Old Apple House in Autumn Seeping down from the cracks in the knotted ceiling, And lifting from the depths of the earthen floor, An oddly released and subtle scent comes stealing From the hoardings of many an autumn gone before. And now afresh the Pippins, Baldwins, and Russets Heaped high in bushel baskets add their scent To linger long in this ancient house long... Read More
For thousands of years humans spent their short-lived existence as hunters and gatherers. The ebb and flow of the seasons was their unwritten calendar. Large animals kept marching forward to greener “pastures.” So, we followed. Somewhere along this ancient timeline was a budding horticulturist with a curiosity of green growing things. Most likely what happened was they experienced tired feet and were really poor at... Read More
Initiated by the National Honey Board in 1989, The National Honey Month of September marks an important time for honey producers and beekeepers across the nation. In the United States, honey collection season typically concludes at this time of the year as bees begin to secure their hives and prepare for winter. In the spirit of celebration, here are a few fun, crazy facts you... Read More
Have you noticed? The morning air is growing cool and crisp. Touches of autumn are beginning to envelop the hot, sticky days of summer. Anticipation awaits the dawning of a new season and a certain bittersweet emotion of the sun sinking earlier upon the horizon. Thoughts of color fill the mind – the softening of summer’s riotous colors slowly fading into rich, jewel-tone hues –... Read More
LAVENDER GINGER LEMONADE Makes 6 servings Lavender Ginger Syrup (recipe follows) 4 cups water ½ cup fresh lemon juice Prepare the lavender syrup. In a 2 quart pitchwe4r, combine water, lemon juice and syrup. Add ice to the top and stir to chill (or serve in ice filled glasses). Lavender Ginger Syrup 1 cup sugar 4 ounces crystallized ginger chopped 2 tablespoons dried culinary... Read More
What does summer sound like? There is a definite sway and rhythmic beat to this sultry season. A simple arrangement of 8 notes has a magical quality of transporting one back to a time of endless days filled with youthful excitement and adventure. The melodies pouring through the airwaves evoke special memories. Was it a family road trip with everyone singing at the top of... Read More
Lavender is for lovers true, Which evermore be faine; Desiring always for to have Some pleasure for their paine: And when that they obtained have The love that they require, Then have they all their perfect joie, And quenched is the fire. By Clement Robinson Handefull of Pleasant Delites, 1584 Throughout the millennia this lovely fragrant, purple herb has captured the hearts of poets... Read More
Here’s a puzzler for you…puzzles! The origins of jigsaw puzzles go back to the 1760s when European mapmakers pasted maps onto wood and cut them into small pieces. John Spilsbury, an engraver and mapmaker, is credited with inventing the first jigsaw puzzle in 1767. The dissected map has been a successful educational toy ever since. American children still learn geography by playing with puzzle maps... Read More
OUR Nation is reverently thinking today Of the loved ones sleeping beneath the cold clay; Of the sacrifice made, and the brave deeds done, To preserve our Union as a glorious one. We ne’er will be able to pay the great cost Of the noble, the true, and the brave that we’ve lost; But over their graves, with tears like the dew, We’ll lay our... Read More
Memorial Day is right around the corner on the calendar. Most celebrate this 3 day weekend as the unofficial start of summer. Throughout the United States backyard barbeques abound. As the summer heat is turned up simple, cool dishes are served up on many family dinner tables. Interestingly enough, most perceive the colder the better to eat in summer, but in some countries the “hotter”... Read More
