Playing in the Mud

Yesterday, I finally brought out the bucket of mud that is some I saved when Adam and I dug a hole to build a bird bath many moons ago.  Anyway, it was great letting it ooze through my fingers and spread it down my arms.  I know it is not the full experience that Karen had a couple of weeks ago in Roxie's mud hole but none-the-less awesome.

I have been playing "Keep Your Heart Young" by Brandi Carlile lately since Lyndy downloaded it onto my computer and also my new/ her old, iPod (yes, I confess, I have an iPod now).  I decided trying to figure out electronic gadgets will either keep me young or drive me crazy - either is better than getting old, which I don't plan to do, since my mother got away with staying young until she died at 88.

Back to the mud and memories of mud/clay.  One of my earliest memories of mud, was getting my boots stuck in it, when I was 5 years olds, and having to step out of them and walk through the mud in my socks.  The boots were probably way to big for me since I wore my big brothers's hand-me-downs for the first decade of my life (at least).  I loved making mud brownies too.

Advancing a few years, I remember a solar fest where I got to practice making cobb blocks.  That too was great!  You spread out a big blue tarp and mix together clay, land sand, straw, and water and stomp around in it until it is the right consistency to build with.

I went home from that festival and looked all over for the right ingredients, which were hard to come by on the Cape.  All the beach sand you could ever want and then some but few pockets of clay, and the rest of the stuff you had to buy at a premium.

Here, I have all the ingredients readily available, but just have't taken the time to put it all together.  At least yesterday I made a start.  One of the chickens looked back and forth between the bucket of mud and me for quite some time, cocking it's head and glaring at me like I had really lost it this time.

I want to make some little pots and bury them in the hot coals when I wash fleece.  I washed some, out front, a few days ago, I have more pre rinsing.

Still haven't had the family meeting, but John fixed the fan, I tied it up, and Charlotte (and all the others) are enjoying it for  sure.

 I guess I can't complain about the heat anymore, after a woman I walk with, told me it was around 112 degrees every day at her mom's place last week when she was visiting.

Staying coolish is all about following the shade all day when you have to do things outside.  In another hour, I can go check on my mud and see how it is doing.