The Language of Flowers-Texas Style

My passion is herbs and my second passion is collecting books on herbs and the language of flowers. I found this little gem in Texas and the seller said that he would send a picture of the owner with it. The information I got is that the Caston family lived in Corsicana, Texas. The oldest daughter was named Texana. In the 1880's she and her sisters all attended college. A big deal for that time. It is unclear who is the girl in the picture, but this little book got a lot of use. I will say more about the language of flowers in another post.

Not Your Typical Oregano!

Actually Cuban Oregano (not a true oregano) Plectranthus amboinicus (what a mouthful) is known by a lot of other names: Spanish or French thyme; Mexican or Indian mint and country borage. It is native to the tropics and best grown as a pot plant. The Victorians used it as a bedding plant. If it is grown outside, it requires warm weather. It stops growing when temperatures drop below 50 degrees F. If lightly frosted, it goes to mush. This plant above is a second year plant! They are fast growers. Don't dry the leaves. They are a favorite in Jamaican and other tropical cuisines. In India, where the herb is known as Suganda, the leaves are dipped in batter and fried. My information comes from one of my favorite herb books. It is The American Garden Guides Herb Gardening by Patricia Hopkinson, Diane Miske, Jerry Parsons and Holly Simizu. I like it because it forces you to think in botanical names. Sometimes hard to do. Here is a Cuban oregano that has been in the pot just one year! These plants both need some more pinching to keep them more balanced.

Our little blooper

Earlier this week, Maryanne and I did a class on balms and salves. Unfortunately, we forgot a main ingredient. We were filming the class, and this is a tiny little portion - right when we discovered the missing item.Our audience turned out to be a very gracious group!

Confused Xmas Cacti!

Just because we were in Arizona recently I thought I would talk about our indoor cacti. Lots of Christmas cacti are confused and bloom for Thanksgiving. This one is called 'Christmas Fantasy' and obviously it is blooming early. There are two very happy in an east facing window in our kitchen. Here they are as of this morning. Enjoy!

Thankful fun and a recipe

I'm just having a little fun today. It may be Black Friday elsewhere, but at The Essential Herbal, we don't usually have that experience. Soon it will be time to go down the hill to the shop and help people start their holidays.
I found this template that allows you to insert pictures at Ace Hardware of all places. In order to keep the picture, you have to do a print screen and then paste it into a photo editing program. Then save to your own file name. This isn't everyone. They only allowed for 6 - which coincidentally was the number of family faces that were handy. I'd love to find something outside in the snow with room to put all of the writers in. Stay tuned, we'll see. Anyway, the kids, a couple of siblings and me are here.
We had a pretty nice time. Normally the bird is done down at my sister's and I show up with some of the side dishes. One of the boys will bring dessert - but Maryanne really can't resist baking something or other. This year was different, and she did every single thing. I offered, but she said she'd do it. We just showed up to eat. And it was scrumptious!!! Beginning with the little loaves of pumpkin and nut breads and ending up with the pumpkin pie. Every morsel delicious. In fact, she picked up a jar of Harry & David's cranberry relish, and that was the perfect accompaniment.
We went around the table to talk about what makes us thankful. Some years that is harder than others. I forgot to say how thankful I am that my daughter has turned out to be such a fun person to be around, with goals and dreams - and the determination to pursue them. Mostly, we were all thankful that John (upper middle) is fighting liver disease with such humor and humility. It was unspoken, but as we lean on each other to get through this (sometimes dragging him, sometimes being dragged ourselves) we are all aware of how very glad we are to have each other.
The air here is starting to fill with the scent of pines, spruces and firs. Some of the really huge trees that lined the back of my yard have been offered up, so there will be more space for planting next spring. When I told Bob that I needed the room for gardening, he looked bewildered. There is a 1/4 acre garden he leaves unplanted so that I can put in whatever I want! But that gets plowed each spring (thankfully!). Perennials can't go there. The fruit bushes and trees that I've been gathering are nestled strategically up to the split rail fence, and there really isn't any more space.
So 2 or 3 people have gotten enormous (20' ?) trees for the same price as the 7 or 8 ' trees - $30. They will get home with their prizes, and not get in the door. I don't know who they are really, but imagine them as new dads bringing home their baby's first tree. I make up a lot of stories while watching people search for the perfect tree from this office window. That's almost the best part.

If you've read along this far, you deserve a little treat. Maryanne made up a couple of batches of the following cupcakes in the last few weeks. It is sort of a regional thing - shoofly pies - made into cupcakes. Shoofly is second only to pumpkin for me. It's a perfect blend of pie/cake/pastry/crumb topping. The cupcakes don't have the gooey bottom, but they have every bit of the flavor and some of the crumbs. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING healthy about them.

Shoo-fly Cupcakes
Dry Ingredients:
2-1/2 C. Flour
1-1/2 C. brown sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 C. shortening
Wet Ingredients:
1-1/2 C. hot water
1 C. brown sugar
1 t. baking soda
Pre heat oven to 350 F. and line cupcake pan with paper cups. Mix dry ingredients until it forms "crumbs". Save out 1/2 C. of thecrumbs for topping. Mix wet ingredients and then add to the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until well blended and creamy. Fill cupcakes about 1/3-1/2 full, top with crumbs, about 1 t. per cupcake. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

More Snow in the Herb Garden for Thanksgiving!

I'm getting like a broken record! This is quite ridiculous! We have a surplus of snow in November! It doesn't happen all that often. I usually make our turkey with fresh herbs! They may be a little bit frozen this year! Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

Parsley Soup and Herbal Hockey Pucks!

Today was the perfect day for parsley dill soup and Italian Herb Biscuits. Snowing outside. I know, it doesn't stop! The soup was wonderful and biscuits like herbal hockey pucks!

I bought the mix from my favorite herb place, The Rosemary House. Unfortunately, I don't remember when and I think the baking powder was not active enough! The herbal husband still thought they were good. I just get tense when a recipe says roll out. I have to practice some more, but that adds inches to the waistline! Nancy Reppert makes the most magnificent scones on the planet for her afternoon teas at Sweet Remembrances! I think I just have to practice more! I usually overwork the dough also, but not this time. As we go back on the baking sheet they get more irregularly shaped! The back one of the left looks a little like a fish or a bowtie. Taste is what counts and they were very good.

Herbal Husband's Veggie Harvest

Sometimes I get ahead of myself in this blog. I already talked about the Carrot and Lovage Soup I made with the white French carrots and the Parsley Dill Soup that I have made. I'm going to make some more tomorrow with the 'Nelson' carrots this time. The carrots somehow get lost with everything else we harvest and somehow we come out with a pretty good harvest in time for soup making in the fall. There is nothing like a good bowl of homemade soup!

Radiant Artisan Festival

Yesterday was the artisan festival at Radiance. The yoga/dance studio was opened up for artists. This was not a crafter's venue. Sarah and Kara brought in artists. I was included with the magazine and books, and Maryanne participated with her torch, demonstrating lampworked beadmaking. The Lancaster newspaper was there and here is their report.
Sarah and Nikki...Maryanne getting her "hot head" torch ready for demos...Some of her finished pieces laid out for perusal......
Some of the other artists are busily setting up....Getting down to the wire.....Finally chatting with neighbors and making sure the goodies that everyone brought along to share are ready to go...It was a lot of fun. Besides being the two year anniversary for Radiance, it also kicks off the holiday shopping season nicely. We saw a lot of friends there, and it seemed like everyone was among friends. I got to meet some of the other artists who have beautiful works in the shop, and have completely fallen in love with some of the works on the walls in the yoga room.

a kind of an eco-spirituality ballad

I've been waiting a long time for someone to post this amazingly wonderful song by the late Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer ... and it just occurred to me today while listening to KPFA to search for it again. Enjoy it with me.

Name This Herb

This is a wonderful herb if you have trouble eating green peppers like I do. Peppers talk to me as my mother used to say. It is called 'Green Pepper' basil. So it is the best of both worlds. It has a beautiful leaf shape not like the typical basil plant. I found it at Mulberry Creek Herbs several years ago. When it is in flower, it drops several seeds in the pot it is growing in. Perfect, it perpetuates itself! It does have some disease issues indoors. Sometimes it doesn't survive. Herbal husband sometimes overwaters it! A sure herbal death. It does make a lovely herbal vinegar.

Veggie or Fruit Salad?

We have a fruit salad almost every morning with our breakfast. It is just a great start to the day. I was looking at my fruit the other day and saying that it looked more like a veggie salad than a fruit one! Honeydew, kiwi, papaya and green grapes a great selection of fruit/veggies.

Red and Purple Hot Chili Peppers!

As the snow flakes flew the other day, these cuties made their way upstairs to the south facing livingroom window! From the left, they are 'Chilly Chili', 'Peruvian Unknown' (my name, not correct) (It has a tiny little pepper on it!), and 'Explosive Ember'. The two on either end graced our patio this summer. I got them down east near Mechanicsburg. My favorite herb shop, Rosemary House and my favorite tearoom, Sweet Remembrances are there. The plant that is trying to get in the picture is Cuban Oregano and I will write more about it in a later post. Until then stay warm!

The Herbal Indoor School

At the moment we can't park the herbal husband's car in the garage. When we went to Arizona, the pots came into the garage even though we had a beautiful week while we were gone! It always works that way! The scented geraniums, the lavenders, the rosemaries and our herbal trees, bay, allspice and bay rum did just fine and are continuing to do fine in the garage. It has a south facing window and cooler temperatures than in the basement. All we have to remember to do is turn them periodically. When we get further into the winter season, we may be jockeying plants around so that the car can come in too!

Radishes and Parsley, Oh My!

The herbal husband came in today all excited about the above, radishes and parsley. Still picking radishes and parsley before we really get below 20 degrees tonight! The bounty was great this year. A lot more parsley soup on the way! Whoo Hoo!

Snow in the Herb Garden!

As my herbal husband said this morning, "Isn't this a little bit early for snow?" It is not only early, but it is very cold also. We have had snow as early as late September, I think. I remember snow on Halloween several years ago. Hope this doesn't mean a long, cold winter!

The coolest swap ever - homegrown

This is the second year that I've participated in a swap that is just incredibly creative and inspiring. Participants are to make things with what grows either in their gardens, or around them locally. Farmers markets may also be utilized as long as the pickin's are local. Both years it has been a giant swap with about 25 participants. We all try to do something original that nobody else will do. Last year I made lavender wands and itch-away spray. This year it was jewelweed soap and lemon-berry-balm tea. Here's my loot...

So, just to give you an idea of some of the homegrown stuff that went into these items, they included, aloe, rosemary, comfrey, lavender, lemon verbena, calendula, scuppernong grapes, rose petals, wild berries, gooseberries, pears, blueberries, apples, orange blossom honey, lemons, hops, mugwort, marjoram, mint, sheep milk, popcorn, sage, goat milk, cucumber, tomato, eggs, basil, beeswax, silk, kudzu, poppies, jewelweed, lemon balm, garlic and elderberries. Those were ALL the homegrown or home raised ingredients.

Want to know what was in there? Jellies, chutney, apple butter... a dream pillow, herbal body creams and lotions, milk bath, hair conditioner, tub tea, facial lotion, lip balm, herbal tea, and 11 different kinds of soap - all luscious and made by artisans.

That was spectacular. Now if I can just fight off my daughter and get to use some of it myself!

My Herbal Husband Strikes Again and SNOW!

October 9th, my herbal husband asked, "Are we bringing in the lavenders?" Well, today the last one came in. Better late than never.

The first seed catalog came! One of my favorites. Very reasonable prices and more heirlooms than before.

Then there was SNOW! Here is my garden and the rudbeckia struggling to bloom!

Our 21st Anniversary in Phoenix!

Jeanette and Larry made our 21st Anniversary very special the last day of our stay. Thanks to you both. First a candlelight breakfast. Then a fire in the fireplace. It was actually a chilly morning in Phoenix!

Then we went over to the Biltmore Hotel because that was where our anniversary dinner was going to be later. I just have to say that it is really a beautiful place and they have a small herb garden by the side of the dining room.

It was a very pleasant space. Herbs both in the ground and in containers.

But the best part of all was dinner where we got free champagne and a free chocolate souffle for dessert! What a beautiful dessert is was!

Pink Sky at Night

I can't help it. The sky and the world outside is so amazing in the fall. All weekend we've been having some wild looking clouds, but this sucked me out the front door to snap a picture.

The Bradford pear tree in the yard can't decide whether to drop her leaves or not. Many of the ones that do hit the ground look like leather, dark and supple. I'd like to preserve some and make a wreath. But in the meantime, it is many, many colors and it is beautiful.
The people in the farm across the way collect and restore old farm equipment. I've come to enjoy watching what they bring home from heaven knows where, and the progress they make. That lends an interesting bit to this scene.
But the sky! Look at that! Earlier, there had been a gleaming streak of sun that escaped a cloud, and crashed into the willow down the road, and the tips of trees along the road. That caught my eye too. This ... was actually a bit deeper than you see here. The sky was swirling and full of pinks, purples, gray and black.

We had a full day of weighing soaping fats today. My hands are sore, so this is enough typing for now.

Upcoming Events for The Essential Herbal (Twisted Sisters)

There are a couple of fun things coming up, so I wanted to post in case you are in the area and can participate.

First, on Nov. 23rd in celebration of the 2nd anniversary of the shop opening, Radiance (9 W. Grant Street, Lancaster, PA 717-290-1517) will be having an artists' reception in the afternoon. We'll be there. I will have books to sign, and Maryanne is taking a "hothead" torch to do a lampworking demo! I love to celebrate with my friends and fellow business owners as milestones pass well. You won't want to miss it!

Next, on Nov. 25th at 6 pm, we'll be here:

Address:Annville Free Library 216 East Main Street Annville, PA 17003 Phone:(717) 867-1802

For a Salves & Balms class. Each participant will learn how to make these, how to infuse oils, and will take a salve and a lip balm home with them. The class is ridiculously reasonable... I believe it is under $10! Call today and reserve a space.

After that we will mostly be found in the Shop at Frog Hollow. That is unless those wily women at Main Street Mount Joy talk us into something.... Stay tuned.

A picture off the deck. I loved the play of light on the field w-a-a-a-y over the hill behind the distant silo.

The Herb Gardens of Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix

This is the entrance into the herb garden at the Desert Botanical Garden. In the distance is St. Earth Walking, a sculpture by Robert Wick. The herb garden has seven themed gardens: the Mediterranean Garden whose herbs thrive the best in the desert environment; the Picante Garden which grows a cornucopia of chile pepper varieties; the wildlife garden which grows a combination of different herbs attractive to wildlife; the Medicinal Garden growing plants that are native to the Sonoran Desert; the Sensory Garden, the herbs grown in this garden offer fragrant foliage or blossoms; the Tea Garden, has mints and lemon flavored herbs among other plants and the Culinary Garden, the annual herbs are grown in Arizona in the fall and spring because of the harsh summer weather which they would not stand.



A bench in the Tea Garden gives you shade to rest and enjoy a glass of iced tea. It's Arizona!


The culinary garden has some shade also and basils in bloom!














Here is the Barbara B. Weisz & Family Plaza which holds many of the mediterranean herbs which do so well in the Sonoran Desert area of Phoenix.

A pot full of scented geraniums is surrounded by a bench so that you can relaxed and touch the leaves of these scented marvels. It is a wonderful idea.

The Wildlife Garden yielded a hummingbird and I was so excited because the herbal husband had been "buzzed" several times while we were in Tucson and even at the Honey House, our bed & breakfast! I was rewarded with a visit to the stand of pineapple sage, one of their favorite herbs and a break in the nearby tree!

This herb garden is just a part of the wonderful Desert Botanical Garden. A great part of the Phoenix area.

The Last Beautiful Day in the Garden

I'll get back to Arizona tomorrow. Today the herbal husband and I worked out getting the leaves raked and pruning the trumpet aggressive vine back. It was warm, sunny and the perfect weather for getting things wrapped up. Here is a little bouquet to brighten our day. We still have calendulas, a small piece of pineapple sage, golden sage, fairy rose, oxeye daisies and peppermint. The weather is going to turn wintery this weekend.

Sedona, the Verde Canyon RR and Cowboy Dinner!

This is the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona. Sedona is a mess at the moment so this was the most tranquil place in the area. There is a huge construction project going on plus they are making roundabouts where there used to be traffic lights!


Along side the chapel are these pots with pansies and a rosemary in a bonsai form! The wind was howling and here were these plants managing to survive in the wind!

We barely made our train trip on the Verde Canyon Railroad with 5 minutes to spare! The scenery was amazing. As you can see by the locomotive, eagles were the main attraction but they were not to be found only in paint on the train. Their names are Black and Decker!

We had a chuckwagon dinner at the Blazin' M Ranch and then a show of cowboy songs. It was a lot of fun. More adventures tomorrow.

Taliesin West and Soleri Bell Factory

Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home for the Taliesin Fellowship, Taliesin West is a complex of buildings which includes a theater, music pavillion (he collected grand pianos) and sun cottage and offered a new challenge in building materials. He first started work on the site in 1938 with apprentices from Taliesin North. For the first two years of construction they all lived on the desert in tents or temporary wood and canvas shelters. Life was primitive with no water, electricity, heating or plumbing. Every winter for the next 22 years, he and his students would continue the work, revising and enlarging the complex. It was built using what Wright described as "desert rubblestone" construction, which involves large stones set in concrete, to produce a more colorful and natural effect than pure concrete. Wright built much of Taliesin West from linen canvas on redwood frames, which diffused the harsh desert sun.

Then in the afternoon we visited Cosanti, the windbell factory and Arizona historic site, designed by world-renowned architectural innovator, Paolo Soleri. They make both bronze and ceramic windbells. I loved all the different sounds of the bells and of course, had to get one for our garden. My herbal husband usually goes crazy to ring bells. He was somewhat subdued on this occasion. Maybe he didn't want to be throw out for making too much noise! Mr. Soleri has also created Arcosanti north of Phoenix. Arcology is a term coined by Paolo Soleri to describe the concept of architecture and ecology working as one integral process to produce new urban habitats. Here are some pictures of Cosanti, the windbell factory located in Paradise Valley.