Category Archives: Herbs, Wildcrafting and other things Earth related

When forsythia bursts forth in all it’s spring brilliance, it is sign that winter is finally over. Where I live that season is already coming to an end and I wanted to try this process before it was too late. Like any time you are planning on using wild or cultured flowers choose ones, as […]

This is the time of the year when selection in the garden for projects can be limited but essential oils, thankfully, are available year round. For years it was a challenge to find a good quality spritz top but I am finding more and more options that give a good fine mist and don’t clog. […]

Karen Unger posted this comment yesterday under a kitchen plaque I posted a couple of days ago. “Each and every time I harvest fruits/vegetables/herbs from the garden I say thank you to the plants. When I have to use pruning shears I tell them ahead of time who is going to be removed, than apologize […]

I have tried to convey through Kitchen Wand designs and writing the idea that a persons energetic state in the kitchen has an effect on the foods prepared. Through sharing research and writings by others, my intention was to offer a daily place to practice being conscious of connection to spirit and to encourage a […]

Pesto or pestâ in Genoese, means to pound or crush and has come, in North America, to mean a Pesto Genovese, made from fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and grated hard cheese often parmigiano-reggiano. The English word pestle is sourced from the same root. Pistou is a French variation with a mixture […]

It has been a precious few months of watching a garden grow that I did not have the responsibility of weeding. ( Which is not to say I didn’t pull a few here and there. ) Jean has been so generous with her time and information. The designed section full of cooking herbs to play […]

In the early spring, I showed you this picture of the garlic just beginning to do it’s thing in Jean’s garden. There were at least ten different varieties that fell into two general categories, hard neck and soft neck. The hard neck varieties grow a center stalk that is strong enough to stand curly and […]

As the summer progresses, herbs ripen, flowers bloom and the question becomes what do I do with it all? For the most part,  I would say enjoy what Gaia offers; walk the earth, appreciate the colours, breath in the aromas and enjoy the season in gratitude. A portion of the bounty can however be collected […]

As the wheel turns towards Lammas, the Earth comes into Her fullness and harvesting becomes the next natural step. How to hold the fresh tasty flavours of the garden for those times when the days are not so long and warm? There are a variety of ways to preserve herbs. They can be dried, crumbled […]

One of the realities of gardening while cohabiting with the local fauna is that things do not always go as planned. Jean had a freshly sprouted planter full of basil on the back porch about two inches high. Earlier this week I received an email saying that every last plant had been eaten overnight. The […]