Saturday afternoon, we had a special guest teacher – Patricia Kyritsi Howell of Botanologos/Wild Healing Herbs. She arrived a little early and was brave enough to immerse herself in our fun-filled group by eating lunch with all of us.
The focus for her class was medicinal herbs and concoctions for winter colds and flu.
After a marvelous, filling lunch, Patricia served us all a calming tea – very calming….
It’s a good thing she’s such a great teacher otherwise we would have all been fast asleep on the floor!
I don’t remember the herbs but I want to know what was in that tea. I might just serve it to some of the school groups who come visit the farm!!
Photo -op! Such beauty, such poise ….such hams!
(Dee is sniffing one of the cough syrups that Patricia made up for us)
Lots of note taking in this class! I love Stephanie in this pic.
I don’t know if it’s an “Oh no!” or “Aha!”
After the fun time we had with Patricia – we needed a brain break…
See this peaceful little cabin near the woods?
Not any more!!
The ladies all went out to try their hand, or rather their feet, at walking on stilts.
A chicken fight challenge was thrown out to the crowd.
“HA HA!!,” said Julie. “I laugh in the face of danger!!”
Not sure what the outcome was but…
Julie was seen “stilting” her way into the woods.
Another cry for a challenge was tossed to the crowd by Cindy Bee.
“And who dares climb the insurmountable stairs of this cabin!!?”
“Like this!!”
Lynn grabbed hold of the challenge and ascended the stairs…
And soundly claimed her victory by also DESCENDING the stairs!
“Me, me next!! I wanna try!”
“Ta Da!!! …Quick take the picture before I fall off!!”
Okay – enough frivolity. Back to serious business…
The logs had been cut earlier in the day – now they had to be split.
After careful instruction from Lynn, we really did place these dangerous tools in the hands of women!
They did a great job – of course 🙂
A little more instruction…
Which was, even if your axe gets stuck in the log – always look good!
Ah, the sweet feel of success! I heard tell that these pieces of wood were going to be mounted on the wall, right next to the deer head!
The concentration….
The sheer determination…. (I mean, look at her face!)
The finesse and dexterity…
And of course the fun! That’s what it takes to split wood with other women!
But beware – don’t mess with the teacher!!
Again, the woods surrounding were saved by the call to dinner.
We had a true Southern dinner and it was amazing! Still a little full from lunch, I headed to the kitchen thinking I would take a “taste” of each dish.
Oh no – not hardly! Incredible mashed potatoes, squash casserole, mac and cheese (not from a box!), butter beans, chicken and gravy (the chicken expertly picked from the carcass) and pumpkin pie for dessert!
And as with every evening meal – homemade wine from the Winey Goat (thanks Amanda!)
We talked and laughed some more, rehashed events from the day, wrote down more quotes, cleaned the kitchen and then headed down to the fire pit.
Thanks to the lumber jack crew, we had expertly stacked kindling and wood for the fire.
Anne-Marie had bread dough left over from class that morning and I suggested we get a flat rock and put it on the grate over the fire.
“Let’s put the dough on the rock and see what happens!”
It worked!! So with a glass of wine or “apple pie”, we toasted the day and broke bread together 🙂
We stayed by the fire for a while, laughing till we cried at times. Then slowly, the wonderful, intoxicating tiredness of a day well spent began to take over.
One by one or two by two, the ladies ascended the hill to warm, comfy beds.
A good time was had by all and the sisterhood connection of these homesteaders was knit by the learning, laughing and sharing of the day.
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