04-19-09

I can't remember if I told you that my Dad died on Feb. 28th and I have been busy as Power of Attorney for my mother settling his estate. It's been a busy couple of months here.

On the other hand, we have started our garden plants. Inside and outside. Peas are in and zucchini are planted in the outside beds.  These beds are set up like mini hoop houses. We place cake pans and/or roaster pans of hot coals from the wood fire under the plastic at night to keep the temperature above freezing. We really don't trust the weatherman. We are at a higher altitude and are colder than the reporting city. We have cucumber sets in the greenhouse and the flowers are doing nicely.

I am enlarging the herb bed this year and putting in more dill, parsley and thyme and oregano. They make such wonderful herbal mixes for the winter soups and stews.

I have a new tea mix that I have used this winter.  A friend passed it on...As the summer progresses, dry and add herbal leaves and flowers to a gallon jar. Some of the ones I use are lemon balm, bee balm, sage, thyme, clover blossoms, red and black raspberry leaves, burdock leaf, dried lemon and orange peel, hibiscus flowers, pansy flowers, rose petals, rose hips, elderberry flowers, lavender flowers, mint leaves, watercress, and any other tea leaf that comes to your mind. I use a 1/2 cup stainless steel teaball to hold the dried mixture and put it into a 4 cup teapot. Add boiling water and steep. This tea tastes different every time you make it. It's a wonderful surprise.  I use honey for sweetener when I need it.

You can share this with your readers. I will try to write more often.