Let's make baskets today and not pick a Herbie.. He needed to move off the top of my posts and down just a tad so, we are going to be apart of Ruth Emberg's basket making class. Ruth is a very talented basket weaver who would set up in the corner of my garden to sell her wares during fests. 

Pickin' Herb

My husband's name is Herbert Henry, so, here we have Herbamalia henriafolia. Everyone needs one of these splendid specimens in their garden.
Culture: feed frequently on pizza, hamburgers & wings and water diligently with Pepsi.
He tolerates my more experimental approach to cooking but, does pout quite often. ;0) He just cannot wrap himself around pasta ala garden whatever or soup gathered from leftovers and herbal snippits. If it was up to me fresh vegetables would take over and I would graze on tabouli all summer. Don't get me wrong a medium rare off the grill is a beautiful site but, I do love my carbs and vegies.

garden sketch and plans 

garden layouts

My four square garden is under going a *repositioning* this week and *extraction*, lol.. I feel terrible to make these changes with what was, at one time, my pride and joy. Ten years back I wanted a formal space along with all the freeform garden areas and this nook was born. Now the entire layout is going to change with one long rectangular garden that connects the tea corner, goes through the center circle and then flows into the opposite medicinal corner to form the rectangular shape. You can see what will be with the dotted lines. This is a quick sketch of that side of my corner plot including a portion of my house that is the kitchen, screened in porch and where the wrap around front porch will be. The entire 4-square will be gone with a utilitarian heirloom vegetable and salad garden and the other side of it towards the house contains some wonderful Eglentine roses that will have to be moved for I want a small bit of lawn off then of the brick patio before you get to the front porch.
I don't have that many shows in July and want to be able to enjoy my children and gardens.

Today is the Mother's Day Tea for Tameryn's preschool. This is a glimpse of what it could be like with my fig leaved hollyhocks and birdhouses. Of course, this was last year around mid July and her preparing to attend a flower tea party over at the church. A good friend invited all the neighborhood children for an afternoon with all things flowers. I decorated a wonderful little butter cake with some of my garden flower treasures. 

Flakes

Why does there have to be snow on the ground in May? Mother's Day is upcoming and that would be a grand present, WARMTH... Here is another warm weather recipe:

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

1-8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
1-8-oz. carton sour cream
1-bunch onion chives
cracked black pepper, sea salt and cucumbers

Mix sour cream, cream cheese, chives and slice cucumbers 1/4 inch thick. Spread cream cheese mixture on bread and place cucumbers. Season if desired