HerbnArts

     ...The little kid in me still picks up stuff I find on the ground wherever I go.  This summer I have discovered pennies and nickels, lots of interesting rocks and stones, bits of wood, feathers, and scraps of fabric.  Occasionally I find bits of pieces of jewelry and worn pieces of glass.  Sometimes rusted nuts and bolts find their way into my collection of discarded memorabilia.  Placing all these things together creates an interesting tapestry of how I spent my summer.  As a child I put my special treasures together in a memory box to help me to relive my summer exploits.  In the middle of the snowy winters I would pull out my summer treasure box and spend time with my memories of when I found each item.  Autumn is another season that provides copious treasures that find their way into my pockets.  Bounties of acorn caps testify that squirrels have been busy storing food for the coming cold months.  Even winter h...

       By the end of June the roadsides were becoming loaded with bright blue blossoms.  My grandmother always said that the blue flowers bloomed in July.  Chicory seems to be blooming early this year due to the hot, dry conditions here in Ohio.  Usually I have bee balm blooming in time for the Fourth of July, but not this year.  Their red flowers always look like a fireworks burst of color to me.  I should have planted daisies so that I could have a red, white and blue display in the garden.  Maybe next year!  But I certainly do have and abundance of blue with the excess of chicory everywhere.  Gardeners who plant in a clock fashion use chicory as it dependably blooms in the morning and closes its flowers later in the day.  Some of the old-fashioned uses for chicory is that of decorating salad, as it is edible.  The root has traditionally been used for a coffee substitute.  The lea...

    ...Summer has officially arrived.  It has been swelteringly hot, and the fans and air-conditioners have been running full tilt here in Ohio.  Thankfully we have had some rain, and a few passing storms that broke the heat.  Today is deliciously cooler with a stiff breeze that is keep the house comfortable without having to run the air-conditioner.  This comfort level prompts me to think about tea and treats in the garden.  One of my favorite pastimes is that of thumbing through my collection of herb gardening books.  As I looked through one of my books about tea I found a delightful recipe that is perfect for summertime treats.  I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds great, so I will share it with you.            GREEN TEA AND ROSE PETAL POPSICLES                      3 cups ...

    ...From fall-like cool temperatures to hot summer temperatures.  Welcome to summer in Ohio.  We aren't seeing much rain so far.  That's a good new/bad news scenario.  Good news for the art shows and all the festivals...bad news for the gardens and lawns.  Already the lawns are showing brown spots while the weeds are thriving.  It looks as though I will be watering the garden areas twice a day.  I don't water grass, so it will just have to turn brown.  At least I won't be mowing every time I turn around.      While watering some of my garden areas around the house I noticed that I have two evening primrose plants blooming their heads off in this heat.  Why they have chosen to grow in the gravel in the driveway rather than in the flower beds I will never understand.  But, there was a nice surprise for the day when I saw their cheery yellow blossoms beaming in th...

    ...For nearly two weeks the roses have been blooming here in Ohio.  That's a bit early for us, but then, the weather has been much milder than usual.  Roses like cool nights and sunny days, and that is what we have had until Memorial Day weekend.  It was hot and humid which caused my rambling roses to virtually explode into opening and then to be spent in nearly a day.  So, I have had to work fast at harvesting the blooms for the crafting projects that I have in mind.  Though my roses are producing quite a few flowers this year, it is not nearly enough for all the things I would like to do with them.  I may start visiting the neighbors to get a "cup of roses" from them.  I admit to being tempted to stop and harvest roses from the rambler growing wild on the property of a church building that is for sale.  Sounds like something my grandmother would do.  At any rate, the millefleurs are producing copious amounts of bloss...

    As my French lilacs began to bloom I took heart at the fact that they were blooming just in time for Mother's Day.  Both my mother and grandmother have been gone for many decades, but the memory of them is as fresh as if they were still here with me.  The heavy perfume of lilacs wafted through my open windows causing me to travel back in my mind to the fun times with both those truly amazing ladies.       Grandma was the gardener, so I certainly come by my green thumb honestly.  My dear mother could not grow anything to save her soul.  Every Mother's Day my father saw to it that I was able to buy a basket of pansies for my gift to Polly.  Mom always like the cheery little faces on those sweet blossoms.  She always made sure I was the one to plant them for her, knowing that her touch would be the kiss of death to anything green and living.  The joy of having little bouquets of pansies in jelly jar va...

     For everyone who could not make it to this year's Artists of the Rubber City Annual juried show, here is the piece I have in the show this year.  It is entitled, "Urban Window Dressing".  It has been a long time since showing any of my photo work, but it looks as though this will be a year of completion for much of my work.  With my job situation changing, I have had time to clear away the creative cobwebs in my brain, allowing me to actually create art, again.  Just finishing a piece is a major accomplishment for me.  But I seem to be on a roll, lately.  I have been working on two proposals for Summit ArtSpace for consideration in next year's exhibition slots.  You can't get in if you don't submit something.  I have been climbing out of a dark hole in my creative life, and it feels good to finally see the light of day.  I didn't win any prizes or get any big deal recognition other than acknowledgement fr...