The Mint Needle

 Indulging in blueberries. That's what we're doing. I passed a local farm yesterday & saw a sign that said, "You Pick Blueberries". I thought, "How wonderful...we gotta take the kids!"  A call to my sister went out & before I knew it, all eight of us were outside picking & enjoying the sunshine. The best part: no pesticides & no fertilizers! We were able to eat them right away! After 3.30 pounds of blueberries, some sweet corn & a candy onion.....my sister went home to make her amazing blueberry syrup & I gave a shot at making blueberry jam. Take a look! I used Pomona's Pectin. Before you get started, mix 1/2 cup of water with your white calcium powder. You can store it in a jar in the fridge for months. You need this to activate  your pectin. (It comes in your pectin kit.) Mash 4 cups of washed blueberries. Add 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice & 2 teaspoons of...

 Living in the country is pretty special. Pace is slower, days are longer, & we get the perks of wild berry bushes! These blackberries are much smaller than the agricultural crop we're used to seeing at super markets. But....they are soooo much more sweeter! Every year we pick these, (for the limited time that they're available), & I make my homemade syrup. You can spot them at farmers markets & sometimes, you can even find a place that allows you to pick them:) 3 cups washed wild blackberries 2 1/2  cups sugar 1 1/2 cups water Combine your 3 ingredients & cook on a medium to low flame for about an hour. (For me, it came to about 50 minutes.) It's ready the moment your syrup starts to boil over and get this glossy bubble appearance like a gem:) Jar it immediately or after it cools down.  Regarding shelf life... well, it's best if used within 12 months, but I guarantee... you'll eat th...

Hey veggie eaters! I got something sooo delicious you'll want to try. The heat is on & what better way to cool down than with a light & airy salad? You'll need: a couple tomatoes, an onion, a couple radishes, feta cheese, fresh basil, a lemon (optional), olive oil, & salt. Start by slicing your tomatoes. Layer them first on your plate. Continue with sliced radishes on top. Next, add chopped onions, then feta cheese. Add finely chopped basil. You can lightly add the zest of a lemon on top to make it fresh. Salt & add olive oil as desired. We love this salad. It's one of those fast, yummy treats packed with color & taste. And..... you get something even greater out of it. A great sandwich! It's perfect for lunch. Vegetarians can totally enjoy this flavorful treat by placing it in pita bread. All I did was cut one pita & fold the halves within each other. Ya know, to soak up all those great juices! Let's see what we get out...

I continue my love o'lavender with our take on scones. The Internet is packed with lavender scone recipes. (Obviously you know that.) Some recipes have oats while others have walnuts. Some require buttermilk while others milk. All I wanted to make was a 'plain lavender scone'. So....after becoming overwhelmed, I decided to take my own whirl at this. The ingredients are basic. I admit this is a sweet scone & could even pass for a great cookie recipe if they're rolled thinner. 2 cups of flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 stick of salted butter 1 egg 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 5 Tbsp. honey 1 Tbsp. fresh lavender buds (I wouldn't use more or the flavor will become overpowering)  Combine all your ingredients. Roll the dough to 1/2 an inch or thicker. Cut your shapes & place them on a floured or non-stick baking pan. Bake at 400 for 12-15minutes. That's all! These tasty & flavorful treats are a must. They pair great w...

I can't believe it's already time to harvest our lavender! Lavender is one of the most pleasant smelling perennials in existence. From the mint family, this amazing plant is mostly used for essential oils or cooking. But...did you know that it has disinfecting abilities? Did you know that Lavender honey is considered a 'premium' product? Did you know that lavender repels insects? Or that it heals acne? It is soo great! And that is why we planted it in our yard years ago. Now, those of you that visit my Etsy shop know I also use our homegrown Lavender for drawer sachets. I'm proud to say that no fertilizers or pesticides are used in our garden EVER! And that is why, I can honestly dry them & place the buds in foods, sugar, and cotton sachets for our clothing drawers. It's because it's just natural & clean. So today I start my love o'lavender by sharing my drying techniques as well as making Lavender sugar:) I tie my lav...

  I have something so great I want to share with all of you. It's my hanging basket! I am blown away by this delightful & divine perennial. My sister & I stumbled across this amazing plant at our local garden center about a month ago. We decided that each of us had to go home with one. As we carried our huge, over sized baskets to the checkout, a sales clerk asked if we had any questions regarding the plants. We turned to each other & shrugged our shoulders. Neither of us had a clue as to what they were in the first place. We just knew we wanted one in our yards. The women saw we had no idea & told us about this really neat flower. The name is Parrot's Beak Lotus & let me tell you, it is gorgeous! Packed with a silvery foliage, it survives as a perennial only in the warmer climates. (So...here in Ohio, I'm going to bring it indoors over the winter to see if it will survive.) Even though it's considered a g...

Hey readers! Remember those New Year's resolutions I had? Well, it turns out I've finally made those hot pants. Today, I share with you my colorful, new shorts & the interesting way I came to create them. I started off by meddling through layers of fabric until I found the perfect, lightweight cotton print. Originally, I was going to do a plaid, but who wants that? I could've just taken a pair of men's boxers & worn them. Right? So I opted to go for an unusual print. It had to be something fun & colorful that I couldn't find at a clothing store. Take a look at my choice: "Jomo Dot" The Alexander Henry Fabrics Collection Now, I know the next steps sound a little off kilt, but overall this is what I did. I mentally cut my body in half - from the front and from the side. I measured from below my belly button to the outside of my hip. Next, I measured from in between my legs, where the shorts would fall, to the outside of my thig...