‘It’ll Do’ Herbs

| Flower Roberts

I do not have time to be a picky perfectionist. I do tasks between other tasks.

This is not multi-tasking. This is fragmented tasking. I call it “It’ll do mode.”

I have to get it done now, before some other need shows up and high-jacks my plans.

I know how to dry herbs properly. I have an air-dryer. What I do not have is the time.

I cut off the tops of my favorite Pesto Basil.

I keep this by the walk so a waft of aroma greets folks as they head toward the door.

I washed the tops. Snipped them into pieces.

Dried them on a pizza pan in a 200 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Removed stems and crumbled leaves.

I also took cuttings to try to root them because I never seem to find my favorites two years in a row.

Grab your scissors and do it now. A distraction is headed your way.

I dried sage this morning. I cut it several days ago and left town again. The twigs had gone limp. I washed them off, patted them dry and put them on the pizza pan.

This time the oven was at 170 degrees for one hour. The house smells like heaven. (but is still a mess…Hi Ho!) The branches must be stiff and dry when done.

Crumble off leaves.

Compost twigs.

Sort the crumbs on parchment then smash them some more. Then pour the sage into last year’s empty bottle and change the year.

During the drying time I walked to the mail box, folded laundry, texted my son, called my sister and ordered gifts on Amazon. I usually use a warm oven after baking, but I don’t have time to do that either.

Maybe tomorrow, but today “It’ll do.”

FLOW

Gran’s Green Vase

| Flower Roberts

There were a few things from my Gran’s house that I really wanted. One of the must-haves was this green vase. It sat on the window sill of her dining room. Sometimes it held a Magnolia bloom from the tree by the drive.

When a magnolia was out of season, it held a plastic waterlily bloom with leaves. (It is being washed as I type. It was covered in dust.)

I was happy to have a Snow Country Dahlia bloom to fit the vase today. Rose and I brought in many flowers, herbs, tomatoes and peppers. I cannot predict when I will have time to harvest before the freeze, so we did most of that today. Drying herbs blog will follow.

I hope my family sees this blog and remembers the lovely home of our precious grandparents.

The object is treasured for the memories it holds.

FLOW

My Favorite Fall Color is PINK

| Flower Roberts

The changing leaves are spectacular in North Carolina right now. I love the yellows, the oranges and especially the reds; but the color I look forward to the most is pink.

While all the trees are showing off their leaves, my Jean May is showing off her blooms.

I enjoy views from below and above.

I planted it on the eastern side of our deck. This camellia has thrived in this spot for almost thirty years.

I walk to the railing and stick my head inside its branches. I must be careful. The bees love it, too.

I know from the many buds that ‘Jean May’ Camellia sasanqua will be blooming for weeks to come.

She is like an old friend who visits each fall. I look forward to the arrival of all that pink among the bright colors of fall.

‘Jean May’ Camellia sasanqua

This plant owns a part of my heart.

FLOWER

Messengers with Wings

| Flower Roberts

My daddy said if there were jobs in heaven, he wanted to help the birds.

Sometimes I get messages from birds and wonder if my daddy sent them.

Once, I was out in the gardens desperately pondering where I belong. I found a feather on my front stoop on the way back into the house. It was under the overhang where a feather was not likely to land. I think my daddy was telling me that I was where I belonged.

Feather message

I looked through my “Paper Memories” notebooks for a photo of the feather on the porch until I remembered that I had kept the actual feather. The notebook under the feather is how I keep track of my thousands of photos. (I will share this in a later post.)

I kept the feather to use when I get around to burning a sage smudge in a place I feel has negative spirit energy. I have never done this kind of thing, but the bad vibes are too strong to ignore. Rose feels them, also. I don’t know what else to do. I will take suggestions from any credible source. ( No weirdness welcome from that chick in Hendersonville please!)

Yesterday, I was rushing around in a panic trying to get everything finished before leaving home. I looked up to see my heron friend. It was reminding my of the importance of pausing and balancing. I paused and took a breath.

Thanks Daddy

Bees on Dunce Cap Blooms

| Flower Roberts

I must admit I would never have noticed these tiny blooms if it weren’t for the bees. Bees are busily visiting the last bloomers now before the cold sets in. They kept zooming past me as I worked to put plants into the ground before the first freeze.

All bees lead to this Chinese Dunce Cap, Orostachys Iwarenge. I usually watch as the caps arise and then ignore the plants afterward. Good thing the bees did not ignore these tiny, late flowers. I would have missed them in my haste to winterize my other green babies.

Chinese Dunce Cap/ Orostachys Iwarenge

I need to use my jeweler’s loop to see the structure of the flowers.

There seems to be a white blooming and a pink blooming form nestled here in the rock wall.

This is the best spot for them; dry, warm and sunny.

I have been watching the busy bees buzz the last blooms all afternoon.

I am glad to supply their last snacks before frost.

FLOWER

Sugar Kettle to Fire Bowl

| Flower Roberts

Our grateful family finally got together and tried out the sugar kettle as a fire bowl. Mr. Flower showed off by lighting the fire with my weed burner.

It worked wonderfully. It was a beautiful fall night. There was a nip in the air and a slight breeze.

I was so very thankful to have all of our family there, minus one niece and my mom.

We were celebrating my daughter Rose’s thirtieth birthday. She is a miracle. Still here thanks to good medicine and friends stepping in to help her. Our second book is in the works.

My heart is full of gratitude that we are all happy, healthy and safe.

Happy Fall from the FLOWER

Waiting for a Century

| Flower Roberts

I clearly remember seeing my first Century Plant blooming on a beach outing years ago. I walked under the tall stalk of blooms in disbelief. My next encounter was in California. I made my friend, Lisa, turn the rental car around to drive back for photos.

Century plant blooming in Napa Valley California

Century plants actually take decades to bloom , not a century. Sadly, the plant dies after blooming.

I finally got two, tiny Century plants of my own while on Ocracoke Island. That is me under the stalk of a blooming Agave americana on Ocracoke Island.

One of my Agave was labeled ‘Whale’s Tongue.’ Both are years away from blooming. I am afraid to leave them out during the winter here in Zone 7.

I have seen several growing in yards, so maybe I will get brave and leave them out when they get too big to haul inside like this one.

Century Plant under tent in Charlotte, NC

They are quite dangerous. I must be careful when moving them and cleaning them off. Both plants have put out pups, so I will have a collection of them eventually.

I love their smoky blue color. I love their purple spikes.( Or is that my blood in the points?)

I like being able to see the symmetry of the largest one from above by looking over the deck railing.

FLOW with her slow plants

Blue Ginger Blooms

| Flower Roberts

I ordered this ‘Blue Ginger’ from Logee’s Greenhouses in 2017. It finally bloomed.

It has gotten bigger these past six years. I have potted it up numerous times. It does have lovely purple edged leaves and purple striped stems, so the bloom is not it’s only attribute.

Still, I was pleased to see that something good happened while I was away. Ian turned over a few pots and broke one. Nothing else was damaged. We are fortunate.

Waiting six years for this Dichorisandra thyrsiflora to bloom is nothing extraordinary here. The Flower is playing the long game in her garden.

Next post will be about my two Century plants. Now, that is a long game!

FLOWER is home again

Muhly in the Morning

| Flower Roberts

Some things are so crazy beautiful that one must pause to take it in. My Muhly Grass in the morning sun does this to me.

Sometimes it glistens with dew.

It has a lovely form and texture and color.

I am happy that it is happy on this slop in a featured spot in my garden.

The morning sun lights it up. The evening sun does, too. I love my Muhly.

Crazy beautiful!

FLOW