Like Riding a Bicycle and the First Annual Lavender Festival

This was my dining room floor this morning and my sink after finishing the third batch of raspberry jam.  I told The Herbal Husband that no matter how I thought I would feel making the first raspberry jam, I still enjoy making it.  The last year's fruit usually doesn't stack up to making jam, but this fruit is different.  I already have a box of jam done!  I mostly make the last year's fruit into vinegar.  That mild winter is helping out again.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to plug an upcoming area event in Washington, PA just south of Pittsburgh.  This coming Saturday and Sunday, June 30th and July 1st, Destiny Hill Farm will be having its first Lavender Festival.  Please click on the link above or on the photo in the right hand side of my home page.  You will find a schedule of speakers, a list of vendors and a menu of lavender inspired lunch items catered by the local golf club.  They will have lavender wand demos and you will be able to cut your own lavender.  You will need to go to Trinity High School near by to park and take a shuttle to the farm.  You will not be able to park at the farm.  My herbal companion, Bonnie and I are going.   If you are in the area, check it out.

Getting hotter in the garden.  There is a lot blooming in the garden and I'll share that with you in future posts.  Hope you are staying cool wherever you may be.  Talk to you later. 

Going Around the World at Phipps!

The World as a Topiary at the Phipps Entrance

The United Nations of Flags

The Welcoming Image in the Palm Court

French Polynesian flare in the Serpentine Room

The Ferns were thriving in the heat

And So were the orchids!

The Crotons were even in bloom!

Homage to Holland and the Fragrance Was Amazing!

The Tropical Rain Forest Highlights India

Lots of Interactive Displays for Learning

Of course I had to find an herbal arrangement of rosemary, celery and lemon thyme!

The Tranquil Japanese Garden

Chihuly in the Desert Room

Lots more to see at the Spring Flower Show at Phipps through April 15, 2012.  The flowers were being changed out in the entrance exhibits because of all of the warm weather we've been having!  We also went over to another treasure that I have talked about before, The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.  They have an exhibit called Pennsylvania Native, A Wildflower Walk through June 29, 2012 in cooperation with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.  It is a very interesting display of both wildflower drawings and the process of making an herbarium.  Need to go see the Herbarium at the Carnegie some day.  Well, the rain has arrived.  It is a bit cooler, but it will cool down even more tomorrow.  Hope you are having a great day.  I have a few things to "clean up" before The Herbal Husband gets home.  Talk to you later.

One of My Favorite Herb Catalogs Has Arrived!

I know the world is OK if my Rosemary House herb catalog arrives in the mail.  It is very comforting to know that The Rosemary House started in 1968 is still going strong.  Bertha Reppert would be pleased.  They have great classes, bus trips, products, plants, gardens to visit and with Nancy and Sweet Remembrances they have special tea events going on all year.  They are two of my favorite rosemarys!  Remember The Rosemary House and Sweet Remembrances if you are in the area of central Pennsylvania near Gettysburg or Harrisburg.  It is worth a visit!  Hopefully my herb companion, Bonnie and I will be able to take a bus trip and have tea with Nancy later this summer!

A Miniature Railway or Two for the Holidays!

My big Peruvian/American kid wanted to go and see the Miniature Railroad & Village at the Carnegie Science Center.  If you are in the Pittsburgh vicinity, I would take whomever wants to go.  It's for kids of all ages.  It was a great day to go because the kids are still mostly in school and it was a rainy day.

The kids who were there had a great time and so did my big kid!  Mostly set in western Pennsylvania, it includes a part of the steel mills, Forbes Field where the Pirates were actually fun to watch, a western PA small town  the incline that provides transportation up and down the hillside near downtown Pittsburgh, Fallingwater, a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece and Luna Park, an amusement park.  It was a lot of fun to see it again and they are taking very good care of it.

If you are in the Chicago area, you should take the kids or grandkids to the Museum of Science and Industry and check out The Great Train Story with its 30 plus trains that go from Chicago to Seattle.  We also went to the Chicago Botanic Garden to see their Garden Railway.  They have the Wonderland Express at the moment.  Here are some photos from the outdoor display around Halloween.

I so loved the buildings made out of sticks and twigs and other natural materials that I sometimes forgot to take the trains!  It is all about them!  It was a lot of fun to see even without a small kid!  Remember my kid is big!   Lastly I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Winter Flower Show at Phipps Conservatory featuring The Nutcracker this year.  Get out and enjoy the holiday events in your town or city.  Looks like everyone that commented on the giveaway is going to get something!  It ends tomorrow morning!  It took me forever to get this post together.  Hope it makes sense!  Talk to you later.

24 Years Ago Today!

The Herbal Husband and I tied the knot.  Here is a surprise dessert I bought at the store this afternoon.  The Herbal Husband loves chocolate mousse so I found these small chocolate mousse tartlets.  The perfect size.  His words.  Mine is a small fruit tartlet.  Very good as well.  We also got another road trip to eastern Pennsylvania for the annual Allentown toy show and to visit our friends over last weekend.  I hope this is the last trip of the year.  We traveled a bit too much this year.  Now I have to fix my car.  I hate that part.  When a car becomes a senior, it usually starts to just come unglued!

This trip has been a standard in our lives over the years.  I went to Well Sweep Herb Farm in New Jersey that still was without power since last Saturday.  Hope power is back now.  Power crews and tree crews everywhere.  There were trees that had lost branches but not their leaves.  Very sad.  A lot of damage.  The herb farm had 18 inches of snow!

 Look at all of those herbs!  Too bad I couldn't take any with me!  It is going to be mild here for the next few days.  Always next year.

Also went to Sally Lunn Tearoom & Restaurant in Chester, NJ for afternoon tea in the morning!  Had cherry rose tea and a pumpkin scone.  Forgot that strawberry jam was served.  Not a good choice with the pumpkin scone.  Should have had my Spicy Basil Apple Jelly.  Now that would have been good.  I will leave you with that tease.  I'm promised way back in August that I would be doing some giveaways.  Probably not just one.  Have to discuss it with my packer extraordinaire, but it will be at least 2 and maybe 3 giveaways because I have been blogging for a long time.  So I hope you had a great day.  It was a beautiful day in the 'Burgh.  Just like the day we got married.  We were out shopping on our anniversary.  Had The Herbal Husband's favorite cornflake crumb chicken.  The recipe is on the cornflake crumb box.  Very easy and delicious.  Hope you had a great day.  Talk to you later.

It's Travel Thursday--Pittsburgh Zoo!

We are lucky in Pittsburgh to have a great zoo.  One of the highlights of any zoo is the babies.  Here in Pittsburgh we are lucky to have two baby girl elephants.  This is a picture from last year and they are getting bigger and bigger each day.  The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is having a celebration for the elephants on Sunday, September 20, 2009 from 11 AM  to 3 PM.  So if you are in the Pittsburgh area, plan to join the elephants and celebrate with the biggest babies!

It's Travel Thursday--A Home Town Adventure for the Family!

We are bird lovers in this house. I know for some of you who have kids, this time of year can be difficult to entertain them! It is almost school time! UGH! Sooo I have the perfect solution if you are in the Pittsburgh area, take them to the National Aviary! Here is The Herbal Husband feeding a dollar bill to Minni, the American crow. Smart bird! She takes it from you gently and puts it in the box for a good cause.

There are feedings for the lorikeets or lorries that will delight your kids and you. They are very noisy, but it is very interesting to feed them. For a nominal fee per cup, you and your kids can enjoy this activity.

This beautiful bird is the Victoria Crowned Pigeon. Named not for the car but for the Queen! It is from the country of New Guinea. I'm going to take my best friend's daughter there soon before she starts school. Hope you get a chance to go! It is a fun education for both you and them! Check back tomorrow for some exciting news!

An Herbal Day of Celebration!

It was a day of herbal learning and fellowship with the Western Pennsylvania Unit of the Herb Society of America. I'm a Member at Large. It was held at Old Economy in Ambridge, PA. It was a sunny but cold day. The Unit maintains a medicinal and dye garden there. It is called Herbes de Pittsburgh VII. They sold a tin with an herb mix. I have purchased several of them and given all of them away. This time I'm keeping this one because I can make the Herblets from the first Three Rivers Cookbook. A staple of cookbooks in this area. The recipe is on Page 20 if you have this cookbook. The tin contains dried shallots, dill, basil, thyme and marjoram. Here is the recipe:

Herblets

"Keep these on hand for unexpected guests."

thinly sliced Pepperidge Farm bread

shallot buds

butter

dill

basil

thyme

marjoram

Slice each piece of bread into 4 sections. Do not remove the crusts. (if you don't have the dried herb mixture). Cut shallot buds in slices and gently saute. Dip each section in melted butter sauteed with shallots. Remove from dip and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with finely chopped herbs. Use any one, or make a variety of toasts. Toast in 350 oven for approximately 10 minutes or until browned. Cool and store. Will keep indefinitely in air tight containers. Use for soups, salads or cocktails.

Preparation: 15 min. Easy

Cooking: 10 min. Can do ahead

Mrs. Howard G. Wilbert

(If you have the dried herbs, I would melt the butter, dip the bread into the butter, place on cookie sheet and sprinkle with herbs. Bake as noted above.)

Old Economy was the home of the 19th century Christian communal group, the Harmony Society. Established in 1824, Economy was known worldwide for its piety and industrial prosperity. Despite the Society's economic success, time and events brought about its decline. By the end of the 19th century only a few Harmonists remained. In 1905, the Society was dissolved. It's always a good day when you are learning about herbs.