Chocolate Chunk Soap

I had fun playing with soap making.  I came up with chocolate chunk soap.

First you have to make the chocolate soap.  I used a basic recipe and added some cocoa powder to it.

When I finished the soap and took it out of the molds, I cut it into bars and then chopped the bars into small pieces.

You have to use this soap as an additive within a few days or it won’t work.

I used half of the first batch to be my chunks in the second batch.

After cutting the soap, I put it by my workspace in the kitchen and prepared to make another batch of the basic soap.

I prepared my soap and when it reached trace, I added the chunks of chocolate soap slowly.

Then it was ready to scoop into the molds.

Once it’s in the molds, you just treat it like any other batch of soap.

When it was time to remove it from the molds and cut the bars, I was really anxious to see how it turned out.

I like the effect when I cut the bars.

I had two trays of soap and one two-pound loaf mold filled up.

The soap from the loaf molds was really nice.  You get to see more of the chunks.

After it’s done curing, it will be added to my online market.

I really enjoyed making this one.  I might try it again with different colored chunks.  The possibilities are limitless!

Linking to Farmgirl Friday and Forever Farmgirl Friday.

On a Really Hot Day

Thanks to those that have inquired about my poor kids left in the pasture by their maas.  I’m very glad my mom and I found and brought both kids that were left in the pasture up and have their moms shut in.  Last night was the first time in ages I hadn’t had to make several trips to pasture to look for kids.  That was a huge relief.

Blaze and Sandy

I do think Sandy is getting revenge for being left in the pasture for twenty-four hours with no company and only a moment or two to nurse.  She has hardly been in the pen with her maa since we brought them up.  Even when they are laying close together, there’s a fence between them.  It’s driving Blaze crazy, but I personally think she deserves it.

Sandy and Blaze

We’ve had some really hot weather with heat indexes above 110* F.  It’s supposed to continue for several days.  I know on days like this, I prefer to sit in the house and take advantage of the air conditioning rather than track down kids.  What do the goats do when it’s so hot?  Well, they leave their kids in the barnyard when they go out to eat.  When they come back from pasture, they are panting.

“It’s hot out there! Please, get me some water,” says Vixen

When they start coming back, that’s my cue to get all fresh water in the buckets, pools and tubs.  The first thing they want to do is get a drink, even though their kids have a different idea.

Kizzy and her triplets

When they are up in the barnyard and have had their drinks and fed their kids, some just lounge outside under the shade tree.

Amos and Pebbles

Indie and Sherman are certainly relaxed.

Indie and Sherman

Mary thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to grab a little “Maa and Me” time

Mary and Kizzy

while the boys snooze in the sun.

Paul and Peter

Meg prefers to stay in the shade of the barn, but she’s smart to stay by the open door to catch a breeze.

Meg

Cutie thinks the old gate makes the perfect place to prop her head.

Cutie

Myson says it’s time to use the fence to scratch, scratch, scratch.

Myson

Victoria says she’ll just put off giving birth until it cools down some.  I certainly hope she doesn’t.  I’d prefer she had her kid before bed tonight. (I like my sleep.)

Victoria

Some little goats think it’s perfect weather for playing!

Nancy and Buck

Bullseye is trying to stay cool by laying on the concrete floor of the barn.

Bullseye

It doesn’t seem to be working.  They are all pretty hot.  Hope you all manage to stay cool if you are experiencing this horrible heat.

Linking to Friday’s Fences, Farmgirl Friday, Forever Farmgirls Friday, and Camera Critters.

Kids Everywhere

When I look into the barnyard, I see kids.

Sherman

I see kids sleeping in a food pan.

Cocoa

Sleeping under the tree.

Paul

Sampling the mineral block.

Vixen’s daughter

Eating hay with their maa.

Dolly with Barbie and Ken

Draped across their maa.

Litha and Bo

Resting in the manger.

Horton

Brand new kids.

Sandy

Big kids lounging with their maa.

Pam and Maisie

Nursing kids.

Maggie with Chip and Debbie

Kids racing through the barnyard.

Indie

My sweet kid.

Myson

Kids that come in sets of three.

Paul, Peter and Mary

Pairs of kids behind the fence.

Barbie and Ken

Kids that want a bottle.

Hershey and Indie

Kids playing on the tree.

Nancy, Lolo and Spike

Kids everywhere!

Truly we have a lot of little kids running around right now.  Soon, it will be time for them to leave the farm, so I’m going to enjoy them while they are here.

Linking to Friday’s Fences, Thankful Thursday, Forever Farmgirls Friday, and Farmgirl Friday.