Saturday 13 April 2013

Another review!

  Three reviews in one week - what is my blog coming to?   On Monday it was a review of our writers' group book, on Wednesday it was Robert Wilkinson's Poetry book and today - you can't say that I stick to one subject - it is Tanya's soap.

Tanya of Lovely Greens (see my side bar), who lives and runs her business from the Isle of Man, chose me and two other bloggers and has sent us all a present.   I chose to have a tablet of her hand-made soap (I already have a pot of her lip balm, which is excellent).  It arrived this morning and is called 'Sunshine' - well that in itself is enough to make it a joy to open the envelope.

It contains citronella, that wizard at deterring midgies (of which there will be plenty now that the temperature is rising), so I have already put it on the farm wash basin so that the farmer can use it to wash his hands before coming in to lunch.

So thank you Tanya - I am delighted with my present.  If it is as good as the lip balm then I shall be buying more.   I am all in favour of these small enterprises selling hand made goods - in fact I am all in favour of any independent businesses.   When we read of another so many thousand tons of meat being withdrawn from circulation in the light of the horse meat scandal it does make me want to stick with independent traders where I can.

We are lucky enough to have an excellent independent grocer/wine merchant/butcher/deli in our little market town.   It is a long-established business and is always crowded with shoppers.  They sell everything from the humble carrot through olives and various appetisers, a whole shelf of cheeses from at home and around Europe to rare breed beef, pork and lamb (this week Highland cattle, Gloucester Old Spot Pig and Jacob lamb).

Outside it is hazy but the sun is trying to shine.  I am about to make a coconut cake for the week-end but shall then don my gardening togs and take the wheelbarrow into the front garden for a spot of tidying up.  There is nothing like a spot of sunshine - be it in soap or in the outdoors - to perk one up.   So thank you Tanya - and thank you weather.  Maybe is shall need some form of liniment tonight for a bad gardening back.
 

8 comments:

Elizabeth said...

So glad your weather is somewhat improved and that you will be able to do some gardening.
You photos in the post below look beautiful but horribly chilly.
After astounding warm days early in the week we have 'seasonal' temperatures here --probably about 60'F today.

Heather said...

I can almost smell that soap. Hope you get your gardening done without any painful side effects. We have drizzle today and it's not very warm either. Perhaps Spring has been cancelled and we will gently drift into Summer. I just hope it will be better than last year.

Gerry Snape said...

My wheelbarrow is sitting glaring at me...full to the brim with cuttings from the ivy....I need that comforting balm to seep my aching body!!!...never mind..onwards!!

angryparsnip said...

What a lovely surprise in the mail and hinting at the spring to come.
Your market in town sounds wonderful as does the cake !

cheers, parsnip

mumasu said...

I got some of Tanya's gift boxes for my family at Christmas and a spare of the Sunshine fragrance, a just in case someone with no present turns up, oh they didn't now it's January I'll just have to have it myself. Everyone thought they were great. They smell great, they don't give anyone eczema (most of my family get it) and they're a good price. I bought them as I wanted some nice presents which would support independant producers and as I follow Tanya's blog it seemed a no brainer.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Sounds like lovely soap!

I'm always in favour of small companies.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for calling in. Do call again.

Unknown said...

You're very welcome! I hope that you and the Farmer enjoy your bar of Sunshine :) xx