March in the Herb Garden

I just wanted to share my pretty herbs from month to month, so I can chronicle growth and success with the different varieties that I try out. It gets very hot during the summers here, and I have to be vigilant with the tender herbs. Water almost every day is crucial. I used to keep them in pots...and lost them so easily that way. Since we moved them to these beds...I have had an easier time keeping fresh and yummy herbs that I use for cooking nearly every day. I also use them for medicinal purposes. I am truly thankful to our wonderful Creator for giving us such tasty treats as these,

that provide us with so many benefits! 

 English Lavender looking a bit weathered.

 Mint sprigs up all over the place! Once it is established...

it goes EVERYWHERE. This particular plant has been here since I began my

Herb garden in the front. RELENTLESS! That is a good thing here where it gets

SO HOT during the summer!

 Italian Flat Leaf Parsley...VERY useful!

 Mmmmm BASIL!!!! So YUMMY!

 Cilantro is pretty difficult to grow here....

it is usually one of the first to burn up

 Spearmint.....the rains have splashed up all kinds of dirt in this bed.

Need to remedy that issue!

 PEPPERMINT!!!!! :o)

 Chocolate mint, should be nice with dessert!

 Lemon Balm/Melissa I made Marion an infused oil with this last year.

It is one of the most expensive essential oils to buy, and has many medicinal uses.

We wanted to try it for his cold sores that plague him in the winter when he is tired and run down.

We are both HAPPY with the results! I WILL be making more and a special post

about that easy project in the future!

I

 Greek Oregano 3 yr old

 Tarragon 3 yr old

SO good with chicken and fish!

 Cinnamon Basil going to seed ALREADY!!!

but it sure is pretty and smells DI-VINE!!!

  Thyme 3 yr old

Sage! Not exactly my fave....but it does have some medicinal value, so i will keep it ;o)

I recently pruned my Rosemary and Tarragon back a bunch. I forgot to take a recent picture of that. The Tarragon has bounced back like crazy...Rosemary is a bit slow growing, but I have TONS of it dried. I have gone through nearly all of the dried herbs that I put up from last year...EXCEPT for the Rosemary. It is such a pungient flavor...a little goes a LONG way!



Andrew~ Sweet 17 and NEVER been kissed

Andrew Phillip~March 16th

Andrew is a modern day Josiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach or Abednego......

a LOT of times, he stands alone!

 When his peers are rude, crude, disrespectful, immoral...

He corrects them....and most of the time....they DON'T like it!

He stands alone!

 This PRECIOUS young lady had waited ALL nite to dance at the Spring Formal for our homeschool group...she NEVER said a word, she just watched everyone else....

NO ONE else asked her to dance... Andrew did.

The mothers there came out, with tears in their eyes, to tell me what a treasure he is.

 He ALWAYS thinks of others before himself. He is so kind, and thoughtful.

He is obedient and wise. He is funny and artisitc. I call him my doodle bug ;o)

 We knew that he was set apart for some great purpose the day he was born. There was a rainbow in the sky on the hour of his birth...and he had a white cross on his forehead.

He was saved at the age of 7, on his own accord.

Yes! I am pretty proud of this STRONG young man. I know he will do some great things....maybe not by the world's measure of great....but....where it REALLY counts! He may not be the "tall, dark and handsome" type that draws a lot of attention...he is something MUCH better. He is Honest, Faithful, Trustworthy, Meek, Patient, Diligent, Serving. He is saving his first kiss for his bride to be. He has chosen to not "date" until he is married. He wants to do all of those big FIRSTS with his "soulmate"! WOW! I wish I would have been encouraged to do this as a young person. SO MANY problems could have been avoided! I am so filled with HOPE and encouragement by him! There is STILL good in the world!

Happy 17th Birthday Andrew Phillip

I LOVE YOU!!!

(he dislikes having his picture taken as much as I do :o)

 Treats for my Sweets :o)

 The last mess of collards for this year :o(

 Pigs are just about ready to slaughter...you can BARELY

see the white pig ears in the middle of the pic

 2 year Indian white peach trees

more rabbits

Can't wait to see how well everything turns out. We have gotten 4 times more rain since Jan. than we got the WHOLE year last year! So far...so good!

~Spring....continued~

 We have been hatching some of our eggs with an incubator ~Auracauna/Americauna

 Emari INSISTED on taking my picture!!1 UGH!!!!

  Some of our Chicks Approx. 5 weeks old

 Emari has been sick (couldn't tell by that smile)

so she stayed home from church today

 Eowyn stayed to help me take care of Emari

A pregnant and LAZY Buttercup ;o)

I wonder if they have morning sickness like we do?

~Spring!~

These are the herbs that survived the winter after I had pruned them back quite a bit. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, taragon, lemon balm, mint that keeps sprigging up all over the place, onion chives

Cilantro, Basil, parsley and dill that is stuggling to take off

Squash and cucumbers

Heirloom tomatoes of various kinds

Some pepper plants planted along side what remains of the winter garden....

some collards and brussel sprouts

What survuved the draught last year....has TONS of blooms this spring....I remain hopeful that we will harvest SOMETHING...Plums, peaches and an apple

Mulberry trees after Andrew pruned them back quite a bit (Marion wasn't too happy about that for some reason)

Awaiting our first batches of spring bunnies at the end of the month

                                                             Composting materials....and that HUGE green thing will ONE DAY be my smoker...it has been sitting in this same spot for 2 years. I am patiently waiting ;o)      

Gonna Give Blogging Another Try!

Some of our bounty from summer 2011

We FINALLY have another internet option for out here in the woods! So, I am gonna' try it out with this blog. I had the toughest time before, which caused me grief. I have all hope that it will go quicker and smoother this time around.
We have added quite a few things to the place this year. Every year we have had growth, which is good. So, I am going to try and document our changes here, and hope that you enjoy a peek into our lives here on SONshine farm!

Our Newest addition : Avenlea Jade 3mo. enjoing some outdoors while

 Mom and Dad and siblings work on the garden