Southern Exposure Pail of Plenty

Time for Southern Exposure's fall workshop!

Our first autumn visit was to create a "Pail of Plenty," a metal container filled with fresh herbs and plants.

My friend Jan and I always arrive early to walk through the gardens -- especially during the fall workshops when it is dark by the time we leave. This week was no exception.

Going to Southern Exposure is a multi-sensory experience. The gardens are impeccably maintained and all the little touches, like flowers in the bird baths, make it extra pretty and special.

One of my favorite areas is the greenhouse. The light in this very small, enclosed space is perfect for photographs.

It's a mix of "things on the table" and carefully staged vignettes that look like they just "happened."

They hydrangeas are, of course, fading, but they were still sharing their colors with us.

 

The dessicated skeleton leaves were exquisite.

They reminded me of a quote about Tinkerbell: "“There was another light in the room now, a thousand times brighter than the night lights…but when it came to rest for a second you saw it was a fairy, no longer than your hand, but still growing. It was a girl called Tinker Bell exquisitely gowned in a skeleton leaf, cut low and square, through which her figure could be seen to the best advantage." (J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan)

The kitchen garden had loads of flowering kale and was nestled in a bed of nasturtiums that took my breath away.

(If anyone knows what those tall, spiny plants are behind the kale, let me know. Chard? Some kind of collard greens? It's clear I don't know my greens all that well! But I do know flowering kale!)

The chickens were waiting for us -- but alas, we had nothing to feed them!

A picket fence surrounded by holly, reminding us that winter isn't all that far away...

...a clever posting of gourds on the peaks of an iron fence...

...a small, plant covered gazebo...

...a folly with chairs to rest in,,,

...a pear tree (hold the partridge!)...

 ...handsome pumpkins. All combining for a beautiful experience!

Wee cement sculptures,nestled in hostas and almost hidden under a path of pine.

We finally heard the dinner bell and went inside where we enjoyed a beef stew served in an acorn squash bowl, a salad with end of season berries, colorful carrots and parsnips, bread and wine, with pumpkin roll for dessert. Then it was on to the craft tent for our project.

The beauty of a project at Southern Exposure is that truly, anyone can do it -- and fairly quickly. They do much of the advance prep and have the supplies divided so we simply have to sit down and create!

In this case, we received a beautiful metal pail already filled with dirt. Our guide, Micah, shared with us details on prepping soil with mulch and straw for better insulation and highlighted the plants in our project -- rosemary, curry (yes, that rosemary-looking plant that is a bit lighter is curry!), kale and an edible viola. There was also broom corn for visual interest and faux autumn leaves were available as well.

Then it was just a matter of putting them in the pot in a way we liked and "garnishing" with the leaves.

We also received a pumpkin of our choice to take home. 

It's one of the prettiest and easiest of projects we have completed (if you search Southern Exposure on the right rail above, you can see posts from other workshops). I still keep playing with my faux leaves. I suspect I will take out even more of them in a day or two! Can't stop fiddling!



 

Change of Seasons

"All of the pink flowers are gone, but look at these," said the man in the orange shirt, walking a milk chocolate brown chihuahua.

He was pointing to the golden rod -- that often maligned flower -- or weed -- that comes out when the nights get cooler and fall is in the air.

We were walking around the ditch -- he had gone one way, I the other. And somewhere along the way we passed and exchanged pleasantries, as all the ditch walkers do. He was captivated by something -- something in the goldenrod and was eager to point it out. A grasshopper. At least that's what we thought it was -- although he didn't move a muscle for all the time we were standing there.

I admired that -- it was rather difficult to photograph him with a few fairly gusty breezes whipping him around. But he stubbornly remained.

The ditch takes its own character in the early fall. There are more lily pads, but the flowers have gone.

My white heron had returned, fishing for dinner.

Harry wasn't happy to see her and quickly flew away.

But she stuck around, looking for fish and finding a few, too.

The ducks were having a time of it, looking for food...

...and just looking cute!

The light changes and almost every scene seemed like the inspiration for a painting by Monet.

My orange-shirted friend is right -- there are new flowers out. The seedems are turning pink now -- I love these handsome blooms.

I don't know what these are, but their dark red cone-like flowers seem to be the very essence of fall.

Signs of fall are even coming to the leaves on the trees.
 A sure sign.

Berried branches seem all the more vibrant in the end of summer light.

My own yard is showing signs of wear. today I bid farewell to much of the basil, turning into a rather tasty pesto. And the sunflowers? They're looking good in the new little teapot I bought from Marilyn. I suspect I'll be enjoying these quite some time.

Things are changing for me, too. I retired yesterday, after more than 32 years at WKAR. I have lots to post about on this, some self indulgent, some reflecting, some with much gratitude... that's coming soon.

Taking Tea at Grand Oak Herb Farm

Back last winter, I discovered a treasure in our mid-Michigan community when I visited Grand Oak Herb Farm for a Christmas tea. (You can see that post HERE.) As you can imagine, in Michigan's December it didn't look like this!

To see the farm in its full spring glory was only part of the reason my friend Barb and I returned there. the other reason was to enjoy one of Beulah's teas and to get some tips on preparing aromatherapy potions.

We arrived a little early -- with a bit of time to walk around the grounds and check out the greenhouse, where fairy gardens were plentiful!

Numerous flights of fancy passed through our minds as we enjoyed the wee gardens and the soon-to-be larger plants within.

The on to tea, first passing by this charming spot...

...and entering the tea room.

The table was lovely with easy-to-make tiered sandwich/dessert trays, created with plates and goblets, which are often found at very reasonable prices at the dollar store if you don't want to start gluing your mother's Waterford to serving plates!

They were packed with sandwiches and sweets. We learned that the savory flavors were at the bottom, the saltier bits might be on the next level and at the top, the sweets! And, that you eat from the bottom up!

My plate included Beulah's wonderful basil-curry chicken salad, ham with orange marmelade and dill on pumpernickel, a potato quesadilla and the most divine crostini with an herb butter that included herbs and parmesan cheese. (I could have eaten the whole plate of that!) Other sandwiches included an open face corned beef with horshradish and mint and wee cucumber sandwich rounds.

We were most captivated by her candles. Here's how to do it: In jars, put lemon verbena and orange wedges at the bottom, add a few more fragrant greens if you like. Add water and add a floating candle. What sweet fragrance! 

We had an iced and hot tea. Beulah makes her own teas and both were delicious!

 

After we worked our way up the tray, Beulah and Peg offered a variety of demonstrations and sharing of products they make and sell at the shop -- and were generous in sharing their. Because I don't sew, 

 

I bought one of the micro-or-freezer sinus pillows, made from lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary and mint. Lavender brings with it healing properties -- and of course it smells wonderful!

My favorite was the firestarters and I will be collecting pine cones to do this. 

 

Start with a dried pine cone and tie a long wick around the middle and knot it, so it has two ends. With twine or curling ribbon, tie dried lavender stems and if need be, a drop of lavender oil. Then melt wax -- soy wax is recommended over paraffin, but I suppose both would work. drip that on the knot. Then using a piece of pretty fabric, tie a knot. (The one I bought as a sample at the shop also had a blob of the wax on the bottom of the firestarter, too.) Light both ends of the wicks and off you go! (I suppose you could use wheat or raffia in place of the fabric for a different look.) 

 

Another easy idea -- buy or make muslin tie bags, fill them with dried lavender buds and use in the dryer.

 

Peg showed us how to make bath bags -- use epsom salts, lavender, ice cream salts, baking soda and a few drops of lavender and bergemot essential oils. Put into a bag to hand over the shower nozzle or  hang over the faucet/float in the tub.

(With all items, using a cellophane bag is better than a poly one or baggie because the fragrance will leak.

Another idea -- a hankie pillow. Instead of tossing Grandma's tatted hankie, fold in half, stitch along two sides, fill with fragrance (they used lavender, lemon verbena, bergemot and mint) and stitch the top. Place between your pillows for a healing sleep!

Here's another quick idea. I've made lights like these at Christmas -- putting lights in a glass vase or bowl. But next time, I'll be adding some potpourri to it! 

They also discussed tinctures -- the importance of essential oils which are pure and so much more! They make their own moth repellent with cedar shavings, dried cedar, rosemary, lavender, cloves and bay along with eucalyptus oil. No chemicals. No moths, either!

I think our tea with Peg and Beulah was over too soon -- so much to learn, to savor, to sniff, to see! We wrapped up our visit exploring the grounds a bit more...

...and of course, the gift shop!

For those who live in the mid-Michigan area, Grand Oak Herb Farm is well worth the drive to Bancroft, a small town easily accessible by I-69. To give you an idea how popular this spot is, we had guests at our table from as far as Detroit! Please check out the website HERE for additional teas and workshops this summer and return for ones this fall.