Leaf poultice

　It started when I sprained my ankle while carrying a large armful of firewood. It’s swollen, even though it doesn’t hurt. My left ankle seems to have weakened; I’m prone to stumbling on that side now. Every time I do, it swells up. Sometimes, it aches.　I think, the fact that I can walk means there is nothing wrong with my bones. That implies that even if I endured the wait at the hospital—feeling irritated all the while—and got an X-ray, the doctor would likely just prescribe painkillers and a compress, and that would be it.

This leaf is effective as a poultice. To use it, lightly toast a single leaf over a flame until it softens, let it cool, and then apply it.

If you have sensitive skin and—like me—are the type who gets a rash even from drugstore medicated patches, then use these leaves only at night. They are fully effective even with just nighttime use.

This plant is called Tsuwabuki ; its English name is... Farfugium japonicum ? It belongs to the Asteraceae family and bloom yellow flowers the same time that chrysanthemums bloom. If you want to plant it in your garden, it is a good idea to carefully observe and remember the shape of the flowers so you can distinguish it. While there are other plants with similar leaves, once they bloom, you can see that they are completely different.

The leaves are extremely stiff and have a sheen that looks like a film coating.

It is known in folk medicine to be effective for various other skin problems as well,（ Stiff shoulders, Swellings, bruises, frostbite, boils, cuts, burns and tec, )

 

Cable pullover

 Hello, Dear friends. How have you been ?　It has been raining here almost every day ,  the days have been truly exasperating...　

Anyway, I put on the sweater I had just finished knitting yesterday. ( I found the skirt at a second-hand shop.)

 100g left over, so I'm knitting bed socks.

Oh, I've baked cookies,  Nothing beats homemade ones :)　Now I'm looking forward to preparing for winter and seeing the snow.

>> I knitted it straight without shaping the waist, and also omitted the cable pattern on the sleeves. The pattern call for 4-ply, but, I used Sport yarn, so the armhole size is being adjusted. 

From within the soil

 When sweeping up goat and sheep droppings as usual, I spotted something small and shiny in the soil.　After cleaning it and examining it closely with a magnifying glass, I saw an inscription; it was a platinum bracelet set with a small diamond. That design is likely an accessory for a young girl; the chain is as fine as a spider's thread.　Apparently, people have lived on this land since ancient times, and the house standing here now is the third one to be occupied by a family—ours being the third. I have no idea who dropped it or where they came from. We are not related to them by blood.

 I felt as though Mary had given it to me, so I keep it in my jewelry box.

Do you like it ? she said

I am trying to expand the area for the goats and sheep, but the soil is hard and the grass won't grow well.

It's terribly hot every day ! Be careful of heatstroke.

Something I made recently

 Once my own life had settled down, I finished the sweater I had been knitting before taking Mary in.

In the photo of magazine, it looked a lovely cardigan, Lured by those words, "Inspiration comes from Paris." But I got the length wrong and adjusted the collar three times, then there wasn't enough yarn left, so the design has changed quite a bit.  I feel frustrated when my knitting don't go well..

 I baked my birthday cake. I can't make anything elaborate, but cream and strawberries are a truly delicious combination. You agree too. 

　We grew and harvested rye. This was just for practice. 

Our mentor is an elderly farmer who lives nearby.

 At first glance, the rye crop seemed to have succeeded. However, the harvest season in Japan coincides with the rainy season. Exposed to prolonged rain, the rye began to sprout; with no dry days to follow, it succumbed to mold and was ruined. 

　Mary’s fleece had become matted and felted with seeds and thorns, leaving only about 600 grams, ( Usually 3 kilograms ?) I have started spinning a little of it. The resulting yarn will likely be of poor quality, but it came from a time when Mary was suffering, I couldn't bring myself to throw it away.

Dear friends, how have your days been ? Are you okay with the heatwave !?  

I'm knitting a sweater at a leisurely pace—mostly on rainy days.

Hand power

 Healing energy flows from your hands. Even as your hands age, they bring comfort to others.

11 years old, Suzuko ( Jingle bell girl)

Hako (Box)

Natsuko(summer girl ) 

and Mary 

Things to Consider Before Raising Sheep

Hello dear friend, Mary is doing very well and has gained weight. She has settled into life here, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

 I hope that fewer people will keep living animals just for the fun of it—like my Mary, The Abandoned Sheep—and I would like to write a little something about that, People who are not farmers raising animals. 

 If you are keeping them on a moderately sized plot of land, goats are the better choice. Sheep are fine if you have vast acreage, but the most important thing when raising animals is whether you can properly clean up after them.(In that respect, cats are the easiest.)

Problems arise if things are kept unsanitary. Mary had scabies, a skin disease caused by mites.

Compared to goats, the sheer volume of sheep droppings is surprising. I am constantly sweeping and hosing down the small area where  kept. 

Both goats and sheep share the trait of living in herds; you cannot keep just a single, and their bleating can easily be heard up quite a long way away. They can be quite noisy during the mating season.

Then there is the matter of whether there is enough grass to feed them properly. We regularly buy dried hay, the cost of food for our dog and cats is far lower ( Especially in winter )

Please be careful not to accidentally eat grass that has been sprayed with herbicide, weedkiller. 

 And then, there is the matter of shearing . If the process isn't handled properly, the sheep will never let itself be shorn again. Mary had a rather painful memory associated with it; she was so thin, her skin hung loosely, and she apparently bled during the shearing. We were inexperienced, and it took us hours to shear the terrified sheep. Mary would only let me get close to her, so I had to cut her wool little by little with the shears. Poor Mary—and poor us, too. ( My husband was knockout by Mary ) 

She sometimes helps out a little with the mowing in the garden.

Sadly for her, it doesn't fill her up..

Eat salt

Ultimately, unless you are an extreme animal lover, I wouldn't recommend keeping goats or sheep. Since you are the kind of person who reads this blog—someone with a gentle nature—I trust you won't do anything reckless.

Recently I comprehend why sheepdogs are necessary.　My Mary, she doesn't stray far from me, but when she's engrossed in eating, she doesn't notice even if I call her. "Mary! Mary!" I shout.

I run fast while calling out Mary. Then, before I know it, She is right beside me, running along too. What she fears most is likely being separated from me. but, I didn't know sheep could run fast.

From time to time, I would recall certain passages from the book I read a few years ago, along with the context in which they appeared. "The shepherd's life. by James Rebanks. Something you can fully appreciate through the pages of this book.

P S,

Sheep cannot survive in the wild without human intervention.　What we can do is enjoy meat from time to time with a sense of gratitude and make use of the wool.