Fruit

In The Pantry

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Galatians 5:22&23

Making a Lavender Wand

Joining Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for

Cottage Flora Thursday

This is a repost from a couple of years ago.

The Lavender is perfect for making wands right now,

and thought you might enjoy a refresher course!

~*~

I just love making things with lavender! The blissful aroma envelopes you as

you happily work at your project.

My lavender is just coming into bloom ~ the perfect time to harvest and use

in your crafting projects. I have two kinds of lavender ~ Royal Velvet which

is a dark purple flower and somewhat more compact plant. I have just recently

planted it along a new walkway that Gentleman Farmer made for me last summer.

It is not yet big enough to really harvest. But next year!

My other one is Grosso ~ a good all around plant that can be used for many crafts because it has very long stems, and is very high in aromatic oils.

I am just starting to harvest my lavender this year and thought you might enjoy

a little tutorial on making a Lavender Wand.

Let's begin!

~

1. Start by gathering your supplies.

You will need:

Feshly picked lavender stems (18 for this project, I am using two stems to act as one because I like the look better than a single stem, but any odd number or multiple of an odd number will work.) Morning is the best time to pick lavender, after the dew has left but before the sun evaporates much of the aromatic oils.

Prepare your lavender by removing all leaves and lower flower buds, keeping the stems long.

Letting them sit for awhile to wilt just a bit also helps with bending the stems without breaking.










You will also need approximately 2 yards of pretty 1/4 inch ribbon.

(If you want to make the loop, take an additional 12 inch piece of ribbon folded in half and make a knot about three inches down. Tuck ribbon, loop hanging down with the stems, and tie loose ends around base of flowers along with other ribbon in next step.)


2. Gather your flowers into a bundle making sure all the flowers are even across the bottom. Tie your ribbon tightly around the base of the flowers leaving one strand of ribbon about 12 inches long.



3. Turn the bundle upside down and grasp the flowers in one hand and with the other hand, gently bend the stems down over the ribbon all around the bunch of flowers creating a kind of cage. (The shorter end of the ribbon should be buried in the center of the flowers.)




4. Begin weaving the longest ribbon over and under the stems, two at a time. Keep the ribbon tight and snug up against the preceeding row as you go. (The lavender will shrink some as it dries.)
It is awkward at first try, but it will get easier as you continue down the stems.






5. Continue weaving down the cage until you reach the bottom of the flowers. Pull out the short end of ribbon and wrap it and the weaving end around the outside of the stems in opposite directions, crossing in the back and tying in a knot at the front.
Cut the stems evenly at the length you desire.
You may end here by simply tying a bow
or.....






6. ...create a little embellishment to add to the bow. This is pretty if you plan to display the wand on a table, but if you plan to use it in a drawer or closet, leave it off because it will get knocked off anyway!

These make wonderful gifts for just about anyone for any occasion!

A couple of years ago, my youngest daughter and I made 75 of these for a friend of hers to

give at her wedding as favors. They were done in her colors of course.

She lived across the U.S. and when we went to mail them,

the ladies at the post office didn't need to be told what was in the box; a cloud of
perfume preceeded us!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"...the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance..."

Song of Solomon 2:13

~*~

Since writting this post I have started a Garden Blog

where you will find all of my gardening adventures!

Thanks for visiting and hope to see you in

Lady Farmers Garden soon!

Finnegan...

in the arms of her adoring "Grandpa" Farmer
Beaming Mamma!


Proud BIG sisters Raegan and Morgan!



Born 6:25 am July 24, 2011

6 pounds 8 ounces
20 inches long.

SHE is completely, utterly, deliciously adorable!
~*~

"For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light."

Colossians 1:9-12

Morning on the Farm

Breakfast in the orchard...

baby...
momma...

Momma says it's time to go...

until tomorrow.

Papa Violet Green Swallow on the clothesline pole.

And if you look ever so carefully you will see

baby peeking out waiting for his breakfast

to be delivered by momma!

Beautiful Swallowtail Butterfly merrily

dancing from one blossom to another

sipping sweet nectar to start the day!

Globe Thistle showing just a hint of color.

Mourning Doves cooing softly from the cherry tree.

Pots along the lane welcoming the day

with sunny blossoms!

~*~

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

Psalm 24:1

Drying Herbs from the Tea Garden

This is the perfect day

to gather and dry some herbs

from my little Tea Garden.

I am inspired by this little book

from my bookshelf.

Oh! It looks like someone else is doing a little

harvesting, also!

Calendula

The Tea Garden

Pineapple Sage in flower

Parsley peeking out from behind the Anise Hyssop

Lemon Verbena and Pineapple Sage

Dwarf Blue Hyssop

Dittany of Crete Oregano

Thai Basil

Lavender!


Parsley drying

Catnip ~ dried the other day.

Calendula and Lavender in the dehydrator

Anise Hyssop leaves and flower buds

Pineapple Sage and Lemon Verbena

Mmmmm! Can't wait to try mixing my own

Cove Cottage Tea Blend!
~*~

Joining Susan for

Outdoor Wednesday!

And

An Oregon Cottage

for

Tuesday Garden Party.

~*~

"When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,

and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in"

Proverbs 27:25

~*~

Want to see how I make a

'Pot of Chocolate'?

Come on over to...

The Garden!

(I bet you thought I was

going to have you come to

The Pantry, didn't you!)

This is a different kind

of Chocolate Pot!

:~P

Hey, Hey, Hay!

Although we don't have cattle or horses any longer,

nor do we have sheep or goats (yet!)

we still grow our small crop of grass hay

and have a relative cut and harvest it.

This keeps the fields producing well,

makes it easier to cut in the future,

and benefits the farmer harvesting the hay,

and makes our property look nicer.

~*~

"Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe."

Joel 3:13

"But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle,

because the harvest has come."

Mark 4:29

Cut, thethered, and baled just in time ~ rain the following day!

120 + bales from our two little pastures.

I did keep a couple of bales for

sweet nesting material

in the winter for the hens.

The remainder will go to feeding

a cousin's beef cattle this winter.

~*~
In an email entitled

"When Farm Boys Get Bored"

come these fun hay harvest photos.

Enjoy!

~*~

"Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'?

Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields,

that they are white for harvest."

John 4:35

~*~

Joining Amy for

Preparedness Challenge#17

Barn Hop #20

and

Cindy for

Show and Tell Friday