What's Growing On
August 2023:
August has come in with cooler and dryer temps. The garden is still growing strong. As with anything we want to flourish, we must continually nourish our gardens - compost, watching for bugs/beetles and generally talk sweetly to all your flowers and vegetables! My learning this year has shown me that 'weeds' are really great medicine - Plantain is anti-inflammatory and may help in reducing inflammation and reduce pain and swelling. Then there is Jewelweed - a must have for those who are sensitive to poison ivy! I'm currently infusing both to creates salves - which I very excited about. I will also be adding Essential Oils to add more benefits to the salves.
That's it for now! Let me know if you have any questions!
Summer of 2023:
I think we have hit the dog days of summer a little bit early! It's been a very hot/humid/rainy gross July here in the NorthEast. But the good thing! The garden is growing leaps and bounds. I'll update some of the pics I took a month ago from the ones in the slide show!
Let's talk about bugs - you know the annoying ones - knats, noseeums, mosquitoes and the dreaded deerflies! These little annoyances hate herbs that we humans love - Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, LemonBalm.. Add in Citronella and Eucalyptus and you get one powerful spray.
You can infused the herbs in Witch Hazel let it soak for at least a week if not longer to get it nice a potent. Give it a whirl! Let me know if you do and how it works for you!
You can also use Essential Oils to make your spray. Always use a high quality practitioner grade Essential Oils.
Spring and Summer 2023:
Oh the growth! Oh the addition of herbs and flowers and vegetables! The pictures are just so lovely! Seems like every day there's more growth, more green more love!
I'm am creating a 'bug aversion' planter. Herbs are our best friend and to most flying annoyances, they are exactly that. A little Catnip, Basil, Thyme, Lemongrass and Lavender. The strong scent of these herbs will help keep bugs at bay.
Another option are smudge sticks of Sage, Lavender and other herbs mentioned above. The high level of citronellal from Lemon Balm and Lemon Thyme, bugs detest. Burning Sage along with Lavender and other herbs keep bugs away also. The smoke of the sage with the chemical properties of linalool and camphor of the herbs, make the bugs stay away also.
Herbs don't only make for a tasty meal but they help us in so many other ways!
Have any other questions? Send me an email! Have a wonderful day!
March into April of 2023:
Spring has marched right into our lives. I have built my own seed starting mixture this year. Using a well known mixture of 3 parts compost, 2 parts peat moss and 1 part perlite. The blend is now melding in my garage and I'll be starting all my seeds over the next week. I am moving heavy into more herbs so those will be first to sow. Right behind them will be peppers ( and I'm rather late starting them) then tomatoes, cukes an squash. Once I get the seeds in, I'll be posting what I'm starting and why each one has a special place in my raised beds.
The elderberry bushes are starting to bud - and even my loooong root sprouted up 5 new plants. As soon as the rain stops, I'll post a pic of them. As most of us know, elderberry is a great herb for building immunity and helping when one is feeling yucky or a cold coming on. With our immune systems still a bit out of whack with C** folks are struggling with more colds and some of them nasty. Elderberry is a great add to any medicine cabinet.
Spring also brings seasonal allergies. I have catnip infused tincture I'll be adding to my bug spray this year. Catnip has a long history of being known for it's powerful repellent action on insects, especially mosquitoes. A blend that is helpful for seasonal allergies is Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint. This is a powerful blend that can help open up sinuses and give a boost to your immunity and while soothing and calming.
I'm off till the rains stop and I can pics.. In honor of my best friend - Love and Light to all.
December 2022
Here in New England we haven't had snow yet in the suburbs, but the mountains of NH and ME have. But as what has become normal, the snows take longer to come. Snow is critical to the land and flowers/herbs. It helps the plants to grow strong bones to grow big and strong. Our winter herbs will go dormant and look 'sad' , but they are building strong bones for the harvest that will come.
On the Dec 21st at 4:47pm, we enter the Winter Solstice. Hunkering down, counting blessing and planning planning for the harvest that will come. Seeds start as early at mid-February, right after the big ski trip north. To me winter is lovely.. A beautiful winter Wedding or celebrating the new life with a baby shower to gifting your best friend a basket full of love!
Here's to your happy Winter Solstice - celebrate the Winter and all the blessing Spring will give us!
Love and Light
/Penny
November 2022
I'd like to talk about how I winter over and how I use warm months to help get through the coming cold months. Bringing in herbs can help warm your home up by their beauty and stamina. A trait I admire in the plant world.
As a complete aside - I am lover of all things winter - I ski, snowshoe and play as much as I can in the cold months. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the darkness - which leads me to share this:
Winter brings cold, stillness and almost a loss. This is where summer or the warmer months come into play. Our garden harvests can be brought inside - either as dried herbs or by transplanting.
If transplanting -
Choose 1 or 2 herbs that were in the ground or in containers, bring them inside and you have the beginnings of a strong winter warmth. If dried, let them sit for approximately 3 weeks, then remove from stems and store them in a jar. These can be added, as needed to any food choices you need.
Good choices to transplant/container are parsley, rosemary they will winter over nicely. Give them a sunny window a little drink once a week and they will be fine.
Basil does not winter over easily but sometimes they produce up February. In February things start to swing back. mmm...
If you bring herbs in -
Any container herb can come in during the winter and will go dormant in the winter, water every week or 2, because they need to sleep and grow strong. They will tell you when it's time to water more - you will see new growth, a shoot here or there or the ever loving new bloom!
There is a unique difference between the plant and the essential oil that I would like to share:
This is the Rosemary I have brought in - 2 plants that are sitting in a sunny window. Fresh Rosemary is a great herb to add to many winter meals - chili, stew, soups. It can be safely used unless you have a previous sensitivity to the herb.
Rosemary essential oil that has been distilled, it's potency will be, as with all Practitioner grade Essential Oils, much more intense than the herb . It is recommended to start slow and research.
Rosemary EO is great Immune support, Respiratory Support and Nervous system. It may stimulate memory and may help clear the conscious mind. Caution is required as this oil is not recommended for pregnant women or folks with high blood pressure on medication - it is a great oil to help with low blood pressure. It helps tremendously when there is transition occurring - a new home, new school, relationship.
Essential Oils are wonderful powerhouses to help in so many ways. Different than an herb or flower's strength and each has it's purpose. If you have any questions or want to ask more in depth questions or just have a conversation - send me an email. I'm growing my herbal collection and learning daily - just like a lot of us.
In the words of my favorite person - Love and Light
/Penny
August has come in with cooler and dryer temps. The garden is still growing strong. As with anything we want to flourish, we must continually nourish our gardens - compost, watching for bugs/beetles and generally talk sweetly to all your flowers and vegetables! My learning this year has shown me that 'weeds' are really great medicine - Plantain is anti-inflammatory and may help in reducing inflammation and reduce pain and swelling. Then there is Jewelweed - a must have for those who are sensitive to poison ivy! I'm currently infusing both to creates salves - which I very excited about. I will also be adding Essential Oils to add more benefits to the salves.
That's it for now! Let me know if you have any questions!
Summer of 2023:
I think we have hit the dog days of summer a little bit early! It's been a very hot/humid/rainy gross July here in the NorthEast. But the good thing! The garden is growing leaps and bounds. I'll update some of the pics I took a month ago from the ones in the slide show!
Let's talk about bugs - you know the annoying ones - knats, noseeums, mosquitoes and the dreaded deerflies! These little annoyances hate herbs that we humans love - Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, LemonBalm.. Add in Citronella and Eucalyptus and you get one powerful spray.
You can infused the herbs in Witch Hazel let it soak for at least a week if not longer to get it nice a potent. Give it a whirl! Let me know if you do and how it works for you!
You can also use Essential Oils to make your spray. Always use a high quality practitioner grade Essential Oils.
Spring and Summer 2023:
Oh the growth! Oh the addition of herbs and flowers and vegetables! The pictures are just so lovely! Seems like every day there's more growth, more green more love!
I'm am creating a 'bug aversion' planter. Herbs are our best friend and to most flying annoyances, they are exactly that. A little Catnip, Basil, Thyme, Lemongrass and Lavender. The strong scent of these herbs will help keep bugs at bay.
Another option are smudge sticks of Sage, Lavender and other herbs mentioned above. The high level of citronellal from Lemon Balm and Lemon Thyme, bugs detest. Burning Sage along with Lavender and other herbs keep bugs away also. The smoke of the sage with the chemical properties of linalool and camphor of the herbs, make the bugs stay away also.
Herbs don't only make for a tasty meal but they help us in so many other ways!
Have any other questions? Send me an email! Have a wonderful day!
March into April of 2023:
Spring has marched right into our lives. I have built my own seed starting mixture this year. Using a well known mixture of 3 parts compost, 2 parts peat moss and 1 part perlite. The blend is now melding in my garage and I'll be starting all my seeds over the next week. I am moving heavy into more herbs so those will be first to sow. Right behind them will be peppers ( and I'm rather late starting them) then tomatoes, cukes an squash. Once I get the seeds in, I'll be posting what I'm starting and why each one has a special place in my raised beds.
The elderberry bushes are starting to bud - and even my loooong root sprouted up 5 new plants. As soon as the rain stops, I'll post a pic of them. As most of us know, elderberry is a great herb for building immunity and helping when one is feeling yucky or a cold coming on. With our immune systems still a bit out of whack with C** folks are struggling with more colds and some of them nasty. Elderberry is a great add to any medicine cabinet.
Spring also brings seasonal allergies. I have catnip infused tincture I'll be adding to my bug spray this year. Catnip has a long history of being known for it's powerful repellent action on insects, especially mosquitoes. A blend that is helpful for seasonal allergies is Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint. This is a powerful blend that can help open up sinuses and give a boost to your immunity and while soothing and calming.
I'm off till the rains stop and I can pics.. In honor of my best friend - Love and Light to all.
December 2022
Here in New England we haven't had snow yet in the suburbs, but the mountains of NH and ME have. But as what has become normal, the snows take longer to come. Snow is critical to the land and flowers/herbs. It helps the plants to grow strong bones to grow big and strong. Our winter herbs will go dormant and look 'sad' , but they are building strong bones for the harvest that will come.
On the Dec 21st at 4:47pm, we enter the Winter Solstice. Hunkering down, counting blessing and planning planning for the harvest that will come. Seeds start as early at mid-February, right after the big ski trip north. To me winter is lovely.. A beautiful winter Wedding or celebrating the new life with a baby shower to gifting your best friend a basket full of love!
Here's to your happy Winter Solstice - celebrate the Winter and all the blessing Spring will give us!
Love and Light
/Penny
November 2022
I'd like to talk about how I winter over and how I use warm months to help get through the coming cold months. Bringing in herbs can help warm your home up by their beauty and stamina. A trait I admire in the plant world.
As a complete aside - I am lover of all things winter - I ski, snowshoe and play as much as I can in the cold months. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the darkness - which leads me to share this:
Winter brings cold, stillness and almost a loss. This is where summer or the warmer months come into play. Our garden harvests can be brought inside - either as dried herbs or by transplanting.
If transplanting -
Choose 1 or 2 herbs that were in the ground or in containers, bring them inside and you have the beginnings of a strong winter warmth. If dried, let them sit for approximately 3 weeks, then remove from stems and store them in a jar. These can be added, as needed to any food choices you need.
Good choices to transplant/container are parsley, rosemary they will winter over nicely. Give them a sunny window a little drink once a week and they will be fine.
Basil does not winter over easily but sometimes they produce up February. In February things start to swing back. mmm...
If you bring herbs in -
Any container herb can come in during the winter and will go dormant in the winter, water every week or 2, because they need to sleep and grow strong. They will tell you when it's time to water more - you will see new growth, a shoot here or there or the ever loving new bloom!
There is a unique difference between the plant and the essential oil that I would like to share:
This is the Rosemary I have brought in - 2 plants that are sitting in a sunny window. Fresh Rosemary is a great herb to add to many winter meals - chili, stew, soups. It can be safely used unless you have a previous sensitivity to the herb.
Rosemary essential oil that has been distilled, it's potency will be, as with all Practitioner grade Essential Oils, much more intense than the herb . It is recommended to start slow and research.
Rosemary EO is great Immune support, Respiratory Support and Nervous system. It may stimulate memory and may help clear the conscious mind. Caution is required as this oil is not recommended for pregnant women or folks with high blood pressure on medication - it is a great oil to help with low blood pressure. It helps tremendously when there is transition occurring - a new home, new school, relationship.
Essential Oils are wonderful powerhouses to help in so many ways. Different than an herb or flower's strength and each has it's purpose. If you have any questions or want to ask more in depth questions or just have a conversation - send me an email. I'm growing my herbal collection and learning daily - just like a lot of us.
In the words of my favorite person - Love and Light
/Penny