Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year, Herbally Speaking!

Mini Cross Stitch Ornaments on Our Tree!

So here we are in the holiday season.  I haven't been very vocal.  Hopefully in 2018 you will hear more from me.  I have some questions to answer and trips to finish and a new Herb of the Year, hops!  And I didn't even discuss the 2017 Herb of the Year yet.

So I am just going to pop up and blog when I get inspired.  We may have a white Christmas.  Hope so.  I will try to keep my blog header photo current.  So take care.  I will talk to you later.

The Parsley Fairy Came!

Going to be Soup This Winter!

As you can see The Parsley Fairy (My Herbal Travel Companion, Bonnie) supplied the parsley in these two vases on the counter.   I came in from an errand and thought "Wow!  I thought our parsley plants were buried by other plants!"  Then I was enlightened by The Herbal Husband as to the source.  Here is a link to the recipe for Parsley Dill Soup.

I called Bonnie to thank her and she told me that the local herb group was harvesting their herb garden and cutting big bunches of parsley and cutting back their perennial herbs!  Lavenders, sages and thymes particularly.  Some herb gardeners are able to do that in the south especially.  Here in the northern half, I would tell you not to do that now.  Even though we have been having summertime weather here, it is way too late to be making a major harvest of perennial herbs.  It is always OK to trim out dead or diseased branches.  Just don't do anything too drastic.  It will be interesting to see how the local herb group's plants fare.  I will let you know what I learn in the spring!

As I have stated my needlework has sidetracked me these days.  I just have enjoyed that more than trying to figure out what to do in the herb garden.  I really do have a lot to say about herbs.  I just have to come up with a routine to post periodically and a bit more than zero or one post a month.  I am able to blog on my tablet so hopefully you will hear from me more often.  Remind me if I go away for too long.  We are going to have one great weekend and maybe I will get out and take a long look at what has been going on.  There is a lot of work to be done.  Talk to you later.

A Prairie Garden Completed!

After 25 Years It Is Finished!

I know that cross-stitch is not why you read my blog.  Although during the last 9 or 10 months, I have become quite obsessed with my needlework to the detraction of my garden.  I will be honest with you, I am not sure that will change.  I have discovered quite a few WIP pieces from my stash box that I am going to finish this year if possible.   I was so glad to get the coverlet finished and I would like to give a big shout out to Lori Antonetti of Good Time Quilts for doing a fabulous job on the quilting and finishing.  She had never worked with a cross stitch coverlet before, but I was confident in her skills and the equipment she has that she would do a wonderful job and she did! 

And where did July go?  I can't believe I am writing this in August.  We have had a lot of rain.  Two inches in one day and then an inch here and there.  Many people in the tri-state area were flooded.  It has been a disastrous summer for them.  The weeds are growing nicely though.  One of my Facebook friends had a poster that reads:  Pardon the weeds, I'm feeding the bees!  Thank God for the bees!  So I hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  I will talk to you later. 

Sporadic Blooming, Christmas in July and Raspberry Jam!

Butterfly Bush Starting to Bloom!

My Favorite is Blooming This Season.  Second Year Plant in the Ground!

Swordleaf Elecampane, a Shorter Version of Elecampane!

Echinacea, a Staple in the Herb Garden

Monarda Blooming in Time for the Fourth!

I Thought This Monarda Was a Lighter Color Last Year!

Really 'Hot Papaya' Echinacea!

'Hall's Pink' at the Mailbox

The Really Big and Tall Elecampane!

After 27 Years in the Stash Box, Three Herbal Bouquets Finished!

An Apple Tree Ornament!

A Christmas Lantern Ornament!

The Start of Jam Season!

Really can't believe that it is July already!  We are still getting rain.  So the weeds are monstrous but there is sporadic blooming going on.  As I sit here typing, the skies are darkening again and we are about to have another rain storm.  Our blooming is spread out through our gardens, but not nearly enough to make a statement.  Will have to work on that for next year.

We do have some butterflies and bees, but they are not as present as in other years.  I think that has to do with all of the rain we are getting.  Hopefully starting tomorrow, we will have a few dry days so that the butterflies and bees will be visiting. 

One of my friends asked on Facebook if Monarda reblooms.  Yes, if you pick the petals off and keep the head intact, the flowers will rebloom.  You can use the petals in salads or dry them to put in your tea blends.  The leaves of the monarda do get mildew in this area and once the blooming has finished you can cut the leaves back and it will generate a new crop of mildew free leaves.  My two different varieties of elecampane are blooming.  The small one is in the herb garden and the large one is back in the flower bed I began last season.  I like the large enough to get more for next year.  I think I will continue to go big in the back beds and let plants take over.  Elecampane doesn't take over, but it does have a large presence.

I have been concentrating on my stitching because of the heat, humidity and rain.  As you can see, I have completed the three herbal bouquets from cross stitch magazines that are from 1990!  They each took about two weeks to finish.  Very excited!  I am also working on some small projects including the Christmas ornaments shown above.  Very happy and fulfilled to be stitching again.

And the raspberries have started to produce and I have already made two batches of jam.  Really raspberries are like clockwork.  I made my first batch of jam around the same time last season.  Christmas presents will include jam this year.   So hope you have had a great season so far in your herb garden.  Let me know what you are up to!  Also as always, I am up for any herbal questions you may have.  Hope you are having a fabulous day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

A Blooming May, Herbally Speaking!

The Angelica in Bloom!

Dianthus 'Sunburst'

Dianthus 'Sunflor'

'Linear Leaf' Thyme

Comfrey Attracting Bees!

Favorite Ladybug on Joe Pye Weed!

May Means Chives Are Blooming!

And A New Addition to the Garden!

I can't believe May will be over soon!  I have been busy on everything except blogging!  Not sure how to get this blogging motor started!  Maybe I will try once a week?  I think I tried that once before without success!

This has been an outstanding spring here in the 'Burgh!  The Rhododendrons have been spectacular and everything else has as well and as always the weeds are surpassing size and tonnage.  Of course, I was behind last year and it just keeps adding up!  We are moving towards a wild forest like garden in the back.  So the weeds will fit in?

All of the spring herbs are up and turning black from the four-lined plant bug! Ugh!  Our abnormally warm winter hasn't deterred them.  Some of my favorite spring herbs are pictured above.  I also try to use my lovage plant before it flowers in our favorite chicken stew recipe.   I love angelica because it is big and takes up space!  I love dianthus because they are an edible flower and a lot of them smell of cloves.  All of the thymes in flower attract bees.  Comfrey is such a pretty plant in flower.  And of course, chives and the herb omelets begin!  Oh and I almost forgot to share my new favorite foxglove!  Isn't it beautiful?

This Apricot-Pink Digitalis Is My Favorite!

 It is also a good time to get started trimming some herbs to dry them before they flower.  As I was walking around the front garden last week, I noticed that the spearmint is up and looking good.  I will try to get out on Tuesday when it is dry to cut some for drying.

As you can see by the last photo, we have a new addition to the garden, a new arbor for the grapes!  It is long overdue.  It is much shorter than the previous version, but maybe it will be more manageable.  We are also planning to recycle some of the old arbor into features and entrances into the gardens.  So stay tuned!

Tomorrow my herbal companion, Bonnie and I are taking a road trip to Ohio to buy some herbs!  Always an exciting day.  We have a rainy day here at the moment!  I hope you are having a fabulous spring day wherever you may be.  Have finished several cross-stitch projects and that has taken a lot of my time up.  I also have been doing reading about herb garden design and the 2017 Herb of the Year, Cilantro/Coriander.  Hopefully I will get my blogging hat on and will be blogging about those subjects and other topics that have been crying out for attention.  Will talk to you sooner than later!    

All Mixed Up, Herbally Speaking!

The Angelica Is Taking Over!

Not Quite Lemon Verbena! :(

May already here in the 'Burgh!  Just can't seem to find the extra time to blog at the moment.  Everything has just exploded here.  Blooming bushes are REALLY blooming!  Weeds are REALLY big!  And herbs I thought would survive, didn't; and herbs I thought would not live, survived.  The angelica is just big and bigger!  I said to The Herbal Husband at the end of last season that we were losing the angelica!  Not so fast.  It has come back with great gusto, herbally speaking!  It is going to start blooming shortly.

My great experiment with the cover on the lemon verbena outside did not work.  A field mouse or rodent of some kind made a nice little house under the cover and dug up the lemon verbena.  What is coming up in that space is the Greek oregano which is already being attacked by the four lined plant bug.  It has the most damage at the moment.  I have the wild oregano along the driveway and it hasn't been attacked yet.  I give up trying to figure this out!

So I was looking up on the hillside and herbs I thought would come back haven't and I think the chocolate flower that isn't particularly hardy here, did!  Who knew I would be excited about a chocolate flower coming back to life.  We decided not to have much of a vegetable garden and so what is coming up in those beds, wild garlic and onions!  Grass abounds where it shouldn't be.  Deer are making beds (no pun intended) where some of the only perennials are planted!  It figures!  So we have a lot of work to do and if it would stop raining maybe I could get started.

Got caught up with some of my book reading, Laura Childs tea series and Susan Wittig Albert and the China Bayles novels.  Of course the stitching is progressing.  The coverlet is on course to be done in late June/early July.  We are waiting for a big rainstorm to hit later today.  Still have chances for frost!  So if you are in the Pittsburgh area, watch the forecast before planting some of those tenders outside.  Hope you are having a fabulous day.  I will try to blog a bit more!  Talk to you later.

A Prairie Garden Finished Almost!

After 25 Years Done, Almost!

Well, we are still up and down weather wise here in the 'Burgh!  Yesterday we had to bring the corduroys and heavy coats out again to go out to dinner.  Yikes!  Today is a better day, but of course I am here typing on the computer.

Just wanted to show you that the stitching is done.  Now I have to find someone to finish the project.  I was hoping just to fringe the edge, but the material after being in my stash box for so long is quietly coming apart.  So I need someone with a big sewing machine to finish it.  Put a backing on it so that I can use it as a coverlet for our bed. It is after all 62" x 48"!  I have someone in mind and will let you know the outcome in future days.  She has projects ahead of mine.  Good things come to those who wait!

And oh by the way, it is APRIL already!  As I say, the weather has been up and down and soon we will get on the right track.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  I will talk to you later.  

Will Try This Again, Herbally Speaking!

Lovage is Popping Its Leaves Up!

Don't Forget to Leave The Dandelion Flowers for the Bees!

Angelica is Quite Perky on a Sunny Day!

Square Eleven Done!  One More to Go!

Seems like a while since I have been by.  The weather has continued to be up and down.  We finally have daffodils blooming.  Some of the bushes and trees that had started to leaf out will have to start again.  We covered a lot of plants with ornamental grass clippings.  Will probably have to pull more grasses than normal this year because of seeds growing.  We have gotten out in the front garden and clip things down and took out a redbud that had died.  It was right by the walk and I don't want anything to happen to the mailman or delivery people!  We had one car stop while we were working and tell us how much she loved our garden!  That really means a lot!  Thanks to her!

So the lovage is up in the main herb garden.  We had planted one in the back gardens and I don't see signs of it.  The angelica is up and looking very happy.  Hope the building of the new arbor doesn't hurt their leaves!  We looked for signs that the lemon verbena has come back that we left in the ground.  No signs of life yet.  And please, please don't take out all of your dandelions.  Leave some flowers for the bees.  It is one of the first flowers of the season for them.

Been very intently trying to finish this cross-stitch throw.  Coral bells is square eleven as you can see in the photo.  I am working on the twelfth and final square.  Hoping to get it done by Friday.  We shall see.  There is still a chill in the air here.  So we will move with baby steps to get covers off.  Hope you are having a fabulous day wherever you may be.  Still have so much to say and hopefully will get back on track soon!  Talk to you later!

A Giant Roller Coaster of Weather This Winter!

First and Maybe Only Crocuses to Bloom!

Square Six-Thistle!

Really where did winter go?  I hope it doesn't appear in April or May!   Now I am afraid we will just jump right into summer from here.  It has happened before.  I am pretty sure that we are under our "normal" snowfall totals for the year less than two feet!  It is pretty amazing.  I really do like to be snowed in just one time during the winter.  We are two weeks or so away from spring beginning.  The daffodils still just have leaves, but soon the flowers will be appearing!  The trees and shrubs and rose bushes have started to leaf out and although we are not out of the woods as far as frost goes. We have had frost as late as mid May some years.  But it has been a giant roller coaster of weather this winter!

We were hoping to get out in the front garden this morning and work, but it just didn't materialize.  I guess we have time to do things, but the chores will just start piling up.  Also hoping to get the elderflower tree dug and transplanted.  Probably should have done it last fall, but we ran out of energy!

The afghan had a brief interruption for some gift making.  As you can see Square Six is a thistle.  The spines of the thistle actually work quite well to trap the stink bugs, but only some, not all.  Working hard on Square Seven which will probably be done for the next post for certain.

Hope you are having a fabulous day wherever you may be.  Waiting for rain to arrive.  In the 50's today and 60's tomorrow.  Still a roller coaster of weather!  Talk to you soon.

A Wild and Crazy February in the Herb Garden!

Time to See What is Coming Up in the Herb Garden!

Maybe This Has Started to Grow for You--Wild Oregano!

Got a Ton of Cleanup Done in the Back Gardens!

Square Five Done Just in Time for Spring!

This winter so far as been a puny one!  I really love to be snowed in once and while and that is when we get some of blue sky days in the 'Burgh.  We have had blue sky days, but no snow.  Yesterday it was 76 degrees here!  We were one degree short of tying a record for February 24th!  It has been unbelievable!  The Herbal Husband and I have gotten a huge amount of cleanup done in the back gardens, including the raspberry patch that hadn't been touched in two seasons.  And we got all of the ornamental grasses cut down thanks to the extension cord and electric hedge clippers.  Still remember the days when we took the old hand clippers and trimmed them!  We had six straight days of cool to very warm weather.  It has been a blessing.  Was so behind the herbal eight ball last season with everything.  I would like to be on top of things this season.

We are going to have cold days going forward into March and maybe even some snow.  Take a deep breath.  I get a bit excited and want to start drastically trimming herbs.  Not so fast Lemon Verbena Lady!  So I started out on a patch of wild oregano which is quietly taking over the front of the herb garden.  It doesn't have too much flavor, but what it lacks in flavor it makes up for in lovely purple flowers and I sometimes when I think about it early, I make the branches and flowers into wreaths for the gate.  The bees also love the flowers as well.  So it is a win-win, herbally speaking.

That last photo is my progress on the afghan.  Square Five is daffodils just in time for spring.  I am almost done with square six which means I will be halfway finished!  It has been a fun fun project.  I have already decided to keep digging in my 30+ years of stash to get those projects that were started and not finished or ones that I need to do done.  I had better find that pill that will keep me stitching into my next life soon.

So can't believe that February is about to end.  What will March bring?  It is always an interesting month here in the 'Burgh!  How are you doing with your break from the garden or in some cases already planting anew!  Please let me know!  Hope you are having a great day.  Talk to you soon.

The Gray and Green of the Herb Garden Even in Winter!

Still Trying to Make the Germander a Hedge!

I Love the Gray of the Artemisia!

Wow, This Lamb's Ear Has Taken Its Share of the Herb Garden!

Always A Green Source in Winter in the Herb Garden, Salad Burnet!

Well, I didn't think I would be sitting here talking about 40's, 50's even maybe 60 degrees in the herb garden in February.  We may get up to 1/2" of rain tomorrow before we head back to more seasonal temperatures!  I got a memory of February past in my Facebook account this morning that went back to 2011. We had a lot of snow that year. This year not so much.  That is a bit worrisome.

It is such a nice day that I ventured out and took some photos of my favorites in the herb garden this time of year even when it is very snowy.  I also wanted to try and get a list together of moving herbs so that we are on top of it this season.  I need to think about the oregano population in the herb garden.  It is spreading everywhere and taking space where I could have other varieties and you know how I like other varieties of herbs!

Two of my favorite green plants even in the cold of winter are germander and salad burnet.  Germander is a traditional hedge in the herb garden and mine is looking more like a small hedge each day.  And salad burnet that gives you a cucumbery taste in salad and makes a lovely vinegar.  It does not taste so much like cucumber this time of year.  It keeps you in suspense!  The gray favorites are artemisia and lamb's ear.  The artemisia was transplanted late in the season last year and hopefully it will make a hedge similar to the germander.  The lamb's ears are volunteers that need to be moved around.  It will continue to grow out of scale again where I could plant other herbs!  What are your favorite green and gray herbs in the winter garden.

Almost the second week of February and I have been busy with my stitching.  Here is where I am on the afghan.

Square One of Twelve!

I think it will be close to two months of stitching to get all of the squares done.  I will be sprinkling posts in and among the stitching days.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be!  It is another blue sky day and I may get out and take a walk since it is so nice.  Rain tomorrow and maybe even a clap of thunder!  Talk to you soon!

An Herbal Design That Might Stick!

The Spring 2017 Issue of Herb Quarterly Magazine!

Sorry I have been happily stitching away and forgot that I should and could post a couple of items before the end of the first month of the year!  How did that happen?  I got the latest issue of Herb Quarterly magazine the other day and was happy to see a lot of great articles, herbally speaking.

Jekka McVicar when she was here in 2011 called our garden a forest garden.  One of my favorite authors these days comes from our friends to the north, Canada and specifically Calgary.  Sheryl Normandeau  from Flowery Prose has once again written about what The Herbal Husband and I are doing without knowing it.  The article in the Spring 2017 magazine is called The Forest Formula.  Is that the herbal chaos I think it is?  No, the forest has layers and our garden has some of those same layers!  Besides providing food for you and your family, "a forest garden also provides a beneficial habitat and food for wildlife, birds, and the insects you wish to attract as pollinators or as biological pest control."  She gives a list of herbs to use and here are some of those that have worked for us including:  artemisia, bergamot and calendula.  There is a longer list in the article and a complete list of the layers involved.  You can pick up the issue at Barnes & Noble and even some grocery stores carry it in my area.  You can also subscribe to Herb Quarterly if you are so inclined!

A Delightful Representation of The Rosemary House Herb Garden!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my stitching projects so far.  I have been getting a bunch of small patterns done that have been languishing in my stash boxes or ones that I have purchased recently from new to me designers.  One of my favorites is the one above called Mrs. Reppert's Herb Bag.  It is a very charming representation of The Rosemary House herb gardens.  I will just place it in a gold frame and hang it so that I can get inspiration from it every day.  It is from designer, Sharon Verbos.

I also am starting a fairly big project that I am not sure how long it will take.  It has taken me 25 years to get it out of the bottom of my stash box one.  So hopefully it will keep me busy until spring gets here.  It is an old Prairie Schooler pattern called A Prairie Garden.  This is so old that the gals that started Prairie Schooler have retired!  So it is twelve different flowers and the afghan has twelve squares.  Inspired by my finish of The Herbal Husband's citizenship sampler last year, I thought I should pick another long forgotten project to stitch!  This one is for me.

An Afghan to Cross Stitch 25 Years in the Making!

Winter has returned to the herb garden and the forest garden in the front and back.  The birds and other animals are more demanding of water and food.  We have not had too much snow yet and have only had to shovel a handful of times.  We were in the 60's last week.  It has been a crazy year already.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  I will talk to you again soon.

2016, A Cross-Stitch Year in Review!

January--2016 Finish His Citizenship Sampler!

February--Had to Stitch a Valentine for The Herbal Husband!

February--A Day Short of His Anniversary It was Done!

March--Really Love Doing Smalls--A Needle Case Kit Finished from My Herbal Sister, Debs!

July--Another Intense Small with Fabric from StitchyBox!

August--An Anniversary Gift to My Bestie, Marilyn!

August--A Favorite Birthday Gift from The Herbal Husband!

October--A Birthday Surprise for Bonnie, My Herbal Traveling Companion!

November--The Gardener--Another Small from Blackbird Designs for Me!

A Gift Made Long Ago for My Mother!

December--Fairy Garden--Another Small from Blackbird Designs for Me!

A Surprise in the Winter 2017 Trends & Traditions Magazine from Colonial Williamsburg!

My Letter and Cross-Stitch Design of the Historic Area was in the Letters to the Editor!

So I never thought I would have enough done in my passion for cross-stitch to do a year in review.  I had really taken a break from my cross-stitch.  In the winter when I could take the time to stitch, I would get cuts and pain in my hands.  I had more band-aids covering my fingers than needles filled with thread.  I had a list of cross-stitch projects to finish and start in order of priority.  The Herbal Husband's Citizenship Sampler was top of the list.  He had given up hope that I would finish it.  He wouldn't let me start any other project.  I would try to start something and he would say, you aren't going to finish my sampler, are you?  Well, the top photo is what I had completed January 2 and the next photo is the day before his 24th anniversary finished and on the wall.  It meant everything to have it done!  So the design was done by our friend, John but The Herbal Husband and I made radical changes to the design or I might still be stitching it today!  We both love it which is what is most important!

Of course, the rest of the year I did nothing that was on my original list and I did a couple of special gifts for my friends.  I also have discovered that smalls are fun and fast even when they are all on 32 count fabric.  My magnifying light to the rescue!  It has become my new favorite to stitch on.  Facebook has hooked me up with some fabulous new designers!  A blessing but it has added exponentially to my stash box!

The gift to my mother was designed in a cross-stitch pattern by The Herbal Husband and stitched by me as a surprise.  She thought it was a nightgown.  It was one of the best surprises ever!  I am hoping that The Herbal Husband will find some time this winter to pattern our house so I can stitch it.  The last couple of photos were a surprise for me.  In the Fall 2016 Trends & Traditions magazine from Colonial Williamsburg, they highlighted a stitcher who has a collection of 50 plus designs from Williamsburg.  So I wrote a letter and shared my favorite design with the editor.  Never heard another thing until I opened up the latest magazine and was surprised to find my letter and design in the Letters to the Editor.  They were listening!  So I am going to take time to stitch and take an inventory!

I will share with you tomorrow the herbal review of 2016 and moving forward into 2017!  We had a green Christmas this year, but there were no travel headaches.  We have snow on the ground again.  So the banner photo is not too far off!  Hope you had a fabulous holiday!  The end of the year is near!  Can't believe it!