A Pretty Special Event

I don't do well with chaos.  Usually on either side of a show, the house is rather chaotic.  And then I get stressed. Finally, on Saturday, I got the last of the show stuff put away, and the rest of the house in some semblance of order.  The shows are great, but ahhh..... peace again makes me happy.

The guys have a pretty special event this week.  The opening of the Biodiesel plant they fabricated for the NC Dept. of Agriculture occurs.  Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, will be speaking, along with other notable folks.  Way to go, guys!

Over the weekend, I made more lavender lemonade.  Some friends at the show told me about rosemary lemonade, and cumin lemonade.  I want to try both! 

I also gathered nettles.  Some are drying, and some I'm tincturing for medicine.  I've taken nettles for hayfever for a number of years.  I planted several plants a couple of years ago in a far corner of the garden, and began making my own medicine last year.  Nettles, along with Quercitin, has made a huge difference in my hay fever.  Funny, but I'd never had any allergies until I moved to L.A., then returned to NC.  It was pretty awful at first, but every year has gotten better using the remedies above, sometimes adding in Eyebright, or the Similasan Allergy Eye Relief drops when needed.  I just wanted to pass on what works for me, in case anyone else is suffering from hay fever.  When I researched it years ago, these were at least in part what Dr. Weil recommended, and they really work.

Can you tell what Guinness is carrying?  Joseph has been away, and he grabbed an old glove of his.  I'd say he's missing him, as I hadn't seen him play with it until today.  He is such a sweet boy.  I really had a taste for kale salad last week.  The only thing available was the commercial, non-organic curly kale in the local grocery store, so I gave it a try over the weekend.  Let's just say it doesn't come close to the ones I've made previously.  Tough and pretty tasteless would be kind.  If you're going to make the salad, folks, get some nice organic kale.  Or better yet, some tender, local kale, if you don't grow your own.  Trust me on this one.  Your tastebuds and your teeth will thank me. 

So many things are blooming now, it makes me happy every time I go outside.  I transplanted some Amsonia (bluestar) and some Chrysogonum virginianum (Green & Gold) from down near the creek to the part-shade garden, and a couple of other places.  I've got some pink Speedwell, and a mixture of coleus to plant this week.  Wishing you pretty blooms and a happy week, friends!