June 5, 2007
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Thyme and Thyme Again
Well the herb festival on Sunday was a bust. Why? Because the DAMNED SITE I GOT THE INFO OFF OFF had the date and time WRONG. GRRRRRRRRRRRR The festival was actually Saturday from 10-4, not on Sunday. So I missed the one in Baltimore and the one in Darlington.
So when we went up there and NO ONE was there, and I saw the signs showing it was the day before *grrrrr again* I said “OK let’s go to Ken’s Gardens in Lancaster. They have lots of herbs.” That is about 45 minutes up the road. So we go up there…AND EVERY FREAKING THING is closed. ARGHHHHHHH I was thwarted horribly whatever I did yesterday and I was already in a total byatch mode. Not sure why, but there you have it. **takes a couple of Evening Primrose Oil**
So we went to Noah’s Landing in Lancaster (a store run by Sight and Sound), hit the Goodwill thrift store, and had lunch. We also stopped in a Wal Mart there to see if they had anything in herbs. Well bupkis there. More thwarting.
Came home and went to the Home Depot ….wound up getting almost everything I wanted from there. *rolls eyes* So I drove all over God’s country to get herbs and wound up getting them right down the road. I am more ticked about missing the festivals than what I didn’t get. I bought 2 tarragon, 2 lemon thyme, lavender *not sure what variety but it is different from what I already have*, 2 lemon verbena, an Italian parsley that I split into 6 pieces, sweet marjoram, thyme, variegated thyme, and 6 rosemary plants *4 of one variety and 2 of another…rosemary is way up there on my favs list*. I also had already gotten common thyme, sweet basil, opal basil, common lavender, & Greek oregano. I already had some leeks, onion chives, garlic chives, 2 different varieties of comfrey, leeks, Italian parsley, St. John’s Wort and wormwood. So once everything comes it it is going to look really nice and full. I look forward to being able to harvest lots of yummy herbs. I still want to get arnica, chamomile *German and Roman*, lemon basil, globe basil, and Calendula. I have a selection of both medicinal, culinary and aromatic herbs.
Today I put out a call on Freecycle for Jerusalem Artichoke. Which are neither truly an artichoke and not from Jerusalem. They are a type of sunflower that is a perennial with edible tubers. I was trying to find the seed or plants locally and was having no luck. I had a response from someone that happened to live right around the corner from me! The flowers have some Moneywort (a groundcover) growing in with them, so I will plant some of that in my shade garden. Funny thing is, I looked at Moneywort plants the other day and almost bought a couple. Nifty! Free is a good thing.
Check this site out if you are interested in plants and their uses: http://altnature.com/
I have so many of the plants that are in that database…either in my gardens or in my yard. I found the site when looking up the medicinal uses of honeysuckle. I knew it was used medicinally but couldn’t remember for what. See, I have several THOUSAND yards of this plant growing in my yard. I am trying to tame it back. The medicinal uses of it are many and varied! One of the things that impressed me was its use as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. I think I will pick a whole slew of the flowers and make a rub from them. It will be great as a muscle rub. It also appears that the leaves of the honeysuckle are edible parboiled and cooked. I am going to try that! I have enough to feed the whole blinkin neighborhood.
So today I spent 6 or 7 hours working in the yard. I used the trimmer to cut down most of the crap in the veggie bed (aka weed central). I also cut a path to where the compost pile used to be. OH MY FREAKIN GOODNESS but my back yard is overgrown. I can’t even begin to explain how bad the grapevine, honeysuckle, wild rose, black raspberry, et al is overgrown. Into the trees. On the fence, etc. across the back of our yard. Its going to take a lot of work to knock it back. *sigh*
Well, if the honeysuckle tastes good at least that is something!
~Kathie
Comments (8)
Hi! Thanks for visiting and your recent comments. I’ve posted so little lately. Life just gets busy and I get guarded sometimes.
And your above ^ motivation…I’ve been contemplating if I might could do a few “herbs” myself (this would be a from-scratch attempt, I must research…)
The “someone” in my post referred to my Gracie Girl (daughter) who might have been displaced by a close friend’s things. When our kid’s ache, so do we…part of life. It just seems when it’s my kids, I have such a stronger need to fix the pain when sometimes all I can do is feel it with them and comfort.
My WonderBoy is on his “coming of age” solo trip backpacking the Colorado Wilderness. No cell-phone coverage! EEECH!!!
Sorry your “herb search” went bust! Can’t wait to eat some of the bounty
lol
xxoo Kip
You sure are still busy!!
It’s so great to hear from you again. I haven’t seen you around in a long while.
I appreciate your offer of plants if/when I get some place!! I’m sure I’m gonna need all the help I can get when it comes to plants!! I love all the colors and watching everything grow, but I’m not really that good at gardening and stuff!! Oh well…I know what I like, so I buy it, put it in, and hope that everything goes good from there!!
Seriously though, thanks for the offer and I’ll keep you posted on what’s happening! Love ya and miss ya lots!!!
Oy. That is frustrating!
I love your blog! I’m off to read more! Thanks for visiting my site.
Wow, I got lost over at the herb edible/medicinal site for about an hour. I’m glad there is an additional use for my Japanese honeysuckle when I trim it back.