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!