Musings From The Farm Comfortable living in your own skin

The view from my window is not pretty and I am very upset with my goats, although I don’t think they are all guilty. Poor Fasci is the victim of bored goats or more accurately her tail is. What was once a beautiful long flowing tail is now shortened by about 30 inches! I have no idea what made the goats decide she needed a bobtail, but they tackled the job with enthusiasm and finished the job all in one night. Fasci looks so different with the new do and it does really show off her well muscled hindquarters. I may have to use bitter apple spray if they continue to chew. Horses use their tail to help swish away flies in the summer. Hopefully she will grow a few inches of new tail before fly season. One thing for sure, bored goats ~ never a good thing.

So you may be wondering why use a body scrub? Should I use a sugar or a salt scrub? Can I make it myself?  The good news; it’s easy to make it yourself for a fraction of the cost of buying one. Here is why you might like to try a body scrub: some folks, especially mature woman, find they have dry rough patches on various parts of your skin no matter how good your skin care routine. And this time of year, when it’s really cold (like this morning;  -5) it only compounds the problem. This is when body scrubs can be particularly helpful. Body scrub ingredients helps to exfoliate the rough skin and moisturize at the same time. The scrubbing part is usually sugar or salt but sometimes grains like ground oats or almonds can be used too. The moisturizing part is often Sweet Almond oil or Olive oil, or any moisturizing oil.

Scrubbers; Sugar is finer then salt and dissolves more quickly which makes it the perfect all around exfoliate. If you prefer something courser use salt but it is too abrasive for your face or sensitive skin and stings if you have a break in your skin. For something less abrasive try ground oatmeal, it is very gentle and is also a humectant but it won’t dissolve in your shower, so you may need to make sure it all goes down the drain.

Moisturizer: You don’t have to stick with Almond or Olive oil. I like them because they are both very stable and have a long shelf life and are good for your skin.  If you use virgin coconut oil it smells really yummy!

TO MAKE a body scrub simply measure out 1 part oil and 2 parts sugar, mix well and store in a wide mouth jar. You can add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil.

TO USE:  Step into your shower with the water off and apply it to dry skin (remember the sugar will dissolve in water). Being careful not to get water into your jar, take a small amount in your palms and rub onto your skin where needed. Rub for a minute or two and then turn the shower on to rinse off.  After you towel off you can still apply your favorite moisturizer as usual. I apply the large Shea Body Butter to the problem areas. I find doing this at least once a week keeps those areas in check this time of year.

With all the news of this bad Flu season, I wanted to share something I came across from the Red Cross. Here is a very good article on Taking Care of the Flu.

And oh by the way if you haven’t donated blood lately ~  It’s National Blood Donor month. The need is great and you’ll feel great about helping others in need.

This time of year everyone is saying’ It’s going around” and “IT” is not a good thing.  Colds, flu’s, sinus infections, stomach virus;  they all hit hard in the winter months. But what can you do to reduce your sick days this winter? One of the easiest ways and one near an

d dear to our hearts is to wash your hands often. Of course if you ask we would recommend only using hand sanitizer when you can’t use Alabu Goat milk soap and water; soap and water is recommended as the best way to remove germs from your hands. Try to wash your hands every time you come back home too. Another easy way is to increase the amount of fresh fruit you and your family eat.

1. Keep tissues handy and practice washing your hands after using them.
2. Practice germ-free hand drying- use paper towels or buy a stack of cheap bar towels and use once and toss in the laundry.
3. Clean your food prep work surfaces in between each use.
4. Clean the floors more often, so dust doesn’t accumulate and get mixed into the air you breathe.
5. Try to get some fresh air and sunshine everyday and take at least four deep breaths too; it helps to clear your lungs.