Our New Herb Garden

 This is a sphere our daughter-in-law, wife of our youngest son, welded. She welded this sphere out of horse shoes our son removed from horses to replace their worn horse shoes. Every amazing item our beloved daughter-in-law welds is composed of used horse shoes she has to clean of rust and dirt before she can even begin to create her works of art. There is a whole lot of hard and very dirty work involved in simply making the horse shoes usable in her horse shoe compositions.

 My husband built the pergola in the background last year. This year he made an herb garden. The main feature of our new herb garden is the two spheres welded by our daughter-in-law, and the herbs.

 We are going to mount the spheres on tree stumps from our woods, soon.

 The herb garden also borders the driveway and our front yard. The sidewalk divides the herb garden from the front yard and walkway from the driveway.

 My old cat Miss Marple likes to sun herself in the new herb garden.

Even more is going on in the back yard and gardens. Our deck was rebuilt last year, we are in the process of making an outdoor kitchen/cooking/eating area now. Life in this part of Washington is coming to terms with the high and dry summer heat and learning to live with it and love it.We will have a covered eating area near the barbecue and smoker.This corner of our new (replaced) deck is where I've placed pots of herbs and flowers that will be moved later when our outdoor kitchen is done. My new chicken house is the building seen here in the background.

Life here has been glorious, we're so happy and blessed to live here. We're enjoying the many blessings of being near our sons and their families and also, now that we're retired , we're enjoying and appreciating the ability to set our schedule and time for ourselves. ( Hey, if we want to take a nap or just kick back and read a good book, we can !)

We have made many changes to our new home and farm for the better. We've improved our pastures, made vegetable and herb and flower gardens. My husband has invested much time and money in making our bee yard better for the bees and for increasing our honey production. Our poultry yard provides more eggs than we can use, but we're able to share the bounty with family and neighbors. My sheep have increased beyond my wildest dreams simply because sheep really do thrive on pasture ... amazing ! My husband and I love our new home more than we could have ever anticipated and I am thankful beyond what I can express. God is so good !

Crispy Lavender Chicken

Crispy Lavender Chicken & Lavender Cookbook

Have I mentioned I very much like lavender and that we have quite a bit of it growing in our gardens? After attending the Lavender Festival in Sequim, Washington I was inspired to do more with our lavender. This recipe just appealed to me , and I am glad I tried it out. The chicken was delicious right out of the oven, and then again cold, right out of the fridge. The little bit of lavender in it gave it a zing, but was not perfumey tasting. I will definitely be making this again. Here is the recipe:

• 1 Tablespoon ( rounded or heaping ) mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lavender ( dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 skinned breasts of chicken ( I used 4 thighs WITH skin on, what can I say, I love hot greasy chicken skin)
• 1 oz. cornmeal
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Combine mayo and lemon juice. Combine bread crumbs with cornmeal, salt, lavender, and paprika. Spread chicken with mayo / lemon mixture. ( I spread the mayo / lemon mixture under the skin ) Dip in crumbled mixture, coating well on all sides. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until chicken is tender.

recipe from CELEBRATE LAVENDER FESTIVAL cookbook. recipe by Irma Colvin "And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit,with seed in them, after their kind: and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:12

Lavender Oil

I love lavender and have a lot of it growing around Cedar Pond. Not just in the herb garden either. We have it in many of the flower beds and some of my big pots of plant groupings. The bees around here love it too. I have always enjoyed cutting the long stemmed blooms and drying them for scenting my drawers, and using a bit for cooking, and used to add ground up lavender and oatmeal to my goat milk soap. Once I stopped making my own soap I forgot about using lavender for other things...until recently. I have very sensitive and dry skin and had been purchasing some special oils from a company in California. The oils were wonderful and did the job most lotions did not do so well, but they were very, very expensive. I noted that the base of most of the products was Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and it clicked, ANYONE can buy that at the supermarket, and I also realized I had baskets full of the many herbal ingredients these oils had. I could buy the best oils ( they're spendy) and use my herbs and make at least 10 times the oils for the same price as purchasing a 1 to 2 ounce bottle from the company in CA. The bottles above are Grape- seed Oil and Almond Oil that have had lavender from our garden crushed and steeped in them for at least 10 days. I filtered out the crushed lavender today and swiped the oil still clinging to the sides of the steeping jar and massaged it into my arms. I chose grape-seed and almond oils after reading about their benefits on-line, but Olive Oil would do quite well too. You need clean sterile canning jars or bottles with tight fitting lids. Oil of choice ( 32 ounces), and herb or herbs of choice, about 1 cup fresh or dried..put washed, dried, and crushed herbs of choice in the jar and then pour oil into jar. Put tight fitting lid on and place the jar in a sunny spot for about 10 days. You can add up to 20 drops of essential oil to this for fragrance, but when I strained the oil, I discovered it had a delicate lavender/ grassy smell and I like it fine. I can use this on my feet and legs too, just remember oil is, well..oily, and blot it after applying or wear cotton socks and gloves for special soothing and softening. It can be stored in a cool dark place for several months unrefrigerated, or indefinitely in the fridge. And you can cook with them too! I have filled the cleaned and sterilized old , antique cosmetic and medicine bottles with the oils for my facial needs, to be refilled with oil from the big jars when needed. There are so many fragrant herbs and herbal combinations you can use, and the supermarkets have such a wide variety of oils available. Do some research on-line and see which oils might appeal to you. Your cosmetic and skin needs are only as far away as your local supermarket and herb garden, at a very attractive price! "Almond oil, The most popular carrier oil, as it has little smell, is rich in protein and is emollient, nourishing, and slow to become rancid." "Grape- seed Oil,Very fine and clear; it gives a satin-smooth finish without a greasy touch."

The Complete Book Of Herbs by Leslie Bremness

Spot on Lavender, and Lavender Shortbread

~~~It's that time of year when I remember I don't have much time left to harvest my herbs before the late fall and winter weather set in. I also seem to have herb books and magazines all around the house to remind me of just what I was going to do with the herbs this year. Right now I am trying to get my dried lavender put away in paper bags before it is too dusty .~~~Here is a recipe for lavender shortbread. I slightly changed this recipe I received from my sister-in-law Jean. "....you can add the fresh or dried flower (lavender) to homemade soaps, cosmetics, potpourris,and sachets, or use them in cookies, vinegars, jellies and teas." from CHINA BAYLES BOOK OF DAYS , by Susan Wittig Albert click on picture to enlarge recipe ~~~I scored the shortbread before baking, with this nifty square cookie cutter, also from my sister-in-law Jean. After scoring the dough, prick it with a fork, then bake. "Bury a couple of fresh lavender flowers in the sugar bowl or add a few to a jar of honey." The HERB COMPANION May 1999 ~~~Don't you just love these square cookie cutters. I cut baking powder biscuit dough with these. Kind of nice for biscuits filled with egg salad, tuna, or cheese. "Add a teaspoon of crumbled lavender flowers to the filling for apple pie or apple crisp." The HERB COMPANION , May 1999 ~~~Here is my shortbread ready to go into the oven. Note that I did not add lavender TO the shortbread dough. I am trying something different to get a subtle taste of lavender. "The lore of lavender is filled with stories of its powerful influences on love, war, and politics. In the kitchen , however, delicacy is lavender's contribution.Just a little goes a long way for most people; " COOKING WITH LAVENDER , May 1999 issue of The HERBAL COMPANION ~~~I have added a few sprigs of lavender to the sealed container my shortbread cookies will be stored in. " Lavender is ageless and regal like a grandmother, fresh and lively like a teenager. Modest and demure like a Victorian lady's lacy sachet, yet as sumptuous as an ancient Roman's scented bath. We may view lavender as a gentle flower, but it went to world wars as an antiseptic and has long been a heavyweight in the fragrance industry. Indeed, this plant of antiquity is as popular now as it ever was, still the stuff of poetry and love affairs but also a sturdy addition to the landscape." BEST of The LAVENDERS fr. April / May 1998 issue of HERB COMPANION ~~~"The herbalist Gerard prescribed it ( lavender ) to bathe the temples of those with a 'light migram or swimming of the brain'. One Sir James Smith also told of an alcoholic tincture created 'for those who wish to indulge in a dram under the appearance of elegant medicine.' " from THE COMPLETE BOOK OF HERBS by Leslie Bremness

~~~The addition of sprigs of lavender to the sealed cookie container works . Fairly quickly too. Delicately scented shortbread and tea.....very pleasant.~~~ Lavender Herb Tea ( makes 4 cups )

Shoo away the cares of the day with this calming tea.

1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers

1 teaspoon dried chamomile flowers

1 teaspoon green tea leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried yarrow flowers

4 cups boiling water Place the herbs in a warmed teapot. Pour in the boiling water, cover, and steep for 3 minutes. Strain and serve , sweetened with a little honey if desired. from COOKING WITH LAVENDER , May 1999 issue of The HERB COMPANION ~~~"..lavender will provide sweet, welcome relief from headaches and stress.Take a basket to the herb garden and pick the flower spikes just as the buds are opening. If that headache is really getting you down, sniff lavender often or try some lavender tea." from CHINA BAYLES BOOK OF DAYS , by Susan Wittig Albert ~~~I use my lavender. I dry it, then place it in seldom used cupboards, put it in paper bags and place in closets, cook with it, decorate with it. When I have a LOT of dried lavender I will place it on top of the logs near the fireplace and sometimes use as fire starter....sometimes I give it away dried and with bows tied around it, as the package decoration on a gift......The lavender I have growing in my gardens is hardy, and comes in so many variations of purple, blue, lavender , pink and white. I have some growing in a big pot, and it too does well. All in all, the perfect plant for me. It is forgiving if not watered often and thrives amidst the weeds. ~~~ "Sprinkle several drops of lavender oil on a small bundle of dried lavender and place it above the radiator or heating vent to fill a room with scent." COOKING WITH LAVENDER The HERB COMPANION May 1999

Spot on Harvest Fest

~~~I am just now getting around to writing about our local Harvest fest. This is the first time I participated in this local event , not for lack of interest, but for lack of energy. It usually occurs very shortly after my 5 day stint at the Puyallup Fair. A time when I am out of energy and needing to get a lot done at home. This year I was determined to be there no matter what...and I was. ~~~The Harvest Fest at Lacamas, here in Roy, Washington , is a low key event with many local residents bringing their farm products to sell and exhibit for a whole day of farm tours , to farms all around this area. Lacamas is also a great stop on the farm tours to get a good breakfast or lunch . We set up our exhibits and wares in the Lacamas Valley Community Center. I was particularly interested in creations or products made by people who actually grew or raised their own product, or craftsmen who created things from the bounty nature offered them. I am spotlighting 2 people who I felt fit the bill......no pun intended ! ~~~Here is a carved walking stick( below). A duck with an impressive bill. This walking stick was carved and painted by Chuck Farmer. Chuck had quite a few walking sticks.~~~Here is Chuck with his wife Karen.(below) Chuck said he thinks about just what illustration is best for each walking stick. He burns his designs or illustrations in and crafts the walking stick according to what the shape suggests to him. Chuck had a few Bighorn Sheep sticks, and we have commissioned a Jacob Ram Walking stick for my Hubby. Can't wait! ~~~This is Barbara Hulscher. She and her husband Jerry are new to the area. ( their residence is ) I would note the progress of their home as I would drive into town a few years ago.One day a pasture, the next a home. Seemed like the new home was up and producing beautiful and fragrant rows of lavender in no time. I have purchased lavender from them, and to step into her shed of hanging bouquets of lavender is heavenly. I was able to find the varieties of white lavender I had been seeking...right there, close to home. Amazing here in Roy. You should check out Mountain Meadow Lavender. barbara@mountainmeadowlavender.com

~~~Some products from her lavender.~~~

~~~More lavender bounty.~~~

~~~"Although used primarily for scent in potpourris, wreaths, and lotions, lavender can also flavor the desserts and vinegars of adventurous cooks." HERBS by Emilie Tolley and Chris Mead

~~~I have made lavender shortbread. I will make it again and cut the amount of lavender by at least half. I like the taste of lavender to be subtle, otherwise it is like eating perfume. And shortbread is meant to be sealed up a day or two before eating. The lavender shortbread I made was lovely to look at, tasted good the first bite, then the overpowering taste of lavender dominated my mouth. I like lavender a lot, but not that much. ~~~All in all, the Harvest Fest was a time to get to know some of the people in my community. To see what my neighbors create, how they display their wares and visit with them. I am glad I went, I'll be back next year. ~~~One sweet lady was selling a table of jams and jellies she makes from all sorts of woodland and native plants and berries and fruit. She had Indian Plum Jam, Oregon Grape Jam, Huckleberry Jam, Queen Annes' Lace Jelly...and so on. I was impressed by her clear and colorful jams and jellies. I took pictures of her and her jars of nectar. Then I asked for her name and permission to post it on my blog. " What's a blog ?" she asked. Mind you, she was not an old lady....I told her about my blog. She was horrified. "Oh NO ! My husband would not like that, he does not want us on the computer, we're not sure about that." So, I deleted her pictures from my digital camera and alas, she is not posted. You would have been interested ( or not ) in what she has made. I was. Maybe next year...