mown hay but with a softness and earthiness that is both warming and comforting. I blended the coumarin scent with oakmoss's musky, earthy softness, and I am in love. For those familiar with our Christmas scents, coumarin is the base for our holiday seasonal Comfort and Joy. Depending on how well my soap family receives it, I am convincing The Bibbed Wonder that this needs to be a full-time scent. All orders will be gifted a new Fields of Gold soap bar today. The soap and moisturizer will be released to the public tomorrow and showcased at The Ligonier Country Market this Saturday. I hope you love this scent as much as I do.

I am also excited to share that I have progressed with my book. I finally sat down and took the time to assign an ISBN to my work and applied for a copyright. I am learning so much about the writing and publishing process. If I am to be transparent, detailed paperwork is not my forte. It is a chore for me to complete paperwork and record keeping. However, it is part of being a responsible adult, and let's be clear: I sometimes struggle with being responsible or adult-like, even at fifty-one. With the help and encouragement of one bib overall wearing wonder buns, my book now has an ISBN and barcode, and the copyright is well underway. As soon as the copyright is complete, I will send it to the printer for publication.

I may not do paperwork well, but my attention to detail on creative projects is laser-focused. Much to my husband's chagrin, I have changed, reworked, added to, and edited this project to death. I believe we have achieved the high-quality, polished, and professional look I craved for my little story. Because I desire perfection and view this story as my literary child, I will hire an experienced editor to refine the text and ensure it is error-free. At this point, why not? I am also considering sending my story to professional publishers, but I fear rejection and harsh criticism. Thick-skinned, I am not. I need to muster the strength and overcome my fears before this happens. I will keep you posted.

Next, I share with trepidation that The Bibbed Wonder and The Bean have convinced me to do a podcast and monthly vlog. My daughter convinced us we should record and share our evening porch chats with the world. Gah! To say I am apprehensive and uncomfortable is an understatement. We have spent the last two evenings practicing being in front of the camera, and oh, dear reader, it is not going well. The Bean has taken the lead on this project. She has ordered cameras, microphones, lights, and editing software to create professional-looking videos. She insists we give her at least an hour of "content." She also directs us with a not-so-gentle approach. Mostly, she rolls her eyes and yells at me for being "stiff, silent, and looking like I smelled something bad." Sigh.

The Bean instructs me to do fake, tic-tock-y, annoying things like use an overly-enthusiastic voice, smile too much, and lose my RBF (Resting Bitch Face). I keep telling her I am not an annoying influencer and she will not get that reaction from me, but she keeps trying. My RBF is my face. I'm sorry; it's just how my face stays. My face is also an open book. I cannot hide my emotions at all. When I have had enough of her eyerolls and harsh criticisms from behind the camera, I show it on my face and then she really yells at me. I am struggling, dear reader.

I asked why I couldn't run the cameras, and The Bibbed Wonder and The Bean could be in front of the camera, but they rudely ran through the list of my technological shortcomings and told me I was an Atari girl in a Playstation world. So rude. My kid loves being the center of attention. She knocks it out of the park in the annual school musical, does videos, and looks great on camera. She truly shines and sparkles in front of the camera. On the other hand, I have no desire to be the focus of attention. I prefer to be in the background bossing people around. I'm unsure how this will go, but I will try it for their sake.

However, I can get on board with the monthly vlog, and it excites me. I can add text over video and do a voice-over. There is no need for me to be in front of the camera. I have a collection of lovely photographs from the farm, videos of the animals, and ideas for monthly themes. Incorporating this into my daily blog posts adds a new level of creativity and gives you more insight into farm life. I look forward to working with The Bean on this project.

So, dear reader, those are the projects we are currently working on. Most of it is exciting, some of it is frightening and uncomfortable, but all of it is a labor of love. On this hot summer day, stay safe, be smart, work on getting out of your comfort zone, or be prepared to be pushed, do things that excite you, and keep washing your hands.