When birthdays come around and family starts asking me what I would like, I always have a huge list of books and other things for them to choose from:) I love presents! This year Eric asked me and I immediately said, “ Ooooo I could use some vodka please!”
The lemon balm was at the perfect time for harvest and I was out of vodka, and wanted to make some alcohol herbal extracts… so Eric bought me two bottles for my birthday this year:) Nice huh? LOL!!!
So on a quiet Saturday I harvested about sink full at a time of lemon balm, came inside and plucked through the leaves one at a time, discarding the less that perfect, while watching the Victorian Pharmacy series I received from my friend Debs:) A totally pleasant day:) Debs wrote quite a bit about lemon balm in this post. I know you will enjoy reading it too.
Other lovely birthday goodies
Son Tommy and his family gave me wonderful Burts Bees products, presented inside that cute ladybug toy, (plus souvenirs from their Florida vacation). Buddy Marci, in Washington state, sent me oh so lovely grapefruit scented soap, lavender eo and the nicest ladle ever! My sweet Rita in Belgium sent me a darling friends magnet and some viola seeds from her garden!
Daughter Michelle and her family gave me balloons, flowers, some much needed clothes and made me the most wonderfully delicious and gorgeously decorated cake
Also included in the package from Marci, was a sample of her black cottonwood buds infused in olive oil. I sent her a sample of mine also, which is made from eastern cottonwood buds. Hers is the one on the right which is much redder in color and I thought, more piney smelling. We know I harvested mine a bit later than I should have for this area, but I did try to get some earlier, (wrote about that in this post), and even then my type of cottonwood buds while resinous, seemed to be more sweet smelling than particularly, for lack of a better word, piney. It will be great fun for us to use the oils in various ways and compare our impressions:)
Big hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xx
