The Third Anniversary!

Really am astounded that I'm still blogging at the third year mark!  Thanks to the Rosemary's Sampler girls I started this journey three years ago!  Thanks ladies for the herbal inspiration as always!  Thinking of some ways to celebrate so stay tuned there may be a giveaway or two or three!  Never know.  Thanks to everyone who reads this almost daily journal.  Thanks to The Herb Companion magazine for their support.  I know I need to work on content and hopefully the next year will be devoted to herbs and their uses!  I don't seem to do enough of that!  Got to run.  Still have the ickies and stickies.  When will it end?  Hope you are having a great day.  Talk to you later.

Having Afternoon Tea with Bernideen in the Garden at The Empress Hotel!!

This Really Does Say The Empress!  Darn Tree!

They Have Been Serving Afternoon Tea Here Since 1908

Strawberries and Cream to Start

The Entire Tea Tray!

Smoked Salmon Pinwheel, Mango and Curried Chicken and Free Range Egg Salad Croissant

Cucumber and Horseradish, Traditional Pork Pate on Crostini and Another Smoked Salmon Pinwheel:)

Raisin Scones, Strawberry Jam and Empress Cream

Battenberg Cake, Lemon Meringue Tart and Raspberry Cheesecake

Rose Petal Shortbread and Chocolate Tulip with Valrhona Caramel Chocolate!

A Very Relaxing Place for Afternoon Tea!

I wish I really was, Bernideen!  The next best afternoon tea would be at the Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia!  I apologize for the lateness of this post.  May seems many cooler days and nights away from today!  We did have a wonderful vacation in Vancouver and nearby places, including Victoria, BC.  We always have a packed schedule and so afternoon tea was just slightly south of Noon (Fortunately, they start serving "afternoon" tea at 11 or 11:30 AM.) and we had a 3 o'clock ferry to catch to Washington state.  Soo our waitress, Marilyn, took great care of us and got us on our way with prompt service.  She was very kind.  The food was delicious and there was much negotiating on the dessert items as usual!  I had jasmine butterfly and The Herbal Husband had his usual Earl Grey.  We each got a small jar of strawberry jam and a small box of "Empress" tea bags to take home.  If you get a chance to go to Victoria make sure you have "afternoon tea" at the Empress.  It is worth it!

Who Knew?

The Carnegie Cottage

The Front Garden

The Welcoming Sign

A Pot of Lavender on the Windowsill

The Cozy Restaurant Interior

Asparagus, Beet Greens, Cheese and Egg Salad

My Salmon Entree

The Herbal Husband's Dessert

The Mystery Dessert!

Well, who knew in the middle of Holland there would be a restaurant called Carnegie Cottage.  Because we live in Pittsburgh and have buildings named for Andrew Carnegie, like a library system, a university and museums!   It is an inn and restaurant.  Located on a nature preserve and a woodland, it was a very cottage like building with a lovely garden in the front and an arbor shading the front porch.  The interior was very homey and cozy.  The food was delicious.  The biggest controversy of the evening came when ordering dessert.  They offered us a mystery dessert and said we would love it.  The Herbal Husband had to cause waves by only wanting chocolate mousse!  Well, when our mystery dessert came, The Herbal Husband wanted to try it.  I let him.  Our Dutch hosts didn't think that was quite fair.  I wanted him to know what he missed!  It was delicious.  The entire meal was a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach!  The hot and muggies are still here.  Rain tomorrow.  Hope we get it.  We need it.  Hope you had a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

The Schermer Windmills, Peter the Windmill Master and Enkhuizen!

Almost Looks Like Pennsylvania

Oops, not Pennsylvania, I think It's Holland!

Took a Tour of This Windmill

Schermer Mill Complex Map

Calendulas Happily Blooming

Peter the Windmill Master

The picturesque landscape Around the Mill

Peter Lives in a Mill

The Outhouse

Driving Along a Dike

 The Schermer windmills were used for pumping water and reclaiming land for farming.  It took approximately four years to accomplish this.  The reclaimed land lies approximately 12 feet below sea level.  Other windmills are used for milling grains.  Peter the mill master took us into the mill and showed us how a family lived in the mill.  Then he stopped the sails from turning.  It is a very delicate process.  He is a very dedicated man to the preservation of the windmills even living in one close by.  You can get more information about the windmills by clicking the link above.

Entering the Old Town of Enkhuizen

Enkhuizen is Known for Fishing

A Typical Dutch Lunch of Croquettes, Salad and Bread!

Lots of People Out Enjoying the Day

Gardening Wherever You Can

Some of the Buildings of Enkhuizen

A Small Herb Garden

And a Place to Sit!

We had a very lovely day visiting Enkhuizen.  It is a charming fishing village.  Lovely historic buildings are being preserved.  It was very picturesque.   We are still in the humidity and heat!  The Dog Days of Summer!   Hope you are staying cool wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

Kitty and the Canals of Amsterdam

I know you think you are seeing things when you see this cat on the table.  I know it looks like Kitty!  I couldn't believe it and it posed just like Kitty does!  Haven't seen Kitty for awhile maybe Kitty hid out in one of the suitcases to find a new life in Holland!  Enough Kitty tales!

Another one of our Holland hosts had a very charming garden space both in the front and in the back.

There are Very Narrow Canals

And Much Wider Canals

And Lots of Charming Restaurants

Even Found a Lavender in a Flower Box

The Pulley System is Used to Move Furniture In and Out

A Beautiful Sunset

The Lights on The Canals of Amsterdam!

We had a very nice time at our friend's house and then took a candlelight tour of the canals of Amsterdam.  It was nice to see old friends again and to make new ones as well.  Tomorrow the windmills of Holland.  Hope you had a great day.  We are still having the ickys and stickys, but we did get rain finally.  Not enough to end our mini drought, but some.  Talk to you later.

Two Dutch Nurseries-Double the Fun!

Catalog for De Hessenhof

A Salvia 'Crispa' I Hadn't Ever Seen

Hope The Plant Tag Police Aren't Watching!

Compost for Sale

Beautiful Display Gardens

Lavenders in Full Bloom

Very Much Like A Trial Garden Here

Can Get an Idea About the True Size of a Plant

Our Dutch hosts just knew the right activity for me would be to visit two plant nurseries in their area.  They did not disappoint!  The first called De Hessenhof had a beautiful catalog which I can't read, but I do know botanical latin names so there were a lot of familiar plants to see.  When you click the link above, you can get an English translation for a description of the nursery.  I found four herbs, two salvias and two rosemarys that I had not heard of before.  They did have a small hedge of the 'Crispa' salvias which I thought was very effective.  The display gardens were just beautiful and I think it was a great help to buyers coming to buy a specific plant to see how tall, wide and what shade was the flower.

Then we were off to Boshoeve (which translates to Wood Farm) in Wolfheze.

Typical Dutch Farmhouse

Espaliered Apple

Nasturtiums Under the Espaliered Apple

Mint and Lovage

Perilla for Japanese Cooking

Boshoeve's Display Garden

A Stand of Pink Monarda

You Knew I Would Find a Blooming Lemon Verbena!

Ladybug Loves the Mint!

A Floral Arrangement Graces the Table in the Market Area

Nigellas Are the Standout in This Arrangement

I loved this nursery as well.  It was smaller, but it was lovely.  They had wagons or carts full of plants.  Of course, I had to scope out the herbs.  Found a lot of my favorites, including blooming lemon verbenas!  They also had a flea market with handcrafted items and used items as well.  I found a book on herbs.  Again, can't read it, but the botanical names will help me with what's what!  We had a fun morning and we headed to near Amsterdam in the afternoon for the next adventure.

It is still hotter than you know what!  Hopefully some rain tonight!  Talk to you later.