Popcorn and Soap {?}  Well, it’s past Monday, and it’s been a few days since my last post, so I need to update here … hmmm, how many of us can say that?!  Thank you for all your comments on my last post … the show went very well on Saturday, but Sunday, just as Friday, was a fairly slow day.  It did allow time for us to walk around and talk with the other vendors and make new friends.  We always meet the nicest people.  That was the last show for that particular company until September, so we’ll have some ‘extra’ free time this summer in between our other shows.  It’ll give me time to work at my decluttering projects again … I’ve been slacking in that area lately, and we so need to get it done!  {Say a prayer for me, that I have the energy to think and plan and get it done … you know, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!!}  Also, it’ll give me time enough to get my soap inventory back up again … I have lots of the candles left … I don’t sell as many of those as I do the soap. 

And, we now have a new scent … Sarsparilla - aka: Sassafras, and it really does smell wonderful!  What’s really interesting is we ran onto a little shop, not far from us, that makes, and flavors popcorn, and yes, you guessed it … they have Sassafras popcorn … one word for it … awesome!!  This little ‘mom & pop’ establishment, which started in 1989 with only four flavors, has now been in business for 19 years, and has managed to come up with 246 flavors of popcorn … you name it, they’ve probably got it!  Can you imagine Dill Pickle popcorn?  It’s great!  Really!   Or, how about Jalapeno, Strawberry Cheesecake, or Apple Cobbler popcorn … to which they’ve since added their vanilla flavor coating, and call that one Apple Pie a la mode!  Or, how about Chocolate Mocha Cappuccino, Chocolate Mint, Coffee, Coconut, Spearmint, or Cola popcorn!  We tried a sample of a new flavor called White Chocolate Raspberry, and that one is yummy.  Also, one called Wasabi, which was spicy, to hot, and not a favorite of mine.  Of course, we couldn’t sample them all, but we were invited back for a tour of the ‘kitchen’, and their popcorn popping process, which they are more than happy to give.  We’ll be going soon, and I’ll get pictures to share with you … it’s too bad I couldn’t send you all a sample of their popcorn, but I can share the web site with you.  Just click ‘Not Just Popcorn’, and you’ll see a little bit of history, and a couple of photos.  Not all flavors are listed, because they are so busy cranking out new ones, they just can’t keep up with that and the web site!  Two types of popcorn that they use, are grown here in Indiana right down the road from them … 200 acres of popcorn each year, to be exact!  This tiny little shop was featured on the Food Network back in 2001, and now ship all over the world.  Can you imagine, up to 500 pounds of popcorn per day … now popcorn doesn’t weigh that much … so I conclude that it is a lot of popcorn that those people pop!  Eveything is done by hand in small batches, just like the soap I sell, and I’m tempted to wholesale the Sassafras and sell it with the Sarsparilla Soap, and candle, in a gift basket.  Or, maybe the Apple Cobbler flavor with our Apple Jack soap and candle … the Lemon flavor with our Have A Nice Day soap, and candle … or, even the Black Raspberry flavor with our Black Raspberry Vanilla soap, and candle … and then there’s the Strawberry flavor with our Strawberry soap, and candle … or the Vanilla flavor with the Madagascar Vanilla soap and candle … and I could go on and do that with the list of the flavors they have, for almost every scent of soap/candle that we have, except maybe the Oooo Baby Soap … that smells like baby powder!  Nope, definitely not good for popcorn!  So what do you think??  Popcorn and soap … hmmm … yes, indeed, an interesting combination!

Family News:  My brother in law, Roy, should be in today from Utah.  My father-in-law is still in the hospital, and hopefully we’ll hear something today as to when he’ll be able to go home!  I so appreciate your prayers!  We’ll be spending some time with Dad and Roy, then on Saturday we’re having a family dinner, before my sister-in-law, and her husband, fly out to Hawaii to spend time with their daughter, and her husband.  He is in the Navy, and is stationed there.  They say it’s beautiful this time of year, well, probably any time of year … I’ve never been.  Both Steve and Jeannie are very excited!  They’ve never been there either, and will be gone for two and a half weeks, and they said we could use their house for a mini ‘get-away’ anytime while they’re gone!  We may just take them up on that.  It’s very close to the one we were going to move into … which may still happen … the owner still wants us in there, but sometimes the Lord just delays things in our lives … where many times we tend to rush His hand, but our Father knows best, and His timing is always perfect … He is never late!!  Anyway, it will be a nice change to spend some time at their home, out in the country, for a night or two.  Roy will be staying there for the first week after they leave, so we’ll stay sometime during the rest of the time they’re gone. 

Weather and Farmer’s Markets:  I’m sure our weather isn’t anything like it is in Hawaii right now!  As I’ve said a few times in commenting, Spring hasn’t quite taken hold here yet … but it’s trying!  We’ve had cool temperatures the last 3 days, and tonight we have frost/freeze warnings out!  I’m glad I didn’t fill my planters yet!  I have four of them … I use 2 for herbs, and 2 for flowers, and as I’ve said earlier, we are’t planting a garden this year.  We get our herbs and flowers from the local farmer’s markets and it may be a little while before they get going for the season.  I really enjoy farmer’s markets … we have one up north that have such a variety to choose from, such as country eggs, honey and syrup, farm raised meats, and fish, all kinds of homemade foods such as baked goods, cheese, teas, cut flowers, herb flavored oils, dried and fresh herbs, and of course, fresh fruits and vegetables that the season delivers … and there’s even handcrafted soap (not the one I sell though, but we may try to get in this particular farmer’s market for the summer).  It doesn’t begin until the last Saturday of May, and runs every Saturday through the month of September this year.  There’s a much smaller one in our area, but it’s worth the drive north to experience that one!  Do any of you venture to your local farmer’s market?  If not, give it a go this year … you won’t regret it!

On a sad note … I did some research on the ingredients in ’Twinkies’, and realizing just how unhealthy they are, I may be forgoing those recipes for now.  I don’t want to be the cause of someone’s hardened arteries!  If I do get any requests for them, I’d be glad to share them with you in a message.  So, no more ‘Twinkie Tuesdays’.  Hope your hearts aren’t too terribly broken up over this!  ;O)   

Well, today I’ll be working on that laundry, and then my soap order, and I have to catalog coins for my husband’s new Ebay account.  We have a friend who is helping us with that.  I’m clueless as to how to start one!  I hope you all have a terrific and blessed Tuesday … minus the Twinkies! 

 Hugs,
           ~ Deborah <><   


One more thing … I saved the best for last!  I did hear from my dear sweet son this past Saturday night.  He sounded good, and was taking some time off of work, relaxing on the beach in Monterey Bay … just as the sun was setting.  I was so blessed that he called to share the moment with me.  I could picture it as he was describing it to me … I’d like to share it with you … another one of God’s beautiful masterpieces … a Pacific sunset … as seen through the eyes of my son …

Heaven is not here, it’s There. 
If we were given all we wanted here, our hearts would settle for this world rather than the next.
God is forever luring us up and away from this one, wooing us to Himself and His still invisible Kingdom,
where we will certainly find what we so keenly long for. 

~ Elisabeth Elliot ~
‘Keep a Quiet Heart’