Fire Cider

If this witch's brew doesn't kill me, maybe it will live up to the hype. 

Fire Cider. I saw videos about it on YouTube and decided since I had most of the ingredients on hand, I'd give it a try. 

The brew, excuse me, concoction tonic, is supposed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and immune system boosting properties. It ought to have something...

Disclaimer: I'm not a health expert, This is all anecdotal, so make this at your own risk. 

To make this brew you need onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, citrus (I used one orange and one lemon), jalapeno pepper, black peppercorns, horseradish, rosemary, and apple cider vinegar with the mother. I also added a handful of fresh cranberries since I had some on hand to make cranberry sauce for the holidays. I've seen where some people have added elderberries, but we don't seem to have any bushes around any longer. 

Layer the ingredients in a large glass container that has a lid. Pour in the ACV to cover and put the lid on the jar. Keep it in a cool spot away from direct sunlight and be sure to shake the jar every day. Once it's "finished," strain off the liquid and put it in an amber colored bottle. I'm going to store mine in the fridge. 

My brew will be ready around the first week of December. I've sniffed it and it actually smells like I'll be able to drink the suggested one tablespoon, or one ounce, a day. I have a shot glass and that's what I plan to use. 

Will it's supposedly magical properties change my life? I guess I'll find out.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, Fire Cider, witch's brew, health, rural living, country lifestyle, gardening, herbal remedy, science experiment, shot glasses

And then this happened...

Just when you're cruising along...

So I was on the way home from an evening out with one of my friends, minding my own business, when a doe bolted out of the woods and ran into the Charger. 

Yes, she hit me. I did not hit her. 

I am not pleased. 

I almost managed to swerve away from her, but I hit those damn rumble strips along the side of the road and that scared me more than the deer did. It all happened in a flash.

The only damage to my Charger is the crack in the nosepiece which I will have repaired after the first of the year. Until then, there's Duct tape to stabilize it. Why wait so long? It's a scheduling thing. 

I took the Charger to my mechanic and he put it up on the lift and went over it. No mechanical damage. The car runs fine - no vibration, no strange noises. I was very lucky. 

The amusing thing happened the next morning when Deuce discovered that little tuft of deer fur stuck to the car. That's as close to sniffing a deer as my boy will ever get. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, white-tailed deer, Dodge Charger, Duck tape, rural living, country lifestyle, gratitude, Labrador Retriever, auto accident, 

 

Firewood, firewood, and more firewood!

This time of year is all about firewood. Heck, this entire year has been about firewood! It seems like all I've really accomplished this year is trimming trees, setting the logs aside for firewood, and burning the resulting brush. 

It started in May with a maple tree uprooting along the south stone fence. I got that cleaned up just in time for me and the cousin to rent a lift and top a few maples that were close to the house. Yeah, that happened in July and it was hot, hot, hot work. But we got it done. 

After all that, it was time to call in the professionals to take down a huge oak that was ninety-percent dead. I made a video on that. Actually, I made a lot of videos this past summer. You can check them out on YouTube on the Holly Tree Manor channel. 

I haven't had a lot of time left over to blog about anything, even the writing. I'd like to say I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but not yet. There is still a large pile of maple logs to cut into round, and even more oak logs. The cousin and I will have firewood for the next several years with just what is already on the ground. The thing is, it's doubtful Mother Nature will let the winter pass without gifting us more. 

I get tired just thinking about it.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, firewood, log splitter, John Deere 1023, rural living, country lifestyle, KC Kendricks, romance fiction, Between the Keys, Deuce's Day