Peace, Angels, and Lavender

Oh my goodness I have been so busy, it was Wednesday when I wrote the last post.
 The days have an amazing way of going without me.
Planting, painting, harvesting and farm chores that is what my week has been.
Yesterday I planted some baby lavenders. I hope they grow strong and produce many, many purple flowers.

French Lavender dinner

Cherry Muffins

1/2 cup soft margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp milk may need to double this. If you think it is needed.
1 to 1 1/2 cups of cherries
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

Sprinkle top of muffin with sugar. (Optional)

Mix up maybe be a bit lumpy. Put in muffin tins with muffin cup holders.
350 degrees
Cook until golden brown.

These muffins are soooooo good

Let me know how they turn out

Painted gate. New colours
We were so busy this weekend. We painted our gate some very fun summer colours. We dug holes for some new Lavender plants. We moved our Buddha head, he is up behind those trees. Right now poor ole Buddha looks a little out of place but soon he will be surrounded with lavender.
I harvested some lovely armfuls of lavender and tomorrow I will bundle it up.
Gosh I love summer

As I go back and look over past posts I have written, I see mistakes, missing letters etc. Does anyone else have trouble writing in these little boxes? I also have a terrible time with this key board. I am not sure if it  is the key board or how it sits in the desk.
 Anyways just ignore all mistakes as I am sure there will be many more.
 Darn it I should have listened to the typing teacher in grade ten. He told me If I promised to never, ever take a class with him ever again he would pass me!!!
I told him no problem.
Woo one class down few more to go was my thought.
 I guess I should not admit I hated school but I did graduate, walked across that stage with a diploma and never looked back and have never wanted to go back.
I have learned so much as a Mom. I have so many interests. So many passions. So many ideas.
 So many creative moments.
So on that note I am off to move my Buddha head. I wonder where I should put him...
 Do you think my Mom and Dad would like him on their front door step?

Take time for a quiet moment today

Today herbs were harvested. Wonderful herbs for our own unique blend of Herbs De Provence. My deck is full of wonderful things.
Today some wonderful things were accomplished and I am feeling quite pleased with myself.
I am actually making headway on my web site.
So now I am off to have a creative weekend.

My deck is full of wonderful harvested things.
There are bundles of Lavender.
There are thousands of rose petals drying.
Some wonderful parsly drying.

So many things to learn. POSTAGE, WEIGHT, PRICE, DESCRIPTION all of this in a little tiny box. I think I will need glasses at the end of this web site. Slowly I am winning. I am so tired now I can hardly keep my eyes open. Have a wonderful night

Harvesting Lavender
Harvesting lavender is all done by hand on a small farm. It is an amazing amount of work from the first thought of planting Lavender.The planning, the financial thought, buying plants, working the ground. The planting and watering. The fighting of weeds. On our farm keeping the dogs out of loving the lavender. Keeping the dogs from playing soccer in the lavender gardens. Keeping the dogs from squirrel hunting in the lavender gardens.

Winter is probably the biggest battle of all. We loose so many plants. This past winter was quite sad.

However all of that is forgotten when I walk through the gardens. I forget all the hard work when I smell the fragrance floating gently across the farm or when I see the beautiful haze of purple blowing in the wind. I forget the disappointments when I walk through the gardens harvesting handfuls of soft velvety flowers. Then making small bundles of lavender and putting them in a basket to be taken to the little lavender house to be hung up to dry.

Today many bundles were made. The small bundles were then hung in the little lavender house.

This is one of the products available from our web site.

Lavender labels in sets of five. Beautiful crystal on Antique music notes from France

Lavender soap
Amazing silky soap

Today we decorated our dinner with Lavender. We had our wonderful French table cloth out. I bought this beautiful table cloth from Narmata Lavender farm. www.forestgreenman.com Go check out their web site. Leave a message and tell Karoline I sent you for a visit.
We had fresh lavender on the table and a beautiful long bread holder with a french loaf in it. Our two roast beefs were coated with wonderful Maui sea salt and amazing Herbs DE Provence. They were very good. Plus the usual mashed potatoes, my mom's amazing gravy, creamed carrots, Asparagus, broccoli and amazing selection of desserts.
My daughter cooked all day and our house warmed up, it was so hot.
Have a very pleasant Sunday evening.

Saturday
What will today bring. I need to run to Kamloops to pick up Miss Hyacinths computer. It has been away nearly a month it is fixed... again.
Everyday a little more lavender is harvested. I have to smile I get so excited when I see some ready and yesterday I had a nice hand full. I laughed when I showed my mom and dad. I told them that most Lavender farms get what I picked off half a plant.
I guess in a way it is okay as I am the only one who goes into the gardens and with toooo much I would not be able to look after it myself.
Enjoy your day today
What are you going to do today?

Harvesting Lavender under the full moon
An amazing time  to be enjoying the lavender. A wonderful full Buck moon
A very peaceful night yet quite cool. The Lavender blooms looking so proud in the Moonlight.
Take time tonight to enjoy the garden during the full moon

Lavender lip balm with vitamin E
Soon to be on Web site

A reflection into the Lavender garden.
Today I made a beautiful, silky Lavender lip balm with vitamin E.
It has a very nice feeling to it.
The lip will be available on our web site in the future.

Crazy full morning telephone calls, on hold, emails not working, stuff just stuff. I think I jinx things lately everything seems to be taking the scenic route lately.
Our weather has not improved dreary and gray. Where is our warm, sunny summer.

Ahh yes we have Lavender.
Beautiful, sweet smelling Lavender.
Some of our plant are really nice if all had made it this last winter it would be so amazing beautiful.
So we will just enjoy every single flower we get.
My new project this summer is the last bit in the little lavender house I will work on the wall and mosaic the floor. No rush as long as it is done by September.

Lavender planting day.
 I only have a few plants to put in. I had the opportunity to pick up some more Lavender but it is a ways to travel. And with my husband on so many road trips it I have not asked to go yet. I am so crossing my fingers I get a chance to visit other farms this summer.
I dream of one day having Lavender like other farms. However I am not sure our weather shares the same dream of me.
So off to start the day, dream big, plan, and scheme.

Enjoy a moment in the garden today.
Have a cup of tea, coffee or even better sip some Lavender lemonade.
Take time this weekend to enjoy a quiet moment.
Look around at all the beauty and be thankful.

Beautiful Roses are picked daily on the farm for our own WONDERFUL potpourri. They are amazing.
Even more amazing is that I pick the larger rose bushes everyday and every morning there waits glorious roses just waiting to greet me.

Inspired by nature. Every summer I try to make at least one basket

Yesterday I harvested a little Lavender.
 It is a little bit.
 We do not compare to any other Lavender farms. We do not have fields and fields just gardens. It wouldn't seem right to  plow up the hay fields to make Lavender. Oh even though I dream of it.
That would mean cutting right down to next to no livestock. I would need help that would mean hire someone.
 And, I really need to figure out how to winter the Lavender better.We really have too much loss.
Still one can dream...And, DREAM I will
I think today I will go bug my Dad for his rototiller. Then dig some edges then I can plant a few more plants.

What wonderful things wait for us today!

I need this today CALM. I need to remember to relax. Sometimes it is not easy. Things keep coming at you in full speed.
So remember a Calmness
Off to weed some Lavender