Tuscan Heights Lavender Gardens

On June 26th 2010 was the Tuscan Heights 5th Annual Lavender Gardens Festival. click Here. 

A group of friends and I decided to go up to the festival and purchase several bundles of Lavender to use as table decorations for an  upcoming event.  We enjoyed ourselves sooo...much. The weather was perfect.  The downside was the Lavender was two weeks late in blooming.  We would have loved to roam in the fields and picked our own Lavender to take home, but the Lavender we purchased was already dried and easy to manage on the shuttle they provided for transportation to the farm.

      As you can see the Lavender is just in the bud stage.

They had crafting.  A group of interested visitors were making Lavender wands.  The wand is made from fresh Lavender.  The ribbon is usually weaved over and under each of the twenty stems.  This lady was being very creative and weaving the ribbon over and under every two stems.  (Of course it was her very first experience with Lavender wand making).

Next to the crafting tables was the steam distiller. 

Fresh Lavender is put into the steam distiller and pure essential Lavender oil is extracted from the plants.  Can you see the Lavender wand making craft going on in the background?

This building is the nursery for the propagation of new plants.

Beautiful baskets of bundles of Lavender.

Bundles of Lavender Fire sticks. Great to throw in the grill.  The gourmet smoke bundles bring a whole new taste to your cooking.

I love this purse.

Aromatherapy-Bath & Body-Home Essentials-Gifts

A Great Place to spend an Afternoon.

Thank you for joining me on my trip to a Lavender Farm.

I'm linking to:

A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday

Please link back to see some beautiful blogs.

Please leave a comment and become a follower

Betty

xoxo

My Favorite Tea Books

I'm so excited about sharing with you ONE of my true loves. As you will be see in the weeks to come.  I have several true loves.  But I do LOVE books about tea.

Entertaining with a Tea Party

Tea Rooms across the United States

Taking Tea Around the World

Ms. Lynn's Tea with recipes and how to create our own special moments.

MYSTERIES ABOUT A TEA SHOP

Laura Childs has written several Tea Shop Mysteries.  I have read 9 total.

I love the recipes included at the end of the book.  In fact I have enjoyed some of the recipes and they are now family favorites.

And

My all time favorite TEA TIME. I have been a subscriber for years.  What a treasure.      

 Sooooo..... Here they are

I love to sit in the patio and read my tea books

It 's so relaxing to sit and read while having a  great cup of tea. I was thrilled the other day when I found this cup, saucer and dessert plate at the antique mall.  I loved them so much I bought four cups, saucers and dessert plates for $38.00. What a deal? (I hope).  The pattern is 'Sylvia' and the china is Thomas Ivory Bavaria Germany.  The manufacturer is unknown.

The detail in the cup is beautiful and it's translucent.

I just could not resist putting some of my dainty roses into the cup.  And, of course the two little blue birds looking cute.

Thanks for visiting today.

I am joining:

A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday

Lady Katherine Tea Parlor for Tea Time Tuesday

Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday

Please link back to the awesome blogs for some great ideas.

Please leave a comment and become a follower

Betty

xoxo

Happy Fourth of July

I love America and I thought this mosaic would express my feelings about Freedom.

I'm so blessed to have a wonderful family and friends.  I enjoy everyday and try to stay in the moment.  This place called blogland gives me the Freedom to express myself in a creative and positive way.

THANK YOU

I'm joining 

Mary @ Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

And

Ronda @ Southern Hospitality for Thrifty Monday Click Here for thrifty finds.

What a great time we have jumping from one blog to another.

Thank you for visiting.  Please leave a comment and become a follower.

Betty

xoxo

Tablescape #3

AN OLD FASHION 4TH OF JULY PARTY

What better way to spend 4th of July than the Old Fashion Way.

Cupcakes and Pink Lemonade

Setting the table with Red, White and Blue

'Ingrid Bergman' 'Crystalline' 'Delphinum'

I think canning jars are so Old Fashion 

 Red and White stripe star plates I found at Michael's Craft for a $1.00  each

  I have this set of four dinner and salad plates for sale in My Cozy Corner, but I  borrowed them to use for this party.

   

The napkin rings I bought from K-Mart. $4.99 for four.  I love them and the monogram napkins I have had for a couple of years.

Cupcakes are perfect for the 4th of July. And, my granddaughters love them too.

Pink Lemonade is a Winner too.

This fun tray is another thrifty find and is so perfect for the 4th of July.  It's great to catch the drips from the jar of Pink Lemonade.

Our family has a great time spending time in the patio and enjoying Cupcakes and Pink Lemonade.

 My favorite thrifty find.

Please join me for a tour of five awasome blogs.  I'm joining:

 Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday

Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday 

Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

The Tablescaper for Summer Sundays

Please link back to the parties I have joined and see some amazing things.

Thank you so much for dropping over to see my Old Fashion 4th of July Party

It is so great to have you join in the fun.

Please leave a comment and become a follower

Betty

xoxo 

Red White and Blue

The 4th of July is just around the corner.  I wanted to pay tribute to the beautiful American flag we honor.

What I have found about what do the "colors" represent, are:

'Ingrid Bergman'

Red - Hardiness and Courage

'Crystalline-Med Sweet Pea

White - Purity and Innocence

'Delphinum'

Blue - Perseverance and Justice

Thank you for visiting.  I hope you enjoyed!!!!! 

I'm joining

Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday

 Faded Charm for White Wednesday. 

Hop over to see more outdoors and white for a  beautiful Wednesday.

Please leave a comment and please be a follower.

Betty

xoxo

  

Tea with St. Patrick

'Saint Patrick'

My favorite rose is St. Patrick. Our son's name is Patrick. And, when I saw this rose I knew I wanted it in my garden.  Our son was born the day before St. Patrick's Day, 45 years ago.  He and his beautiful wife will be married 25 years on the 9th of November 2010.  And, of course he loves the "Best Ever Banana Bread" I have baked for this post.

"Best Ever Banana Bread"

with

Whipped Cream

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c. cooking oil

3 very ripe bananas

1/2 tsp. soda

2 c. flour

1 c. pecans, chopped- I used walnuts

Cream sugar, oil and eggs and beat well.  Sift soda, salt, and flour together.  Mash bananas real well.  Add the flour and bananas alternation to the creamed mixture.  Add nuts and mix well.  Put into a well greased and floured tube pan or loaves.  Bake at 350 degrees until light brown or test with a toothpick to check if done.

The recipe didn't note time for baking. Try 50 minutes for baking time. Please check after 30 to prevent the bread from becoming over done.

The tea mugs are great for the first cup of tea in the morning.  They are my Thrifty  find.  Also the small cake plate is a Thrifty find.  The American fostoria glass bowl is Vintage and the L.E. Smith  Moon and Stars Art Glass canister is also Vintage.  The tea pot I bought from my dear friend in her charming store on the wharf in Brookings, Oregon.  The cake knife and cake server were a gift from our daughter. I must say it is a great joy to shop in my own home and share with you all in blog land and my family the history of my treasures.

  Playing with a MOSAIC.

Thank you for visiting me at MY COZY CORNER. 

I'm joining some wonderful parties this week.  Please link to the parties and enjoy all the eye candy.

• Thrifty Thursday @ Tales from Bloggeritaville
• Vintage Thingies Thursday @ Coloradolady
• Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
• Foodie Friday @ Designs by Gollum
• Mosaic Monday @ Little Red House
• Thrifty Treasures @ Southern Hospitality
• Tea Time Tuesday @ Rose Chintz Cottage
• Table Top Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life
• Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
• Tea Time Tuesday @ Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor

Please leave a comment and be a follower.

I want to thank you for leaving your comments.  I read everyone of them and treasure your thoughts.

Betty
xoxo

Hollyhocks and Artichokes

Please join me for another Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer.

Yes,  I am in heaven during the spring and summer.  So much is going on outside in the garden.  I walk around and see what's new.  So please come along and take a look.

That BIG BLACK spot in the photograph is a BIG BLACK BEE...... I didn't know where he was going to land. And, I was praying it wasn't going to bee on me!!!!!!!

The Hollyhocks are growing against the fence.  When the Hollyhock seeds drop to the ground I find small plants growing everywhere.  I dig the small plants up and move them to the fence area and replant them. The new plants replenish the old plants that die. Each Hollyhock plant is a biennial or short-lived perennial and for beautiful background I just love my Hollyhocks.

In July, after the blooms fade, I cut off the hollyhock stems just above the ground.I continue to feed and water the plants and the roots push out another flush of growth, which will rebloom in September.  This technique demands a lot from the plants.  I continue to feed them two or three times during the regular growing season to produce the wonderful second bloom.

In the garden the Artichoke plants are divided into two groups.  The plants in the sun produce vegetables we eat in the spring. And, the plants in the shade are used as ornamental and landscape value.  The spectacular purple-blue thistlelike flowers are cut for arrangements . It is amazing what nature produces.

Thank you for visiting me today.  Would you please jump back to A Southern Daydreamer and visit more outdoors.

Please leave a comment and be a follower.

Betty
xoxo