HerbnArts

   ...Blue skies and warm breezes dominated the area as Barberton smiled and breathed a momentary sigh of relief from the wintry conditions that had zapped the county.  Snow flurries and icy roads had been the order of the day only a few days ago.  The temperature now was a balmy 57 degrees that melted all the remnants of snow and ice.  Only yesterday we had experienced freezing rain when the temperature hit 32 degrees.  Driving was treacherous in the morning.  Between all the city crews spreading salt on the roadways and the rising temperature, the roads became ice-free making the afternoon commute much easier to manage.  And now I am staring at the greenish grass that has been living under snow and ice.  It makes me want to garden.  What a cruel trick!  By the weekend we will repeat the snow and ice scenario.  I shouldn't complain.  Here in Barberton we have not been slammed with snow the way the Cleveland and eastern Oh...

   ...Like a dusting of powdered sugar, snow brightened an otherwise grey day as Christmas time rolled around.  Seemingly no one was ready for it to be Christmas.  Here in Ohio we seem to need snow for it to be time for the approaching holiday.  This year's weather was like no other year.  It was warm and there was no snow.  It's hard to have snow when it's 60 degrees.  But then we had few inches of snow. Ah, now the Christmas shopping could commence.  But that didn't last long.  The temperatures rose, the rain washed away the grungy-looking snow and holiday preparations were put on the back shelf once again.  This was one year that shopping on the internet was a plus.  Who had the energy or inclination to actually go shopping?  Usually I craft my gifts.  This year I was greatly uninspired. I need snow!  As I grow older I get more like my mother about holiday preparations.  She always said she could manage t...

   ...The hurricanes blew through both Texas and Florida leaving flood waters and the need to start again as cleaning up and starting over were the main activities in those and surrounding states. Those of us living in Ohio only suffered a small bit of rain and hot weather that we just are not used to experiencing. But fall and all the festivals has in spite of the unseasonal heat wave arrived. Cider is still being pressed, apple butter is cooking, and the hint of autumn is everywhere. The crunch of dried leaves on the ground is an early reminder that the trees are about to do their annual color display.  September is nearly finished and the hints of Halloween are creeping in.  Le Petit Jardin is still cranking out its herbal harvest.  I have managed a few herbal vinegars in this miserable heat. A friend's daughter-in-law allowed us to harvest her bounty of hydrangea blossoms. With enough flowers for at least three wreaths, I shall be making one of those wreaths...

   ...So, what did you do on the first day of summer?  I celebrated the day by hanging my wind chime.  I thought it would be the perfect act to kick off the summer, but that plan flopped miserably.  Who would have guessed it was going to turn cold with high winds strong enough to take down my ancient wind chime.  It is the last week in June and I am donning sweaters and jeans in order to stay comfortable in the 60 degree weather we are experiencing in Ohio.  In spite of that setback, I still prefer the cooler temperatures.  Le Petit Jardin must prefer it as well from the huge plants it seems to be producing this year.  I  need more larger-sized pot.  Everything is virtually crawling out of their pots in this cooler summer. No doubt it is due to the copious rains we have  experienced. There is nothing like rain water to make a garden grow...      Art season is upon us much faster than I can imagine this year. ...

     ...The French have word for it, il pleut.  It sounds much like one spitting out chewing gu, but that rather describes some rainy days. Reminiscent of the canals of Venice, the gutters and streets of Barberton are full of water racing to somewhere, but not fast enough to avoid creating small rivers and lakes all over town. At first, the kid in me wants to go outside to splash in all that liquid fun, but the I remember that I don't own any rubber boots. Note to self: must buy some Wellies.  Looking at all that water I realize that I have come into this wet season totally unprepared for the challenge of the slog.  Though I do have a couple of umbellas and a wonderful rain hat that makes me look like Wilson, the neighbor from Home Improvement who always stood behind his fence, I still have no proper slicker or boots.  One would think that as a gardener I would already have all the right gear for slogging around in the wet and the mud, but,alas, I do n...

HerbnArts: Le Petit Jardin :      ...April showers have proven to be the joke for the beginning of the month. One moment it is sunny and dry, the next there is a cloud b...

     ...April showers have proven to be the joke for the beginning of the month. One moment it is sunny and dry, the next there is a cloud burst that would make Noah' s knees knock together for fear of a reprise of the last big rain.  The great greening is underway here in Barberton.   All the dead winter grass is giving way to a fresher appearance as emerald green returns to local landscapes.  I have been inspecting Le Petit Jardin for signs of herb life.  So far my chives are perking up and the anise hyssop is in the lead as they get bigger by the day. Ever faithful thyme is filling out as it gains color.  The lavender is showing modest signs of life from its winter grey dry stick phase. Meanwhile, inside my kitchen my little seedlings are rapidly becoming plants that will soon be hearty enough to replant into their own pots. So far, I have fennel, marjoram,  chervil, and catnip starting up. I'm not sure why the lemon balm didn't make a go ...