Here's Whats Bloomin This Week

Here's what's bloomin in my garden this week.    I've been watering every day, it's hot and dry here in Central PA.   I'm posting this mosaic  as part of Mary's Mosaic Monday....check out her blog for more wonderful mosaics. 

Monarda

One of my favorite garden flowers this time of year is monarda (didyma) or as it is commonly called in Central Pennsylvania, Bee Balm. The plant is very fragrant, but not in a floral kind of way… it attracts hummingbirds. Another common name for this species is Oswego tea. The Oswego Indians introduced it to our colonists and was used as a tea following the scarcity of English tea after the Boston tea party in 1773.

My favorite way to use it is as a cut flower. It blooms from now till mid July…grouped with larkspur and baby’s breath it makes a great patriotic arrangement on your 4th of July picnic table!

It's Time for Tea

The spearmint that I use when making tea is out there multiplying in my garden as I write this. If you have any mints in your garden you will understand completely. The plants in the mint family spread by their roots and they can easily take over a bed if you are not careful. I liberally pull mint every summer.... chocolate mint, spearmint, peppermint, applemint and orange mint. My favorite to use in tea is spearmint. Sometimes I use the chocolate mint in fruit salad and the rest of it just grows and spreads. Mints tolerate shade... they make a lovely addition to a summer picnic as a centerpiece that can be added to your ice tea or lemonade as a garnish.

When I make garden tea I mix up a gallon container because it goes fast at our house. I use 3 family sized tea bags and a handfull of mint. I boil about 2 cups of water and then remove it from the stove and add the tea bags and the mint (wash it off first) I also add about a cup of sugar (we like it sweet) and let it steep for about 5 minutes then remove everything from the water and add the tea mixture to a gallon container along with ice and water till the pitcher is full. Refrigerate and serve.

What is your favorite mint and how do you use it?

All Packed and Ready to Go

Wow! What a month!!! In the last few weeks Molly graduated from college, I hosted a party for about 40 friends and relatives to congratulate her and say good bye as she has chosen to follow her heart to California. We moved all her stuff out of the apartment she has lived in for the past 2 years (I’m still trying to figure out where to go with it all) and yesterday I took her to the airport and said goodbye.

Although we raise our children to be capable, independent people and we want them to experience life and all that it has to offer….only a mother can feel the pain that I am feeling in my heart. I’m sure that I will get used to this and it will all work out in the end. And on the bright side, it’s not like I put her on a covered wagon and will never see her again. However, she is the first person I think of when I want to go shopping or to a movie, etc. so although she says “We’ll skype”, I’m going to be missing her a lot!

Love you and Miss you Molly….See you at Christmas!

My First Pedicure

Today was my first ever pedicure....these are not my feet, but mine look almost as pretty! I took the day off work to spend with Molly and one of the things she wanted to do before she went to California was get a manicure, so I signed up for my first-ever pedicure.

I have mixed emotions about the pedicure experience. The woman who did it barely spoke English so every time she spoke to me I had to have her repeat it.... I think she may have gotten a little carried away with the cheese grater thingy that they use to remove the dead skin. My left foot feels like she went down to the nerve endings! Also, my chair didn't vibrate which I think may have taken my mind off the cheese grater thing had it been vibrating... and one more thing... I think my feet may be more sensitive than the other ladies having theirs done at the same time as me because when she scrubbed the bottom of my foot I really had to fight my instinct to kick her..... everyone else seemed to be enjoying their pedicure.

On the bright side....my feet look great and I hope to remember to take much better care of them this summer season!

Graduation/Farewell Party

This weekend we had a graduation and farewell party for Molly. She graduated from college last week and two weeks from Monday she will hop on a plane and move to the Los Angeles area. She is excited and happy to be starting a new adventure in her life. I'm happy for her to be able to experience the city and all the advantages that it has to offer. She will be living with her boyfriend Matt, who we also like....and I think may even be able to handle her!

But it will be bittersweet.... I'll miss her alot and the fun that we have together. We both love to shop and go to the movies and I enjoy hanging out with her. How could you not love this face!

We entertained about forty family and friends Saturday night and the rain that was threatening most of the day more or less held off till most had left. Molly and I made about 8 varieties of cupcakes.

Some of her friends from school came to say their goodbyes.

We all had a good time!

Graduation Day

After four years of writing those tuition checks, graduation day has finally arrived. It was a picture perfect day for Commencement and the festivities of the day. Al, my 90 year old mother and I made a day of it leaving here before 9 am and not getting home until 7:30 p.m. We went to baccalaureate, had lunch, a photo shoot at her sorority house, commencement and dinner. Susquehanna catered to the elderly and disabled and that made it easy to do with my mother.

Molly actually finished her classes back in December and was hired the beginning of January at Susquehanna where she went to college. She has been working as an Admission's counselor for the past 5 months and enjoying the work there....and in particular, the money that she made while working there.

In two weeks Molly will quit her job at the university and move to the West coast where she will begin a new adventure in her life.

The photo includes the Kappa Delta senior sorority sisters, her pledge class (holding flowers), her roommates (Steph and Nate), her parents, and one with the president of the college.

The Help

Once a month, Monday night is book club.... we read the book "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it as a great read to anyone. It is set in the South in 1962, during my lifetime. I didn't realize what a secluded life I have lived north of the Mason Dixon line. I sure missed out on a lot of life and current events during that time.

Next month we will be reading "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society". We will be discussing "The Help" Monday night at 7 pm at the MACC. So if you have read the book, join us for a discussion.

Community Yard Sales!

This past weekend our town had its annual Community Yard Sales. I really should have been getting rid of stuff, the attic and basement are full.... so full that when Molly decided to move across the country we had to rent a storage unit to store her stuff. We did spend about an hour in the attic on Sunday and got rid of some stuff...and almost have a plan for up there. And I'm not taking another thing to the attic or basement until I get rid of stuff!!!

In the meantime, I have plans for everything I bought at the yard sales this weekend. The pastel rug was $5, I can use it in almost any room in my house....I couldn't resist. The pot I am already using on my front porch and the cute little, white child's chair.... well..... I pulled off the contact paper and am using it on my front porch as a plant stand, but I may just clean it up, paint it and use it somewhere else. I bought a cook book and several plants also.

I spent the rest of the day scrubbing the front and back porch and bringing out some large plants that were in the house all winter. My porch is ready to sit on to watch the baseball games across the street all summer!

Happy May Day

Yesterday was May Day... Several years ago I made "may baskets" out of some wooden edging. I put a plastic cup inside the container and add flowers. I have given out quite a few of them throughout the years and every year I remember to make one for myself to hang on my door or gate.

This is this year's May basket. Hopefully next year I will plan ahead and spread some May Day cheer to a few more friends.