Driving through Provence

A new kind of adventure began today, with a rental car and a GPS. I don’t know how we got around foreign countries with nothing but paper maps! I have nightmarish memories of driving around Mexico City for hours trying to find my way from the airport to my hotel, and trying to figure out how to get from village to village in rural England while driving on the “wrong” side of the road. GPS technology has really made traveling a lot easier.

Susan and I decided to go exploring in Provence today. We visited Musé e de Lavande (Museum of Lavender) in Gorde and learned about the different strains and why fine lavender only grows above 800 meters. The lavender harvest takes place in early summer, and of course I bought soap, hand lotion and a candle. I wish I could share the fragrance in this post.

We then wound our way through miles and miles of grape vineyards and wound up in the picturesque Provenç al village of Roussillon. We made a traditional French picnic of wine, cheese and baguette before heading back to Avignon. When we sidetracked several times to look at lovely vineyards and rustic old houses, our faithful GPS got us back on track so we were never lost!

Happy Fourth of July!

It's Independence Day weekend here in the United States, when we remember and give thanks for our freedoms, including religion, speech and the press. We often mark the day with parades, picnics and fireworks, and I will be doing that in just a few hours. Because July 4th falls on a Sunday this year, our Federal Holiday is tomorrow, Monday, July 5th, giving us a nice long summer weekend to do the things we enjoy.

This weekend, like most so far this summer, includes time in the garden. There's an old saying that corn should be "knee high by the Fourth of July," but this year it's almost shoulder height, thanks to the early spring and abundant rains.

My little garden has no corn, but already there are quite a few poblano peppers starting ripen,and the tomatoes can't be far behind. The pepper plants all have multiple fruits, and the tomato vines are covered with yellow flowers.

I've also finished the first harvest of the lavender patch, and now the dried herbs are inside of pillows and sachets, making wonderfully fragrant gifts for upcoming birthdays and holidays.

I'm thankful that I have the freedom to do this kind of gardening for the fun of it.

Whether you're celebrating the American holiday this weekend, or enjoying your own national days this summer (or winter Down Under), take time to be thankful and smell the lavender!

Everything is coming in early!

What a strange spring and summer we're having this year. Spring came about a month early - 2010 was the first year without ANY measurable snow in March in the history of measuring snow. And spring actually had arrived by March 21 this year, two months ahead of when it usually springs up here in Rochester. By late May we were experiencing days in the 70s and 80s, and now we are only 7 days into the official summer season and I'm already harvesting herbs! This weekend's crop was lavender. I spent the day clipping, washing and drying, and my house smells wonderful. Next weekend the dried lavender will be sewn into sachets - gifts from the garden. This seasonal cycle has been quite lovely, but I hope it doesn't mean a short summer or an early winter. Warm weather is so much more fun than shoveling snow!

Happy Summer!

It’s the first day of summer and I’m already making plans for harvesting, drying and canning.

The poblano plants, which went into the ground just a month ago, already have little tiny peppers on them, and the jalapeno and cayenne pepper plants are flowering too. The tomato plants, which went in a few days later have lots and lots of big yellow flowers.

The cilantro has gotten so bushy I’ve already cut it back and processed it for use in salsa later this summer. The lavender bed in the front of the house is spilling out of its boundaries, so it’s been cut back and dried for use in sachets. Gifts from the garden!!