Never Enough Garlic


The garlic harvesting has begun in my little corner of the world, and I'm delighted. The only downside is that I really didn't plant as much as past years. But then again, even when I plant more - much more - it's still not as much as I would like. I mean - really … can you ever have too much garlic?

I still have a half pint of garlic honey I made last year. I only used it once during the winter, when I thought a cold was taking hold. I think I only took one or two spoons full on a single day and promptly forgot about the suspicious symptoms - because they vanished. I made the garlic honey by crushing fresh garlic, placing it in a glass jar, covering with good, local honey and simply let it sit an macerate for a few weeks. Actually, I probably put it in my dehydrator on low heat for a few hours each day for several days … but I can't remember. In any event, either method is perfectly respectable.

And, for the record, it's good on toast too. That's how I used the other half pint!

New Moon in June ~ A Weed Walk

Motherwort blossoms ...

... valerian blooms ...

... comfrey flowers ...

... cleavers bloom and seed ...

... elderberry buds ...

... black currant ripening ...

... red currant too ...

... blueberry making its way ...

... strawberry offerings ...

... potato buds ...


... egyptian onions.

CHA HerbFest 2010!






Just click on the images to open larger views of the program.

Hope to see you there!

my babies are up!!!

all the little seeds i planted have sprouted!!! (well, maybe not ALL of them... but LOTS!!!) just had to share!!!

Nettles are Up!


While clearing and burning the cut brush from under the cedar yesterday we discovered the beautiful Urtica dioica - nettles! - flourishing away. The tallest of the plants are about two inches high and I suspect that when I get back from easter travels they'll be ready for a first full harvest for a nice nutritional simmered side dish. Oh, how nice to have this to look forward to when I return!

Bud Walk

The time has arrived for my daily bud walks. Each day I walk around my little yard and see what is peeping out of the soil or budding on the trees. The bulbs I planted last fall are popping up in front of my deck with buds heavy and almost bursting into bloom. The star magnolia received some TLC this weekend and I was careful not to touch her heavy buds. Soon, soon white star flowers will burst along her bare branches - this is my youngest daughter's "God tree."
What's starting to bloom where you are?