HerbnArts

    ...It seemed that we here in Ohio were destined to be buried in giant mountains of snow until the 4th of July, but finally the snows melted.  The groundhog's curse was brutal, but we survived.  Digging out mentally was as tough as it was physically for most of us.  Picture, if you will, me after having cautiously come out of my cave of hibernation, sitting with a  hot mug of tea in my hands for about two months.  Dreams of little green pots of tender herbs were prominent in my fuzzy winter-worn mind.  As it began to warm up outside, I ventured out to inspect the garden areas around Johnson House.   The brave spring soldiers were poking their precious green tips through decayed leaf cover signaling that it was time to scrape the crud off the garden beds.  We both needed fresh warm air and sunlight.  There they were, lungwort and lily of the valley, faithful spring heralds springing forth to declare their victorious...

       ...Beams of wintery cold sunshine sneaked into my snowy cave of hibernation to disturb my naps.  The roller coaster ride of temperatures was wreaking havoc on  my body as Ohio experienced sub-zero torture one day and balmy 45 degree temperatures the next day.  Enticed by the sunshine, I stirred from my winter lethargy to peek out to check the temperature of the day only to find a note from "The Groundhog" tacked to my door.  "Don't bother getting up...no meld-down any time soon, love Phil."        As I sat drinking hot tea, trying to warm up enough to start my day, I began to have the first thoughts of little pots of herbs growing in my kitchen.  The only good news about the severe cold this winter is that we shouldn't be plagued by bugs in this year's gardens.  I was delighted to learn that the Herb of the Year  is Artemisia. The fond memory of growing several varieties ...

      ...The snow was swirling all around me as the winds kicked up.  It was barely a week away from Christmas and winter had set in for real.  The icy temperatures made the snow turn into twinkling diamonds being scattered across the landscape.  This has always been a time of reflection for me as the memories of my past Christmases visit me like the Christmas ghosts from the "The Christmas Carole" story.  The ghost of Christmas Past was always an easy one to visit.  My past Christmas memories are good ones.  It was a time in my life when I was surrounded with family.  There were many presents that came my way.  We all had a good time in each other's company and there was plenty of wonderful food to be shared. My father and uncles all went to the local turkey shoots to see if they could make sure everyone in the family had a turkey for their holiday table. My dad was the best shot of them all, which mad...

     ...As the years go by and the mile markers of age count up, it has occurred to me that on the inside I still feel as though I am in my thirties.  Is my inside self trying to tell me something about aging?  Thirty-something isn't so bad, especially when the outside self is counting more like sixty-something.  These days we are constantly hearing the recalculation of lifespan from the sixties to the eighties and nineties.  So, why not 120?  Sounds good to me! That would make yours truly middle-aged.  The old joke of, "If I'd known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself," isn't such a joke anymore.   So, by the time we count up to our sixties is it too late to change the count for the better?  I say not at all.  But it is time to change our evil ways of living.  How long have any of us been disrespecting our bodies?  If 120 is the goal, then it is time to age in re...

  ...Autumn  Zen time is setting in.  I found myself sitting outside contemplating the the foliage as it  turns vibrant shades of yellow and red.  The air has taken on that special spicy quality that only happens in the fall.  Looking over the yard and its perimeters, I noticed something more than just autumn leaves sprouting in colonies.  Colorful toadstools were erupting overnight with all the rain we received in the passed few days.  At first I thought the display to be miniature umbrellas placed thee as an outdoor festival for the fairies in the woods and garden.  After a few days of observation I was amazed at the size of these toadstools.  They had begun to take on the appearance of something from outer space.  Some of the largest ones measured approximately eight to ten inches across, and were roughly six to eight inches in height. A few of these monsters were big enough to pose as bi...

     ...There are just some things that are going to be maddening in life, and they are usually little stuff rather than world-shattering conundrums.  Point in case...opening a food package that is re-sealable.  Does anyone else need pliers to open the darn things, or is that just my ineptitude creating this problem?  I refer specifically to re-sealable cheese packages.  It's not that I don't appreciate the fact that the cheese is well-sealed, keeping it from drying out. Following the package opening instructions is simple enough, up to a point.  Once the special tear line has been properly torn away, that is when I run into problems.  There doesn't seem to be enough area for me to get a proper grip to be able to make the separation of the seal.  I have had to resort to using pliers to get a grip on the packaging to be able to actually open the cheese package.  I never fail to feel like an idiot whenever I attempt to open ...

   ...It is that time of year when the newest edition of the Farmer's Almanac hits the news stands.  One of my personal delights is to peruse the magazine for the weather prediction for the coming seasons.  I like to know what's coming and how I should prepare for the weather of the season.  Should I stock up on candles?  It helps both power shortages and to push away the gloom of overcast days with no bright sunlight during the winter months.  I already know that I should have plenty of Holy Basil on hand to help with SADD.  Another treat I enjoy from the almanac is the other articles of oddball information included  in the magazine.  One such item was an article about barn quilts written by Marti Attoun.  (reference, Harris Farmer's Almanac, 2014 edition.)  Always interested in quilts and quilting, I have long thought about finding a way to bring the subject and art of quilts to the public attention here in the Akron area....