Happy Halloween!

Some holidays we don't mess with too much.  If it's not broke, we don't fix it!  Sooo here is a picture of last year's gate into the front door!  Some of you enjoy all of the festivities!  I have been enjoying them with you!  So Happy Halloween!  Hope if you have kids or grandkids or great grandkids, they have a fun and safe night!  Talk to you later!  I'm going to cross stitch!

We had 43 kids tonight!  Haven't had that many for a few years.  I had two candy bars left!  Whew!  My favorite comment of the night was "I love your maze!"  I can't make this stuff up!

I Renewed My Vampire Protection Today!

I got my jelly done today!  Whoo hoo!  I've got a lot of vampire protection for the year as well, a whole box of  rosemary garlic jelly.  Here is a closeup of a jar.

Trust me there is rosemary in it!  It seems to float to the top no matter what I do!   Well, hope you had a great day wherever you may be!  Can't believe it's Halloween tomorrow!  Where did the year go?  I must be getting old!  Also I just passed 700 posts!  Wow!  That has flown by as well!  Talk to you later!

An Herbal Reminder!

The Herbal Husband Cut This German Chamomile to Dry!

Cut Marjoram for Drying!

We are getting to the end of the growing season.  We haven't had a hard frost yet, but I think it may happen this evening or maybe tomorrow evening.  Maybe you haven't had a frost yet either.  Maybe you already have had one.  If you haven't, get out and see what can be cut and dried.  What needs to be frozen in bags or containers and what you can put in vinegar to preserve it.  I always have some parsley that can easily be frozen in a bag or container.  Tarragon in vinegar is a favorite way to preserve it and then use the pickled tarragon like you would use it fresh.  I always have to have marjoram dried to be used through the winter.  I just put it between two paper towels to dry.  Very easy, but effective!  I will just stick the dried chamomile flowers in my paper tea bags and seal them.  Finished making the rose geranium jelly today.  Only one flavor left, garlic rosemary!  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

Herb Channeler, Part Five and Cheep Rooms on Thursdays!

A lot of them!  This is a dual post.  One of my favorite herb shops in Pennsylvania is The Rosemary House!  This is a building covered with birdhouses in the back of their herb garden.  I know you have heard of The Rosemary House because I'm always talking about one of my favorite herbal authors and founder of The Rosemary House, Bertha Reppert.  Now it is owned and operated by Susanna Reppert-Brill and her husband, David.  They have a lot of holiday events coming along with Nancy Reppert's, Sweet Remembrances Tearoom.  So check out their events schedules.  They have lots of fun events during the holidays for the whole family!  The Herbal Husband and I are going to be stopping by in the next couple weeks.  Can't wait!  Only getting colder here and very windy.  Just out walking and was almost blown over a couple of times!  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be!  Talk to you later!

Having Afternoon Tea at Claridges, London, England!

In the Mayfair neighborhood:  Claridges

Harpist Played Music During Tea!

Tea Table Set with Limoges Galerie Royale Porcelain!

An Arrangement with Twelve Dozen Roses!

Apple and Raisin Scones Served with Marco Polo Tea infused Jelly, Clotted Cream and French Pastries!

A Tin of English Breakfast Tea Comes with the Bill!

An Afternoon Tea Menu!

Can you believe it!  I forgot to take a picture of our tea sandwiches and we were little piggies!  We had a second round of sandwiches!  The Claridges known for its art deco interiors serves tea in the foyer and reading room.    We even stayed so long that they started the cocktail hour!  Claridges has been famous for afternoon tea for more than 100 years and hopefully, it will be around for at least 100 more!  I raise my tea cup to Claridges!  Hope you are having a wonderful afternoon wherever you may be.  I think we have squeezed out one more great day here in the 'Burgh!  Talk to you later.

More Late Bloomers!

An Everblooming Climbing 'Cecile Brunner'

The Nasturtiums Look More Like a Turtle!

The 'Munstead' Lavender In Rebloom!

The Grape Vine Showing Some Autumn Color!

Thought I would make up for the little post yesterday with a multiple photo post today!  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  It is going to be warm today in the 70's and rainy later!  Really in the home stretch jelly wise.  Rose geranium gets done this week and rosemary garlic this weekend for Halloween!  Talk to you later!

A Final Visit from the Queen!

At the moment you will just have to take my word for it!  My computer is not cooperating!  Have I mentioned that I alternately love and hate computers?  Well, I hope you are having a better day than I am!  Hopefully I will be able to upload or download or get the photo on the computer later today!  Talk to you later!

Ooops!  Sorta of sideways!  Here she is the Queen, 'Queen Elizabeth' rose that is!  Saw her as I opened the bathroom window and knew I had to clip her before the rains came!  Hope you had a great day!  We saw Hereafter with Matt Damon.  It was very good.  Talk to you later!

Herb Channeler, Part Four!

Continuing toward an herbal Christmas, we are headed to the west coast and an herb farm called Edgehill Herb Farm owned and operated by Karen England.  These two cook booklets are chock full of good ideas and recipes.  She also writes a blog called Karen England's www.edgehillherbfarm.com blog that has a lot of good herbal information as well.  So hopefully if you are out on the west coast, you can stop by or order products from Karen and Edgehill Herb Farm.  I'll have my very favorite choices next time!  So please stay tuned!

Made two batches of hot pepper jelly today.  In the herbal jelly home stretch, only two kinds to go!  Hopefully I will get it done this week!  Hope you had a great day wherever you may be!  Talk to you later.

Guest Blogging for The Herb Companion Magazine and Other Links!

The 'Fairy' Rose is Still Blooming!

Always looking for the last blooms in the garden before the first frost!  Here is a link to my latest guest post for The Herb Companion magazine, Discover Fall Flowers in Season.  I also forgot to mention that my guest post from last November was written up in the October-November 2010 issue.  On newsstands now!  It is entitled Recipe for Thanksgiving Leftovers-Turkey Tetrazzini.  Finally, the herb editor-in-chief blogged about her encounter with The Lemon Verbena Lady.  Here is that post entitled Herbs at The Mother Earth News Fair.  The final link is from Jim Long's Garden blog.  It was titled Mother Earth.  Hopefully, Jim, we will get to talk a little more in the coming year!  Well, that should give you a little reading with your cup of joe or tea or glass of wine!  Got to go walk!  Talk to you later!