Thyme for Herbs

Burpee Lavender Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:21:00 +0000

It's been quite some time since I ran a giveaway, and at least three years since I've worked with Burpee. Recently I was browsing through their online catalog, when I discovered something I had not noticed before! Burpee sells ready to plant vegetables, herbs, and perennials. I had always thought of them as a seed company and garden supplier. How had I missed this?

After contacting Burpee, we agreed to a test run of lavender, my all-time favorite herb and then a giveaway of 6, yes SIX, Provence Blue Lavender plants to my readers. My package arrived within a few days, in a nice sturdy box.

Looking inside I saw what care was taken to protect the plants during shipping. These plants would not move, even if the box was turned upside down. As a matter of fact, it was a little struggle to get them out.

Look at how healthy these are. The leaves are soft, fresh, and fragrant. I guess I was expecting little twigs bubble-wrapped in a mailing envelope. I should have known better. Everything about Burpee is quality.

If this looks good to you, and you want to give Burpee your own test run on perennials, sign up now to win one lavender plant.

Hrre's how to enter:

If you subscribe in more than one way, leave a separate comment for each.
1. Leave a comment after visiting the Burpee.com web site about your favorite perennial..
2. For a second chance to win, sign up as an e-mail subscriber (see sidebar.)
3. For a third chance to win, blog, Tweet, or Facebook about this contest showing your link here.
4. For a 4th chance to win subscribe to my twitter account @daylilythyme.

Good Luck!!
Open to US residents only, 18+.
Winners will be chosen by random.org.
Email addresses will not be shared with any third parties.
This Giveaway ends Saturday, May 25th at midnight ET.

Burpee provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose; nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at
An Herbal Bedfellow
and my restaurant reviews at
Grabbin' A Bite

Square Foot Gardening with Strawberries

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sun, 05 May 2013 12:52:00 +0000

We're beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel with the spring garden cleanup; though, there are always a few leaves that insist on hanging onto their branches throughout the winter only to fall after we have raked and cleaned the gardens, causing me much frustration. Regardless, it was a good day to add to our Square Foot Gardening Project.

Instead of building two new squares with lumber and nails, we decided to purchase these eco-friendly raised beds from Home Depot. They were on sale and turned out to be much cheaper than buying wood. Not only that, but they offered free shipping over a certain dollar amount when pruchased online, so they were delivered right to our door. (This is not a paid advertisement for Home Depot. As a matter of fact the price we paid was only offered for a short time, so I won't mention it here.) And they were very easy to assemble, so my husband tells me.
These two lovely beds will be for our strawberries. We purchased Junebearing varieties because it is safer with our climate. One box will hold All Star and the other box will hold Honeoye. Both plants claim to have large, juicy fruit, good for freezing.
Now for the long wait. I won't see any berries until June of 2014! My patience will surely be tested, but I'm sure the wait will be worth it. And my Square Foot Garden experiment will have one more notch in it's belt, with the addition of strawberries.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Arbor Day, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:12:00 +0000

It's not going to be an exceptional Arbor Day in Michigan this year. I usually look forward to the blooming trees and bushes, the faint glow of green as the buds on the trees start to form, and just looking at the sky with the tree branches making spider web patterns overhead. But today the sky is gray, once again. The flood waters are receding so road travel is good, but seeing all of the trees that have fallen over because of high water is devastating. Luckily, I didn't have to suffer the consequences; we are in an elevated area that is well away from the river and many lakes.
It's not a good time to plants trees today, here, but as soon as the earth dries out and the sun begins to shine regularly again, we will be planting more apple trees for our small orchard, and adding a few more maples to our woods. I'm looking forward to walking nature trails and other wooded areas.
In a another month Michigan will be a glorious green again and we can thank our tree friends for their participation in our color palette. Michiganders take nature pretty seriously. As a matter of fact, The Conservation District's motto is, Your Land, Your Water, Your Michigan. This motto should apply to any state. We need to take pride and ownership in our surrounding landscapes and feel blessed with all we have been given.
Don't forget to check out your local Conservation District for tree and wildflower sales; they usually have great prices -- especially on or near Arbor day.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Garden Books on a Rainy Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:43:00 +0000

It's still raining here. We've had continual floods and yesterday a light dusting of snow. Spring is very, very late! So I've been browsing Amazon for some garden books to, hopefully, give me some kind of gardening experience through reading. I thought I would pass along the four that most interested me.

The first book I came across was Your Backyard Herbal Garden, a guide to over 50 herbs plus how to use them in cooking, crafts, companion planting, and more. I can always learn something new in this area. I have been planting and using herbs for about 35 years and there is always something else to learn. Herbs are simply amazing!

The second book that interested me was Lasgana Gardening. Well, who could go wrong with a title like that? But I was immediately drawn to the subtitle -- No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding. This book is all about layering for a little-to-no work garden. Is that possible? I'm not sure. I'll have to look into it.

Great Garden Companions is a book about how to plant a pest-free, disease free garden by using certain flowers and herbs among your vegetables. Nature has a great plan so you can avoid chemicals, and the author, Sally Jean Cunningham, is eager to teach us all about it.

Vertical Gardening is something I began to look into last year. We planted tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans, and squash vertically. Some worked and others did not. I need to find out what I did wrong.

Some of these books are available on Kindle through Amazon and Android epubs are available through other Internet sites like Kobo.com or ebooks.com.

Sitting back in my easy chair, browsing garden books is almost as good as being outside in the sunshine and dirt. Well, not really, but it's all I've got for now.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Earth Day 2013, and How We Can Do Our Part

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:44:00 +0000

Once again it's time to take a look at how we treat our Earth, our planet. It's Earth Day, 2013. Did you get that? OUR Planet. We didn't just end up here willy-nilly. It was given to us to use, but to use wisely, so it will last for generations to come. Just as I tend my garden so that it will flourish this year and the next, we must tend the Earth.

When I was a younger woman, I remember making jokes about our parents and grandparents and how they saved string, plastic bags, and newspapers for future use. They had gone through the Great Depression and they knew what it was like to go without. Now I have become them. Each year, I gently expand my thinking into how to recycle. We didn't go about it in one fell swoop. It was too difficult to change our wasteful way of life overnight. This past year, I became just like the grandparents I made fun of in the past. We started saving bread bags so we don't need to many Baggies, we store extra food in reusable containers whenever possible, and now use plastic grocery bags for all kinds of things, so we don't have so many to get rid of. We use cloth bags for the grocery store. I have a favorite pre-mixed soup I like for a quick lunch. It comes in a Styrofoam container; I now wash that container out and use it to plant seeds in my indoor greenhouse. I save milk containers to use as covers for my vegetable plants to protect them from late frosts. Leftover Popsicle sticks work great as plant markers.

Last year we had several pieces of old fencing left behind by a previous owner. I took one look at them and decided they were not going to the dump. They made great uprights for climbing vegetables. Instead of throwing out or burning an old ladder, we decided it would be perfect for a clematis vine to climb on. These are some of things you can try if you are aware of looking for them. It takes just a small change in old habits and soon you are looking for things to recycle and feeling good about yourself for doing it.

Begin today, Earth Day 2013, and start to change your ways; take care of our Planet. She's been doing a pretty good job so far of taking care of you!

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Deer in my Backyard

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Aren't they adorable? There is a herd of deer that usually stay in the wooded area but these two were caught red-handed in my backyard. I love looking at their serene faces and the gentle way they graze, BUT this area that they are in is where the newly planned garden will be turned over as soon as the weather breaks.

Bad habits are hard to break so I suspect a lot of trouble this summer. Hmmmm. I have my ways which are not harmful to the deer, they might just wish they had picked on someone else before the summer is over!

But just look at those faces! Isn't the little one sweet? I might be a little more gentle than I at first thought.
Do you think deer are trouble or fun to watch or both?

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Omar Khayyam and Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:59:00 +0000

It's the first day of April, April Fool's Day, and I certainly did feel fooled when I woke up. After a fairly nice Easter weekend, we had a cold snap, and now there is a light dusting of snow on the ground. This poem by Omar Khayyam made me feel a little better. I hope it boosts your springtime spirits, too.

"Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring
The Winter Garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To fly--and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing."
- Omar Khayyám

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Indoor Greenhouse and Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:50:00 +0000

I'm trying something new once again. It's a small greenhouse that I can use indoors to start seeds and then move outside the first thing in the spring to give my plants some extra warmth. I found this at my local farm store for only $34.99. The posts and shelving is metal but the side supports are PVC. It's 6 feet tall at the peak and about 3 feet deep. I can't walk into it like you would a full-sized greenhouse but it's just perfect for seedling trays. Hopefully, when it is outside I can use it to protect my potted plants when we get, and we will, those unexpected freezes and frosts. I'm not sure how long this will last; the plastic seems pretty thick though. And it has to be put away each winter; that could be a pain. There were larger, more expensive models, but I was afraid to try them until I saw the quality and how it weathers the wind and rain. I'm sure we'll have to stake it down, or it could take off like Mary Poppins' umbrella!

And while we were at the farm store, I couldn't resist something else I have wanted for this new northern garden -- raspberry and blackberry canes. And with a new raised box for some strawberries being built this spring, I should have all of my garden plans complete. Well -- maybe. There's that area along the garage that needs to be planted, and then the side of the storage shed that should really have a few clematis trellises and the strip along the driveway for more daylilies and the wildflower seeds to plant and the woodland plants to plant and, oh yes, I could use two more apple trees and two peach trees and ............. well, you get the picture.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Deer Chasers

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:04:00 +0000

I said Deer Chasers, not Beer Chasers. What were you thinking?

It's almost gardening time now, but you'd never know it by looking outside, here in Michigan, where it is now officially Spring but only 19 degrees.. We had a very mild winter with almost no snow until February. And then it seemed like the old-fashioned winters of my youth. Never ending cold and snow.

Last year at this time we were hitting records temps of 70-84 degrees. All of the neighbors were outside cleaning up their yards and preparing gardens for the soon-to-come planting time. We should have known better. What were we thinking? Mother Nature had a good laugh with her one-two punch of freezing rain, thaw, freezing rain, thaw. It played havoc with the gardens and blooming trees that were also lulled into thinking their time to preform was here.
Instead of an early blooming spring, the entire state's fruit crop ( mostly the apples) was destroyed. My daylilies took it hard, too. They had started to rise to the occasion and then their tender new leaves were turned to mush.

Okay, I see now there is a bigger picture. Take our time. Let the plants remain dormant for a while longer and then maybe we won't have a killing frost. So in the meantime, to stem some of my cabin fever, I have started some seedlings indoors, one of which are marigolds, my buddies, my deer chasers. I will edge the daylily garden as much as possible with these pretty little plants. Deer can't stand the smell of them. Last year I managed to keep them out of my garden with only 8 plants. This year for extra protection, I will edge the whole garden with them - I'm hoping for 30 plants -- I now have 50 sprouts. Yesterday I saw a herd of 10 running through my woods right at the edge of the yard. I love watching deer, just not in my daylilies and vegetables. Luckily they leave the herbs alone.( another good deer chaser)
As soon as the marigolds are big enough and the weather cooperates, out they go. Chase away, my little pretties, chase away!

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Happy St. Patrick's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:09:00 +0000

Whether you're Irish or not, it's just a fun day. Make some Irish stew, decorate green cookies with the kids, and have a few laughs with family and friends.
This link is to one of my previous posts; one that generates many hits each year at this time. Of course, the vote /contest is long over. But you can still appreciate the Irish Sayings!

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Wildflower Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I've always wanted a wildflower garden like this. I've never had much luck sowing wildflower seeds, but I keep doing it anyway. I know the main reason I don't succeed -- you have to plant them in an area that is truly wild and then leave it alone. No fertilizer, let the rain take care of its moisture needs after the initial planting, and then for heavens' sake, don't mow it! That is the big culprit. Sometimes there is miscommunication between my husband, the mower, and me, the planter. It's also difficult to keep myself from pruning and organizing. If you want your wildflower area to look wild, then you have to allow the weeds to grow along with the flowers. In this way, it becomes a carefree garden. And, ecologically, it just makes sense.

Recent, I ordered a Midwest Wildflower mix from American Meadows. ( This is not a plug, just stating the facts.) It comes in a cute little burlap bag and claims to be 100% pure seed. I won't know that for sure, if I don't weed, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
My seed bag has such a large variety of seeds, I couldn't believe it. Some are annual, some biennial, and some perennial. Here's what was included:
cornflower
siberian wallflower
shasta daisy
coreopsis
lance-leaf coreopsis
cosmos
sulphur cosmos
sweet william
coneflower, purple
California poppy
blanketflower
inidan blanket
baby's breath
sunflower
dwarf candy tuft
scarlet flax
blue flax
lupine
lemon mint
baby blue eyes
evening primrose
shirley poppy
purple, prairie clover
mexican hat
prairie coneflower
clasping coneflower
gloriosa daisy
black-eyed susan

I am so ready for spring, it's unbelievable. I am as excited as a young girl dancing in puddles on the last day of school.. Yahoo!!!!

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

March -- Lion or Lamb?

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:59:00 +0000

I'm sure you've all heard the phrase if March comes in like a Lion it goes out like a Lamb. It's finally March 1st ! It's still early in the day, but I wonder what will it be today -- Lion or Lamb?
Just two days ago my backyard looked like this......

But since it is now March, I can officially dream about this ......

Flowers, flowers, and more flowers. I can't wait to go from white to green, from Lion to Lamb.

Our weatherman says it will be cold (only 28 degrees) but sunny and clear. Yesterday it was overcast but warmer (34 degrees) and thawing. Confusing. It's that time of year when Mother Nature can't seem to make up her mind. The good thing is, there is no turning back the clock. Spring always comes, and brings with it hope and excitement for another great gardening season.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Cafe Press Pine Ridge Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 14:51:00 +0000

Check out the widget in the right sidebar.
Pine Ridge Gardens is what I am calling my garden here at my new house. I have set up a store at
Cafe Press featuring some of my favorite garden and nature photos. They have great prices to start with and run awesome sales! So if you're into daylilies, herbs, or any other form of gardening or nature, you'll love this site. There's more to come, so check it out!

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Groundhog Day - I'm Waiting

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 12:55:00 +0000

I'm waiting. I'm holding my breath. What will the groundhog do? If he sees his shadow, he will run back in and there will be six more weeks of winter. That takes us to about March 16th. BUT if he does not see his shadow and stays outside, then it's only a month and a half until spring -- in other words March 16th! Hmmm, somethings wrong with this picture. I think we've been duped. Spring will come when spring comes, and not a moment sooner.
But I'm still waiting and hoping. I still believe in Santa Claus, and the Tooth Fairy, too.

UPDATE:
I knew it!!! he did not see his shadow -- it will be an early spring! Oh yea, of little faith.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Spring Garden Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:39:00 +0000

I know, I know, there's snow on the ground, the temperatures are below normal, and today we are getting an ice storm -- I so long for spring. Right now, the only thing saving my sanity is spring garden planning.
Luckily last year I kept good records, so now I can sit down with my graphs and lists and catalogs.

There will be quite a few changes with the square foot gardening vegetables. We can tell that we had way too many squash and zucchini, and not enough tomatoes and green peppers. I'm thinking of canning tomatoes this year so I'll need more than just enough to eat. If I'm real ambitious I'll actually make up spaghetti sauce and can that up, too. In order to grow enough for salsa, canned tomatoes, and spaghetti sauce, I'll need several varieties. I don't want them coming in all at the same time. I haven't yet decided on which ones we'll grow.

Our corn took up too much space for this small area, and didn't produce enough to mess with. Giving up the up will free up lots of squares for something else. We'll have to plant corn elsewhere.

It looks like I will be having more time for the garden this year, if all goes well. So I am also excited to start a new herb area. Last year the herbs were confined to the square foot sections. Since moving to this house, I have not had a chance to design a proper herb garden. I think I've got the area picked out, sunny with a little late afternoon shade. No need to bring in extra black dirt for this project, my herbs love their sandy, well-drained soil. This new area will house the medicinal herbs, but I will keep a few of the culinary herbs I cook with closer to the house in the square foot sections.

There's a lot to do and plan. January is almost over and spring will come sooner than you think. I'm so excited!
Have you started your spring garden planning? If so, let me know how it's coming.

"Come, gentle Spring! Ethereal Mildness! Come."
- James Thomson

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Are You A Prepper?

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 02:26:00 +0000

As I look back on the year, I see that I have become more of a prepper than I was before. Are you a prepper?
A few months ago I didn't even know what a prepper was, but I guess I have always been one. I believe in preparing for any type of upset in my routine. I always have a stock of food in case of a natural disaster. Am I a doomsday prepper? No, I believe in God. If the world comes to an end, I will be taken care of in a most Heavenly place, free from all worries and strife. BUT while I'm here on Earth, it doesn't hurt to think ahead and help take care of my family.
I have mentioned before that I have a generator with several cans of gas on the side. We use well water and when the electricity goes out there is no water. It happened a few too many times and we finally learned our lesson. We also have some large containers of water for flushing in case we run out of gas, and a case of bottled water for drinking.
Whenever I go to the store I often buy two or more of something if it is on sale. Yes, there is a stash of food in the basement, but we eat from it all year long and replenish when certain items get low. You never know when that blizzard will strike and leave us without something to eat. So far, you don't think of me as a fanatic, right?
Recently it dawned on me, that if there is a major power outage, all forms of making transactions will be down, no gas for the car because the tanks are computerized, debit and credit cards will not work, banks will have to close. I don't think grocery stores are set up to accept cash without giving receipts that deduct from their inventory automatically. The cash registers will not even open without electricity.
Snow is not my only enemy-- I also live near a large dam which produces current for all of Western Michigan. There are regular meetings for the residents to prepare for evacuation in case the dam breaks. Luckily, my house is high enough that I will never be flooded, but life as we know it now will be disrupted, much like what happened during Hurricane Sandy in the East.
Now, here comes the fanatic part... What happens if it takes a long time to get all of this sorted out or maybe there is a very serious terrorist attack? Have you thought about the fact that all shelves will be emptied in a matter of days or even hours if there's panic? That means my local farm store will no longer have seeds for my garden, so even if I wanted to grow my own vegetables, I couldn't.. I now keep a small back stock of seeds in the refrigerator, rotating them so they don't get old. But even if they are old, some of the seeds will always sprout. Isn't that what our fore-fathers did when they settled this great country? They prepared for the future as they traveled West looking for a new life, always looking ahead. I don't know about you, but being a prepper, on even a small scale, makes me feel safer and more secure.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Diane Kidman's Latest Herb Book

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 15:43:00 +0000

Have you noticed the new link in the sidebar?
Diane Kidman came out with Nature to the Rescue! How to Build Your Own First Aid Kit recently, just in time for your Christmas gift money spending. In my opinion one of the most important books she has written.
One of the reasons I started to grow herbs was because I had been to an herb farm, and on that day I had a migraine, and trying to act as though nothing was bothering me I'm sure I looked green around the gills. I wasn't attracted to the dry-looking plants surrounded by mulch, on that very hot day, at all. But suddenly my ears perked up when I heard a mention of feverfew and how it could stop a migraine. The guide of our group said that since it was the end of the season, we could pluck any leaves we wished. Feverfew, she explained could be chewed or brewed into a tea, but it was quite bitter. Willing to try anything, I promptly plucked a leaf and tucked it into my jeans pocket. When I got back to the hotel, I chewed on it as long as I could stand to have that bitter taste in my mouth, then I closed my eyes for a short nap. When I woke up, there was no sign of a headache. Gone! I have used it many times over the years and always with the same desired effect.
That began my journey and fascination with herbs. As my daughters grew to womanhood, they both began to grow herbs in their own gardens, but Diane took her love of herbs to a whole new level. She studied all facets of them, and became a certified herbologist She is able to find them growing wild in the yard or deep in the woods, and she has a lot of knowledge on what to do with them. She loves sharing everything she knows.
I think you will find her newest book fascinating. It will also give you a sense of peace about how to take care of your family if you are not able to get some common over-the-counter medications. And isn't it better to go natural whenever possible?
If you received a new Kindle for Christmas or a gift card to Amazon, you won't regret spending some of your money on Nature to the Rescue.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Mayan Calendar -- We're Alive!

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:03:00 +0000

Woohoo! We're alive. I guess the Mayans just got tired of working on their calendar. Now I can breathe again. My herb and vegetable gardens will be there in the spring and needing my attention. My daylilies babies will be waiting for me, too. Good to know. The world is not done with us yet! I feel at peace. Now I can move forward to Christmas. What a relief!!!

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Herb Book Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:43:00 +0000

Yes, I have a winner of the Diane Kidman Book giveaway. Laura Pelkey from Connecticut was the lucky winner, randomly selected. Congratulations Laura, your books are on their way.

Watch for the new Diane Kidman book, arriving on the scene in December.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Diane Kidman Herb Book Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:05:00 +0000

My Herb Garden -- 2008

You might have noticed the Amazon buttons in the sidebar for five Diane Kidman books. It's now time to come clean. Diane Kidman is my daughter and I am very proud of her. Diane studied herbalism with the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, and she loves nothing better than teaching others how to grow and use herbs for everyday purposes.

Diane's Amazon Kindle and paperback best sellers include:
Herbs Gone Wild! Ancient Remedies Turned Loose
Beauty Gone Wild! Herbal Remedies for Gorgeous Skin & Hair
Hair Gone Wild! Recipes & Remedies for Natural Tresses
Teas for Life: 101 Herbal Teas for Greater Health
Smoothie Power! Recipes for Weight Loss, Vitality & the Occasional Superpower

If you have often thought about starting to use those herbs that you grow for more than flavoring your favorite dishes; if you have often thought about learning to be more pro-active and self-sufficient in the medicinal world; if you have often thought about using the wonderful bounty that is free for all of us right here on earth and probably in your own back yard, then these books could benefit you. And guess what? I am giving away two of my favorites. One lucky winner will receive paperback autographed copies of:
Herbs Gone Wild! Ancient Remedies Turned Loose,
Teas for Life,
and a lavender sachet.

There are 3 ways to enter -- do one or all! to enter. See how to do it here:

If you subscribe in more than one way, leave a separate comment for each.
1. Leave a comment about why you love herbs.
2. For a second chance to win, sign up as an e-mail subscriber or become a Google Follower (see sidebar.)
3. For a third chance to win, blog, Tweet, or Facebook about this contest with a link here.
4. For a fourth chance to win, visit dianekidman.com, then come back here and tell me something new you learned about herbs.

. If you're not a blogger, be sure to leave your contact e-mail address. If I don't have a way to reach you or you don't respond in three days, your name will be disqualified, and I will choose again, picking my favorite answer.
Good Luck!!
Open to continental US residents only, 18+.
Winners will be chosen by random.org.
Email addresses will not be shared with any third parties.
This Giveaway ends on Friday November 23rd, 2012 at midnight ET.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow
and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Veterans Day 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 12:11:00 +0000

My dad was a World War II hero. He served in three of the four major battles in Europe and received an individual bronze star for bravery plus many other ribbons.

My husband is a Vietnam Era Vet, he served in the Navy from 1966-1970. He had a top secret cryptographic clearance relaying important messages from Washington D.C. to Vietnam. He served in Taiwan and Iceland.

My brother was in the Air Force, serving in California, working on planes going to Viet Nam, and my brothers-in law were both in the Navy; one was a lifer, retiring after 20 years served.
.
My great great grandfather served in the Civil War and was also a hero. I found his story in a book.

I am in awe of the men in my life who have served to keep me free. My heart swells with pride. Thank you to all of our Vets, but especially my own!

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Preparing for Hurricane Sandy and Old Man Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:27:00 +0000

It's time to face it. It's truly the end of the season, and even worse -- Sandy is on it's way to the East Coast. The reality is, the gardening season is over and the winter is coming; there's no stopping it. So we took advantage of the warmer temps a few days ago and began putting away all of the outdoor garden objects that risk ruin if left out for the next few months. My husband drives his lawn tractor with a trailer behind and we go around the yard loading it up with all sorts of odds and ends -- clay pots, garden decor, and lawn furniture. They all must be packed away in a very tight space in our storage shed. It's a big job, and it seems to get more difficult each year.

Now, as we watch the weather reports with the rest of the country, we are also getting prepared to face some windy days which will reach as far as Michigan, 600 miles from the Eastern seaboard, coming from the "perfect storm." We quite often lose our electricity;. it doesn't take much for that to happen here. There are old wires running from the Croton Dam and lots of trees, which always seem to be crashing into them. In the year and a half we have lived here we have lost electricity on an average of once a month. So since we moved, we decided to be more proactive about taking care of ourselves. Hurricane Sandy just points out to us all, how we should always be prepared.
We now own a professional-sized generator which is wired directly to the house, we have 5 gas cans filled at all times, we have a stash of food in a room in the basement, we have two large water containers filled and ready for cooking or flushing if we should run out of gas for the generator, and several cases of bottled water for drinking. There is also a supply of pharmacy items. And we could never forget my darling dog, so we also have a large bag of dog food.
I have learned a lot about being self-sustained here in the north country. I think I'm ready for Hurricane Sandy and the winter to come. Are you?

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Coyotes in Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:38:00 +0000

Last night I had a new experience. Coyotes!.
I have heard a coyote call before, even two of them howling back and forth to each other. But last night at 10:00 p.m., when saying goodbye to our company, we heard a pack begin to call and yip in the woods behind our house. They seemed close but I am not sure how far their calls carry in the woods, so they may have been farther away than I thought; even so, it was loud and unsettling.
About a half hour later my husband took the dog out (always on a leash, just for this reason) and he quickly came back in to get me. The howling had begun once again, but this time they were calling to other packs. We could hear one pack n the woods across the highway which is only one street away. and the other pack was at the end of the cul-de-sac, a heavily wooded area also. We were surrounded by sounds of the wild. Multiple calling and yelping back and forth from all sides. It was absolutely amazing. Terrifying and thrilling at the same time.
These animals, though beautiful can be very destructive to small livestock, cats, and dogs. But for the most part they keep the rodent and rabbit population under control and feast on carrion, therefore cleaning the environment.
I'll keep a healthy respect for my coyote neighbors, and will always keep my sweet little shih tzu by my side on a leash at night, but I can't wait to hear their wild night calls once again.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

The Leaves Are Changing Early

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 21:15:00 +0000

The Leaves are turning colors early this year. We've had beautiful sunny days and cold nights lately. That's a sure recipe for colored leaves. Yesterday my husband and I went to one of our favorite places to picnic. We sat at a picnic table along the edge of the pond at Hardy Dam in Newaygo County. We enjoyed watching the boats and just smelling the fresh pine air. It was a very relaxing few hours. Nice!
I just want to soak it all up before Old Man Winter rears his head.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite

Overwintering Rosemary and Geraniums

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Marie) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Each Fall I decide I am going to overwinter some plants, but each year I get caught with an early freeze and lose them before I have a chance to bring them indoors. This year I was able to beat the weather and attend to my rosemary and geraniums before the frost.

I've tried often to continue growing rosemary indoors but I just couldn't keep it going. Rosemary is fussy. It doesn't like to be overwatered but it does need quite a bit of humidity in a dry house which is heated with a furnace throughout the winter. In this house I have a walkout basement and the lower level is not heated; but the temperatures stays at 58 degrees all winter long. It has proven to be the perfect location for my plants. I was able to keep my Boston fern going all last year and through the summer. It is huge now. So I am hoping for the same results with the rosemary plant.

I heard there was a frost warning last week, so I quickly dug it up and potted it. I left it in the pot throughout the day under the deck and then brought it in in the evening. I immediately watered it well and misted it thoroughly. The next day it seemed a little dry so I misted again. So far it looks really nice, but it is a long season and I'll have to keep a close eye on it.

The geraniums are handled quite differently. I have previously tried to save the whole plant indoors, but again, no success. So I am trying something more drastic. Again I was able to get to them before the frost. They were still blooming so this part was difficult for me. I pulled them from their pots, washed off the dirt from the roots really well. I left them outside for a few hours to dry off a little, bare roots exposed. then I cut them back to about half. Left behind, on the ground were the beautiful pink blooms -- so sad! Then I brought them inside, tied them with string and hung them upside down in the basement. They need a semi dark place, and they also need to be allowed to dry out. When you noticed they might be shriveling, mist real well and let dry again. Continue this cycle, watching them all winter long and you might be able to re-pot outside and start fresh next spring. I might seem quite fussy, but it will save a few dollars in the spring.

You might also like to visit my cooking blogs at An Herbal Bedfellow and my restaurant reviews at Grabbin' A Bite