An Insect Magnet!

I got this swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) last year and it didn't do very much.  This year is a different matter.  I guess the old saying, first year it sleeps, second years it creeps, third year it leaps really doesn't work in this case.  This milkweed just jumped over the second year!  It was a delightful day in the garden.  Picked raspberries and weeded and trimmed around beds.  Oh, made my first batch of lemon basil jelly.  The jelly season has begun!  Hope you had a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

A Hummingbird Favorite!

Lots blooming in the garden now.  The hummingbirds should start coming around.  The Monarda didyma or bee balm has started to bloom.  This one is called 'Jacob Kline' and is supposed to be less susceptible to powdery mildew.  We try to have flowers around for the hummingbirds.  Bee balm is also an edible flower.  You should use the flowers in fruit salads or to decorate a plate for dessert.  Of course, the leaves and flowers are used in teas as well.  The leaves were a replacement for tea during the early tea party days!  It is truly one of my favorite flowers in the herbal garden.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.


The Herbal Husband wanted you to see our other bee balms.  I keep forgetting that it has been warmer than usual already.  This one is a light pink.

This is the regular magenta bee balm with a dead butterfly bush in the background!  Ooops!  Click on the photo to see both up close!

July Subscribers' Contest

We're about ready to start the contest, and most of you have gotten the magazine with the insert explaining. If you're on the fence about a subscription, act quickly so you can participate too!

Here's how it works: Each time a new subscription comes in with "(your name) sent me" in the comments section of the shopping cart, we'll add an issue onto the end of your subscription, up to a full year of 6. AND each time that happens, we'll throw your name into the hat for prizes that we've begun collecting for a drawing at the end of the month. The person with the most referrals automatically wins an herbal treasure trove worth more than $100 in addition to the free issues added onto their subscription and chances to win other prizes.

You can take your copy of TEH to herb groups and talk about it, tell people on the groups and forums where you think they'd be interested, blog it, mention it in a newsletter, share it with them on Facebook and other social networking groups - or anything else you think of. Here is the link to the free sample issue
http://www.ym-health.blogspot.com/documents/sample.pdf in case you would like to use that.

New subscribers who come on board during July will be eligible to participate too!

On the 15th (or thereabouts) I will post a blog of the prizes that we have lined up, and again at the time of the drawing.

Good luck everyone!

the sounds of silence

I was just standing out on the deck listening to the evening, and realized that it would be possible to determine the time by the sounds outside.
By the time I rise in the morning, the roosters are kicking up a fuss down the hill at my sister's. As the morning goes on, the guinea fowl are just learning to vocalize and they are practicing. The next sounds will be farm equipment or milk trucks out on the road, while the songbirds flit about calling to each other. Around 11, the chickens calm down.
Sometime between 1 and 2 in the afternoon, I will hear the mail delivery jeep.
A little bit later, people start to return home from work, and I'll hear their cars on the road. The folks across the road tinker on some antique farm equipment, with lots of hammering and ruckus. It's a good racket, though. Sometimes they mow instead.
The neighbors on one side work on their yard, while on the other side the dog welcomes hia people home.
As the sun goes down, the birds whoosh and swoosh through the branches, occasionally letting out a squawk, getting settled for the night. The bullfrogs down at the pond set up their chorus for the evening. The peafowl a couple of farms over start to call to each other. I honestly have no clue where they live, but can hear them very clearly.
Soon there will be the sound of the train whistle in the next town over every hour or so.
Then around 11:30, the cat bird outside my bedroom window will set up shop and sing me to sleep.
All of these sounds are pleasantly in the background and I barely notice them unless I listen for them. Even in what I think of as silence, there is a rhythm of people and animals living around me, and it is comforting.

I Didn't Think This Was Supposed to Happen!

Leave it to Martha Stewart to set me straight about Lambs Ears 'Helene Von Stein'.  Of course, they flower!  How silly of me to think that they don't.  I was led to believe erroneously that Helene doesn't flower and is grown for its tight mat and foliage!  There are websites that say Helene doesn't flower.  They would be incorrect.  So another misconception bites the dust or mud in our case!  Hopefully the rain is done and we are going to have some nice sunny days and NO RAIN, PLEASE!  Hope you are having a wonderful day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

Oh velvet bee, you're a dusty fellow;

You've powdered your legs with gold!

O brave marshmary buds, rich and yellow;

Give me your money to hold!

- Jean Ingelow

"What sort of insects do you rejoice in, where you come from?" the Gnat inquired.

"I don't rejoice in insects at all," Alice explained..."

- Lewis Carroll, from Through the Looking Glass

'Goodwin Creek Grey' Lavender Up Close!

Hopefully this will help with your ID of your lavender plant, Pat!  This is from Goodwin Creek's catalog.  'Goodwin Creek Grey' is a hybrid of Lavandula dentata.  It blooms throughout the summer and will even bloom in winter in mild climates.  (It blooms through the winter on a western facing windowsill for us.)  An excellent choice of large containers and topiaries.  (Ours is not in a large container and is doing just fine.)  It has silvery grey leaves and deep purple corollas.  A good choice for hot, humid areas.  Zones 7-10.  Sentences in parentheses are my comments.

This is a French Grey (Lavandula dentata var. candicans).  Hope these closeups are a help for anyone trying to decide what kind of lavender you may have.

A Ring of King Tuts!

Here is my hand compared to the blooms of the 'King Tut' sweet peas Lathyrus sativus.  It says on the seed packet that they reach up to 3 feet and are adaptable to both cool and hot regions.  They aren't fragrant, but boy, aren't they cute?  You can purchase seeds from Territorial Seed Company in Oregon state.

I cut them so they would continue to bloom.  I put them in a shot glass for this photo!  Gardening is so enjoyable, isn't it?  Had a hot and muggy day.  The Herbal Husband watered and that brought the rain!  He can't seem to wait!  Loves his plants!  Hope you had a good day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later!

Don't Forget Herbs in Containers!

I know we all have herbs in the ground in our gardens.  Don't forget to put some herbs in containers that you can move around your garden and fill in those empty spots during the summer months.  I have tried to do that over the years and they somehow return to the main patio every single time!  I wonder WHO could be messing up my design plans!  Never a dull moment gardening with The Herbal Husband.

This is one of my favorite lavenders, 'Goodwin Creek' lavender Lavendula x 'ginginsii' from Goodwin Creek Gardens in Oregon.  I would use the flowers for potpourri not for food consumption.  It is a beautiful plant and makes it through our winters indoors just fine.

I have written about this particular lavender more than a few times!  Here are my previous posts:

Lavender Survives the Winter Indoors!

What's that Blocking My View?

A Happy Indoor Lavender!

One More Lavender to Bring Inside!

Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be!  Talk to you later!

The Essential Herbal - July/August 2010

Just getting around to posting the table of contents from the newest issue of The Essential Herbal. You can download a sample issue of the magazine by clicking on the link for that on the sidebar, but this current issue is just arriving in homes of subscribers now.
Table of Contents

Field Notes from the Editor

Doin’s here on the hill.

Lotions & Cremes, Liz Johnson

Try your hand at lotion and crème with these easy to follow instructions and recipes.

Gardening by the Moon, Jackie Johnson

Ever wonder when the best time is to plant or mow? Check it out here!

Hands on How to: Make Your Own Herbal Tea Blend, Sue-Ryn Burns

Sue-Ryn put together demos and classes for her faire shop, and shares them with us.

The Global Herbal – The Arctic Region, Marita K. Orr

Did you know there are herbs that grow in the Arctic?

Red Clover – Herb of Good Fortune, Mary Hammond

“Fairy lore states that unicorns particularly like to lie in fields of red clover.”

Plantain, Cindy Jones

Nearly everyone has it growing nearby. Learn what to do with it.

Historic Herbal Ð Dental Hygiene, Kathleen Setzer

Dental Care through the centuries.

Lavender Lovelies, Marci Tsohonis

Try your hand at some fun lavender projects.

Herbs of the Zodiac: Leo, Susanna Reppert/Bertha Reppert

Some herbs to bring the roar out of the lion!

Herbal Pregnancy Journal – Part 2, Cory Trusty

Cory is getting close to delivery, and shares her Birth Kit and Maternity Soup Stock.

SouthRidge Treasures – Summertime Coolers, Mary Ellen Wilcox

Cool, crisp beverages for those hot, steamy summer days and nights. Ades, Ales, and Switchels!

Cook Up an Herbal Summer, Marcy Lautenen-Raleigh

A mélange of wonderful summertime concoctions for the table!

Crossword Puzzle, Ym-health

A little of this and that, simple summer daydreams

Spoonful of Sugar – Making Herbal Candy, Ym-health

Complete instructions and recipes for the candies we were making all last year.

All Purpose, A Natural Healing Salve, Twyla DiGangi

Make a sumptuous salve for all those bumps and bruises, aches and pains.

Summer Soups and Salads, Susan Evans

10 of Susan’s great summertime treats from the garden.

Strawberry Cream Pie, Marci Tsohonis

Mmmm... What could be more delicious?

20 Ways to Enjoy Shallots, Rita Richardson

You won’t run out of ways to use up those beauties!

Louisiana Lagniappe – Sweet Herb Roasted Chicken, Sarah Liberta

Decidedly different way to delight the whole family.

A True Butterfly Bush!

This 'Black Knight' butterfly bush is a magnet for the butterflies.  I think this one is a Viceroy.  The Monarchs come later in the season.  Butterflies coming to the garden is a great thing!  Less humidity and rain today.  Hopefully you are having good weather wherever you may be.

Cheep Rooms on Thursdays!

I have a small collection of small log cabins and here is another that is also a cheep room.  I'm going to have to scout out new options for the coming weeks!  I have run out of indoor Cheep Rooms!  Hope you are staying cool wherever you may be!

"We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals. Remote from universal nature, and living by complicated artifice, man in civilization surveys the creature through the glass of his knowledge and sees thereby a feather magnified and the whole image in distortion. We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethern, they are not other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth."

- Henry Beston, from The Outhermost House

Time to Weed The Thyme!

A majority of my thymes are on my rock wall.  They have really thriving there.  The lawn is interfering in their ability to expand.  This is my woolly thyme with grass growing in the midst.  Here it is cleaned up!

I apologize for the quality of the photo, it was quite steamy out today.  I think it looks better, using the best tool you can, your fingers and an occasional pull with the tweezers.  It also helped that it rained last night.  This morning was much easier to work than later in the day.  The rain had already drained out the chipmunk holes!

This is my creeping lemon thyme that is quite happy, but had a little too much lawn growing in it.

 Here it is cleaned up.  Why does my head start draining when I put gloves on and lean over to weed any plant!  It just drives me nuts and then today, I just dripped along with the draining!  It was not pretty, but I did get through the important part.  The thyme can once again thrive and I may take a little more lawn out so it really can!  Sorry for the really late post.  I got to go see if I have a Cheep Room for tomorrow!  Talk to you later.

Differences between Pokeweed/Poke berries and Elderberry!

You know I love questions and seanymph has given me one that I want to share with all of you.  She thought she had elderberries on her property, but now she thinks it may be pokeweed or poke berries.  What is the difference?  Well, the Rutgers website talks about the raw fruit of pokeweed can cause stomach aches if eaten.  Cooked or baked fruits are apparently safe.  The large taproot is poisonous and is capable of killing people and livestock

Elderberries are smaller berries than poke berries and it seems that pokeweed berries are held closer on the stem than elderberries.  I just have not had enough elderberries to make anything.  The blog about elderberries has a lot of information as well.  Maybe this year I will get some elderberries to make a sauce, a tart or even jelly.  I just read in Jekka McVicar's book, Herbs for the Home that "elderberries should not be eaten raw, nor fresh juice used.  Be sure to cook very slightly first."  So be careful when you use either pokeweed berries or elderberries.  I think if you click on both of the live links, seanymph you will see differences!  Let me know if you need more answers.

Beautiful Tree and Flowers!

This is my elderberry tree (Sambucus canadensis) with a cut leaf.  It is partially in the shade of a Chinese chestnut.  It would probably be doing much better with more sun.  We take what we get sometimes!  I just added a blog to my blog list with all things elderberry.  Hope you enjoy it!  I don't think I will have enough elderberries for jelly, but hopefully some day!  Here is a flower closeup.

We had a lot of rain this morning so we will be doing things inside today!  Hope you have a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later!

Herbal Memories--Celebrating the Summer Solstice at Caprilands!

I had all of these wonderful memories flood back to me as I read MoonCat Farms post over the weekend.  I have decided to do a series of posts about my herbal visits over the years.  I have done a lot of traveling  to wonderful herbal places and I'm going to relive my favorite moments with you, dear herbal readers.  Here I am (Yes, that's me!) with Adelma Simmons at Caprilands Herb Farm.  You can't miss that beanie of hers.  Also, there is a sign above her head.  Here she is looking at a picture of my garden at the time and telling me what lovely artemisia I had!  I remember that gave me chills in a good way!

So back in the day Caprilands was an herbal Mecca of sorts.  Here is the main house.  The Herbal Husband and I visited on the Summer Solstice, a high day of herbal celebration.  We had lunch in the main house with the floors strewn with rose petals.  We had mugwort wreathes on our heads to revive the weary traveler.  Photos do exist at least of me and maybe in another post, I will share them!  Here are those rose strewn floors.

The star of the lunch was a big bowl of edible flowers, herbs and lettuce that made a grand entrance.  It has the WOW factor, doesn't it?

I remember we started with Strawberry Soup and that's why when I read Julie's post from MoonCat Farms, the wonderful herbal memories came back to me.  Here is Caprilands Strawberry Soup recipe:

Caprilands Strawberry Soup

2 cups of strawberries
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream

Run strawberries through blender, add cream, blend.  Add sour cream and a few whole berries before serving.

It was decadent in its simplicity.  As I recall recipes, I will share them with you.  I remember she took a recipe from this book and another recipe from another book.  She was a very smart herbal business woman!  I remember a chicken (The more I think about it the more I think it was a seafood casserole and The Herbal Husband ate it!  He is not a big fan of seafood!  I happily make up for his dislike of seafood!) casserole of some kind.  Adelma had a fabulous cook, but in the end it was all about herbs.

You can always find Adelma's books on Bookfinder.  As you know, I get in a lot of trouble on that website.  If you click Caprilands Herb Farm link above, it does not take you to a website for Caprilands, but to a story on About.com that describes a visit to Caprilands in 2001 or so.  I tried to get on the Caprilands website and could not find it.  I read on another site that it is closed.  So hope you live vicariously through The Herbal Husband and I.  Enjoy Caprilands Herb Farm!

"... a place as favorable to plant and animal life as it is pleasing to the human eye ... and nose, for the myriad of sweet scents; and ear, for the chatter of bird; and mouth, for the harvest-fresh flavors of berries and vegetables; and hands, for the velvety feel of the petals of pansy or wild poppy."

Guest Blogging for The Herb Companion Magazine!

This was a beautiful Lavendula angustifola in full bloom last night in Chagrin Falls.  Sorry I'm not sure which cultivar it is, maybe 'Hidcote' or 'Munstead'.  It is an angustifola because it has narrow leaves and that is what angustifola means in latin.  Those are the two hardiest for the Northeast area.  They would be my number one choices to use in cooking.  An L. x. intermedia called 'Provence' would also be acceptable.  Here is my latest post for The Herb Companion magazine called Now is the Time to Prune Lavender.  It includes my favorite lavender lemonade recipe from my friends at The Rosemary House with an addition of hibiscus flowers from my friend, Tufa Girl in Texas.  Hope you enjoy it!  Doing this early 'cause we have places to go and things to do later!  Hope you stay cool wherever you may be.

A Long Overdue Friendship!

Fifteen years ago, The Herbal Husband and I took a trip out west and rode down the coast to Cambria, California to see the Hearst Castle.  The most important part of the trip for me was to meet Sharon Lovejoy and see her wonderful shop and gardens.  Well, I wasn't disappointed in the shop and the gardens, but I was sad not to be able to meet Sharon.  She had left the day before to travel to Sweden!  I know there was no hidden message.  She didn't even know I was coming all the way from Pennsylvania to meet her.  Well, last evening I finally had my chance and it was worth the wait!

I could hardly contain my excitement!  Can you tell?  I had to give Sharon a few of my herbal jellies and raspberry jam for her stay in Maine!
 
I think it was just as exciting for Kathleen Gips who owns The Village Herb Shop because she has known Sharon since 1982.  Kathleen is the author of wonderful books on the language of flowers and she presented Sharon with a beautiful tussie mussie.

Kathleen had a delightful tea set up and made the Town Hall a magical place.  I'm so glad my herbal companions, Bonnie and Shelley got a chance to meet Sharon.  She is a treasure and while she was speaking I was watching the children in the audience and they were wanting to do the activities Sharon was talking about.  It is all about participating and engaging your children or grandchildren.  Sharon's stories in her books make it easy for you to participate.

So a long overdue friendship has started!  I'm so glad I blog and have been able to meet so many wonderful people blogging.  I did say hello from each of you who asked me to do so!  She loves to blog as much as I do!  I think I'm going to add a celebration to your list, Sharon.  June 17:  The day Chagrin Falls and surroundings, Kathleen Gips and The Village Herb Shop staff and Lemon Verbena Lady celebrated Sharon Lovejoy and her books.  Hope you have had a safe journey to your home, Sharon and Jeff.  It was a delight to meet both of you and I hope I see you again some day soon.

Staying Cool with Chamomile Popsicles: June Blog Party

This blog post is part of the June blog party hosted by Kristine Brown of Herbal Roots Zine. The topic for this month's blog party is beating the heat of summer...herbs used for summertime to treat heat

It was originally published as an HerbMentor Newsletter.

Are you looking for a way to help your friends and family enjoy herbs? Who doesn’t love popsicles? Cool and refreshing, popsicles scream of hot summer days and the deliciousness of cooling down.

I came up with this recipe with kids in mind but I’ll bet a lot of us older kids will appreciate them as well.

Of course you can easily buy popsicles at the store. However, many of the popsicles commonly found in the grocery stores are simply artificially colored high fructose corn syrup.

High fructose corn syrup is often used as a sweetener in soda pops, candy, processed foods, ketchup, salad dressing, etc. It is being blamed in part for the obesity epidemic now facing many adults as well as a growing number of children. In our household we avoid high fructose corn syrup completely.

We can easily avoid the perils of conventional foods simply by creating our own healthy alternatives.

This popsicle recipe uses two herbs that taste great as well as offer many health benefits.


Chamomile is truly an amazing herb. It can soothe a distressed child (or adult!), it calms tummy troubles, and provides support during colds and flus. This all-purpose herb is safe for children and kids usually love its sweet and mild taste.


Hibiscus flower is high in vitamin C and has a great tart taste. It also has the added benefit of turning tea red!

These popsicles are a tasty treat for a hot summer day but are also a great remedy for children.

They can replace electrolytes, helping to rehydrate kids (or adults) who have been in the sun too long.

They can be used after a child is recovering from any kind of stomach illness such as diarrhea, upset tummy, or even vomiting. The chamomile can soothe the entire digestive tract and, again, it can help rehydrate by balancing electrolytes.

The prospect of popsicles is very exciting and you may find that you have some eager helpers in the kitchen. When I made the popsicles for this newsletter my little friend Pearl lent me a hand. You’ll see her in the photos below.


What you’ll need for this recipe:
Two tablespoons of dried Chamomile
One tablespoon of dried Hibiscus
1 and 1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup of greek yogurt
Honey to taste
Pinch of salt
Tablespoon of lemon juice
Popsicle molds (You can use paper cups and popsicle sticks)

Begin by making a tea out of the chamomile and hibiscus. Put the herbs in a cup, pour the water over the herbs, and let steep for 5 minutes. (Sometimes waiting is the hardest part!)





Strain into a small bowl



While the mixture is still hot, add honey to taste. Stir well so the honey combines with the tea. You will be mixing this with the yogurt so you may want to make it more on the sweet side.


Add a pinch of salt.


Add the lemon juice. You can use the juice of a fresh lemon. We keep this type of fresh lemon juice on hand for convenience.


Let the mixture cool a little.

Add the yogurt and mix well.


Pour into the popsicle molds.


Place these in the freezer until frozen solid. This will take several hours.


My friend Pearl loving making these and especially eating them!

This recipe is just one example of how to make herbal popsicles. There are many different herbs you could use as well. There are also a variety of different ingredients you could use. For example, you could try adding a mashed banana or rose hips. If your family has dairy allergies you can easily substitute coconut milk for the yogurt.

Let your creativity guide you as you find new ways for your friends and family to enjoy the many benefits of herbs.

If you enjoyed this post you may want to sign up for the FREE HerbMentor Newsletter. This newsletter goes out a couple times a month and is full of fabulous herbal recipes and remedies.

Cheep Rooms on Thursdays! (UPDATED)

Under the grapevine and attached to the arbor, The Herbal Husband placed a couple of bird boxes that were meant for bluebirds.  Alas, no bluebirds and almost no birds.  The squirrels gnawed the holes larger and no birds were taking up residence.  Then The Herbal Husband came up with a metal fitting that was perfect to fit over the larger hole and allow the birds to use the boxes once again!  I say genius!  Mostly sparrows use these boxes, but I have seen the chickadees think about it.  So join us on Thursdays with your own Cheep Rooms!  This is an update for Messy Missy!  Here is a closeup, Missy.  The Herbal Husband thinks it's in the bath section of Home Depot to hold a shower curtain rod?  He isn't really sure.  You know can't remember what happened in the last 15 minutes?  I think if you take this photo with you, an Home Depot employee will be able to help!  I hope!

Come Meet Sharon Lovejoy At Chagrin Falls Town Hall Tomorrow Evening!

These are two of my absolute favorite books by Sharon Lovejoy.  Trowel & Error is chock full of tips and remedies and Sharon's adorable drawings!  The second book is the one I'm going to have her autograph tomorrow.  A Blessing of Toads is a collection of Sharon's wonderful articles that she wrote for Country Living Gardener magazine.  I have every issue and it is one of my all time favorite gardening magazines.  I'm giving a copy of Sharon's new book, Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars to my friend, Shelley, a new grandmother!  I know she's going to love it!

If you are going to be in the Chagrin Falls, Ohio area, Sharon will be speaking at the Chagrin Falls Town Hall on tomorrow evening, June 17, 2010 at 6:30 PM sponsored by The Village Herb Shop.  Tickets are $15 and includes a fairy thyme tea as well as meeting Sharon and having her sign her new book, Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars or any of her other books.  I'm really looking forward to meeting her!  The Village Herb Shop will be open for special shopping 10 AM to 9 PM on June 17th.  You need to call (440) 247-5029 if you are in Ohio or out of state (like me) 1-800-836-9120 to reserve your ticket or tickets.  Hope if you are in the area, you will think about spending an evening with Sharon Lovejoy. 

Sour Cherry Infused Vodka

Yesterday Maryanne and I were planning to finally get back to making cheese. We took a class at The Rosemary House a few years ago, but then family situations came up that made us put away our cultures and cheesecloth. So a couple of friends came over to help. One of them, Mary, said, "You have some interesting project going every day!" I never really thought about it, but it does seem that most days there is something fun to do. Today it was the sour cherries.
Last year I stumbled across some sour cherries at the Lancaster Central Market, and having recently read about the possible effects of sour cherry juice on arthritis and achy joints, I decided to make a tincture. So began my journey into the joys of fruit infused vodka (or alcohol of your choice).It was just going to be a tincture - pure and simple - but then things took a turn. I purchased 2 pounds of the cherries and pitted them before putting them into a large jar and covering them with vodka. 6 months later, it was about ready but my sister suggested adding a vanilla bean for another month or so. There was only about a quart when it was all said and done, and we've sipped it on occasion, wishing there was more.
This year I got 5 pounds of cherries, and may go back.
In the meantime, I've really been enjoying this form of "tincturing" . The other day someone on a forum suggested lavender liqueur, so I infused 2 heaping tablespoons of fresh Hidcote blossoms in a pint of vodka overnight. Into that pint, I also added a couple of tablespoons of sugar. The next afternoon, I tasted it, and the lavender flavor was distinct, but not overpowering. Time to strain it out. I zested a lemon into the jar and gave the lemon a healthy squeeze, and returned the lavender infused vodka to the jar. The hope is that it will taste something like lavender lemonade when it is finished in a couple of months. By the way, these infusions REALLY get mellow the longer you can manage to let them sit.
There are several pints of strawberry infused vodka out there, and one of blueberry. I'm going to be going into the woods for wild black raspberries in the next couple of days :-).
You don't need to use vodka, necessarily. Rum would be great, and some people prefer whiskey. I have a couple of things soaking in brandy, too.
Last year I spent a lot of time making herbal tinctures. I suppose this is the year of the fruit infused vodka!

"The columbines, stone blue, or deep night brown,
Their honeycomb like blossoms hanging down;
Each cottage garden's fond adopted child,
Though heaths still claim them,
where they grow yet wild."
- John Clare

And I serve the fairy Queen,

To dew her orbs upon the green;

The cowslips tall her pensioners be;

In their gold coats spots you see.

- Wiliam Shakespeare, from Fairy Song

Road Trip-Rosemary House Comes to the Herbal Wild West!

This is the gardenia bush in bloom at Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden and this garden was the first stop for The Rosemary House bus tour to Pittsburgh this morning.  The gardenia flowers were intoxicating!  Opened in 1987 next to the Rodef Shalom Temple, the garden is a natural setting depicting ancient Israel, with a waterfall, a desert, and a stream which runs through the garden.   The biblical garden has a themed garden each year that is different.  This year's theme is What Shall I Wear in Clothing and Perfume?  Hence, the gardenia flowers.  I also have to say that they were wise in their research and they included what else but a lemon verbena!

That's it bending over in the bed!  I was in the Biblical Garden about ten years ago and in those ten years, trees are larger and shading more of the garden.  Below is a bay laurel and fig tree that are very much in the shade of a walnut tree and both are not as vigorous as they could be.  This garden is a labor of love because a lot of the plants are tropical and need to be indoors for the winter months.  Rodef Shalom has their own greenhouse. You don't hear of that much, do you?

This is a view of the waterfall and river through the garden.  It is really very inspiring.

The wonderful part of The Rosemary House is not only do you get wonderful herbal information, have fun, but you eat well.  Nancy Reppert's cookbook is chock full of goodies and her lunches are a very special part of the trip.  Click on the link to order a cookbook where you can find the recipes.  Just look at the presentation!  I unfortunately didn't take other photos because I was enjoying it too much!  Oops!  Sorry about that!  There was a savory cheese spread with crackers, a fresh fruit cup, marinated roast beef, potato, vegetable & mint pesto salad, lemon chive pepper muffin and lemon verbena rosemary butter bundt cake.  It was all delicious.  The Herbal Husband got some leftovers, but truthfully not much!  You don't go hungry on a Rosemary House bus tour. 

I got permission to post the following photo.  Susanna and Nancy are two very special people and if you find yourself out in central Pennsylvania, you should make a special effort to stop by The Rosemary House or Sweet Remembrances Tearoom.

Hope everything went well with the rest of the trip.  Susanna was already talking about a return trip!  Maybe they can stop in my herb garden next time!  Don't tell The Herbal Husband!  Judi, my eyes were closed for our photo!  We'll get a good one next time!