Friday, June 13, 2008

SPECIAL DAY WITH FRIENDS

I spent the day with friends at the Pennsylvania Lavendar Festival hosted by Willow Pond Farm.

I did not realize how many different varities of lavendar there are. We took a lavender wand making class. We decided we were better knitters. Not all of us are meant to be lavender wand makers. The class is usually a half hour. We were there for an hour and a half.
They sold, of course, lavender. But they also are an herb farm. I came away with tarragon, rosemary, roe, thai basil, spicey oregano, thyme lime, and a few others. Margaret and I picked up a curry we were all excited about-- only to read in the car that you shouldn't cook with it.
Some of the spoils: lavender honey, a herbal flea collar for the puppy, a computer wrist pad with soothing lavender, a neck rap, multiple herb mixes. I also picked up a grab bag that had candles, soap and lavender sachet. The dreaded lavender wand is the white object with the bow.
I had a wonderful time and look forward to it's return next year.
P.S. The pitcher on the right hand side is full of marigold infused water. A co-worker suggested this as a non herbicidal remedy for bugs in the garden. She said it was always succesful for her dad. I will let you know.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I almost bought lavender tea in Pasadena. The lable said it was a calming drink for right before bedtime. I do love the scent. What is roe?

Minerva said...

I had lavender tea there! It was really good. They also served lavender lemonade, and lavender scones.
Couldn't find any lavender martinis. Maybe next year...

gerry said...

Never heard of it, but they said it had beautful foilage and attracted butterflies and I wanted to do that in one of the gardens. Thought I would give it a try.

Diana said...

Sounds like a fun day! I love the scent of lavender. So calming!!

gerry said...

I found out the plant is rue, not roe.-Oh no I do not see how this is going to bring butterflies-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rue, a hardy, evergreen, somewhat shrubby plant, is a native of Southern Europe. The stem is woody in the lower part, the leaves are alternate, bluish-green, bi- or tripinnate, emit a powerful, disagreeable odour and have an exceedingly bitter, acrid and nauseous taste. The greenish-yellow flowers are in terminal panicles, blossoming from June to September. In England Rue is one of our oldest garden plants, cultivated for its use medicinally, having, together with other herbs, been introduced by the Romans, but it is not found in a wild state except rarely on the hills of Lancashire and Yorkshire. This wild form is even more vehement in smell than the garden Rue. The whole plant has a disagreeable and powerful odour. The first flower that opens has usually ten stamens, the others eight only.
[