Looks Like Pennsylvania! No, It's England!

Hay Bales in the Field

Village in the English Countryside

A Row of Houses in England

Really England reminds me in a lot of ways of my home state of Pennsylvania!  These were photos taken on the train from Exeter to London!   The transportation system in England is generally a good one.  Wish we had more chances to take trains here.  Took the train to New York once!  Oh, I took the train to New York twice!  The other time was when I was a little girl just six!  A long ride!  Well, next time we visit England, I show you some of the interesting gardens near or in London.  Hope you had a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

Some Random Herbal Thoughts!

Or maybe it's a rant!  Well, the first part anyway!  Can't seem to download any photos at the moment!  Just changed the banner page and Blogger quit working!  The Herbal Husband started to cut the ivy back from the windows.  A natural window covering!  The job is getting bigger than he can handle.  Have to find someone to help.  No one wants the job!  Sort of like getting rid of a lot of poison ivy.  Thank heavens we don't have that!  Just a bit of ivy!  Well, more than a bit!  It is creeping up on the roof.  The Herbal Husband loves it!  The sparrows do as well.  Hopefully the roof will hold another season!   The ivy protects it, right?  So thinks the Herbal Husband.

Been reading Susan Wittig Albert's Wormwood about China Bayles and the Shakers.  I know you all have read it already and have moved on to the next book.  I'm a little slower here!  I also pulled out two of my favorite books by one of my favorite herbal authors, Jo Ann Gardner.  One is called Living with Herbs and the other is called Gardens of Use & Delight and was written by both she and her husband, Jigs about their lives in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.  I hope to meet Jo Ann one day.  Maybe she will come to the Herb Society meeting here in Pittsburgh next year.  Lots of down to earth information in both books.  I love the illustrations by Elayne Sears.  Well, hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

My Gift from Phantom!

Some time this year, MoonCat Farms Meanderings held a naming contest for the cutie in the left hand corner of this photo.  Right away I saw him as the Phantom as in Phantom of the Opera.  I won!  Today I got my prize!  What a great prize.  A couple of tote bags that have liners for hot or cold items, note cards of MoonCat Farms designs, a mouse pad and my favorite a SUPER romance novel!  I think my Phantom is growing up, but still has great spirit.  I hope some day to meet him!  Thanks Jules, Mr. Mooncat and Phantom for my gifts!  Beautiful weather here!  Hope you had a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later!

A Link for Potpourri Recipes

GailinVirginia asked in the comments section of my last post about an all green potpourri recipes.  I think I found a great link, GailinVirginia, that has all kinds of potpourri recipes and I thought I would share the link peacefulharmony.org.

By the way, the photo is of mountain mint (Pucnanthemum muticum).  It is an excellent herb for drying and putting the leaves in potpourri or putting in fresh arrangements.  Great for bees and other beneficial insects.

This may be the last great day for awhile!  Finally, I'm going to mow the yard.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

One Herb That Is Flourishing!

I can always count on having lemon balm at this time of year.  I will be removing a lot of lemon balm early next year.  I'll just have to take it one plant at a time!  You have to use lemon balm fresh.  It does not dry well.  That little gray sign beside it is really for the tomato that is lurking off to the left of the photo.  We had a beautiful day today in the 80's, bright sunshine.  Raked chestnut hulls so I can mow tomorrow and now I think it might rain!  Oh well, have more lavender to process in the basement.  The new shelving looks great.  Working on some Christmas crafts in the coming weeks.  Hope you had a great day wherever you are.  Talk to you later. 

One Ritual I Love About England!

Afternoon or Cream tea!  Can't beat it!  I love you get to relax for a bit and the baked scones, clotted cream and jam and tea are presented.  Such a wonderful event!  This is Tea on the Green in Exeter, England.

Even though I have lost weight, I made sure I ate both of my scones.  Oink! Oink!

 They were delicious!  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be!  Need to get outside for awhile and mow the grass.  Talk to you later!

Brother Cadfael from Me to You!

Brother Cadfael is still blooming in the garden.  Wish we had smellorama on Blogger.  I was going to say smellovision.  Didn't make much sense!  Somebody work on that, will you?  We have been cool and rainy.  Finally the sun is out!  We will be dry for several days!  Whoo hoo!  Still working on the basement project.  Coming up with some projects to show you for the holidays.  Stay tuned.  Hope you are having a great day.  I was out with my friend Bonnie for lunch.  Always good to be with girlfriends!  Talk to you later.

Guest Blogging for The Herb Companion Magazine!

White Bean and Rosemary Bruschetta, Green Leaves and Balsamic Glaze

A Gentleman Originally from Coraopolis, PA!  A Very Small World!

My latest guest post for The Herb Companion magazine is called Herbal Travels:  Spending the Day with Jekka McVicar.  I talk about a delicious lunch we had that was catered by Berry Blue and the class taught by Jekka and the plants we can't take home!  The second photo here is of a gentleman who has lived in England since World War II, but originally was from the Pittsburgh area!  It is a very small world!  Got to run and help finish the basement project.  Talk to you later!

Gardens Everywhere You Looked-More Photos of Exeter, England

Well, we are working on our basement shelving and I came upstairs to get away from the mayhem for a minute and give you some more photos from Exeter, England.  I'm not sure what this vine is.  Maybe my English Herbal Companion can help me remember what it is!  I'm trying to show that you don't have to have a big space to have a garden.

A Pear Tree in a Courtyard Garden

Beautiful Herb Garden in a Courtyard Space

More Herb Garden in a Courtyard Space

Have to Love Herbs If You Live on This Street

Room Enough for Parsley and Lavender

Always Room for Bay Laurel

Really loved Exeter.  Love its history.  Have to get back for another visit.  So much more to see.  Hear rumblings below.  Must get lunch ready!  Then it is off to get shelving put together and recycle old dried herbs!  It's always something!  Hope you are having a great day!  Talk to you later!