It's Contest Time!

Would you like the opportunity to win a one year subscription to The Essential Herbal Magazine? This magazine is written by, for, and about herbie people and the things they love. It is a grassroots publication that talks about the things you want to know when it comes to herbs. Susanna contributes an article to the magazine too.

Beginning today Friday, February 27 through Thursday, March 5 you can enter to win by posting a comment in response to this blog entry and take a chance at winning a full year’s subscription to The Essential Herbal Magazine! (If you already subscribe to the magazine, the free year will be added to the end of your subscription.) Be sure to include an email addy in your comment so that we can reach you if you win!

The following blogs are also participating. For additional chances to win and the chance to explore some really cool blogs, be sure to visit our herbal friends and leave a comment on their contest post.

Possum Creek Herb Farm
Blessings of an Herbwyfe
Garden Chick ***
SunRose Aromatics ***
Herbs from the Labyrinth ***
Patti’s Potions ***
PrairieLand Herbs ***
Aquarian Bath ***
The Rosemary House ***
Natures Gift ***
Torchsong Studio ***
The Essential Herbal ***

*** Over the next 10 weeks, these blogs will be featuring another give-away. New contests will be announced every Friday. Be sure to check back!***

Good Luck!

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Congratulations to Kathi, Fairy Lover - she won the one-year subscription to The Essential Herba magazine! Thanks to everyone for participating.

Surprises!

Some of you noticed that the 'Old Boy' was not on the Disney trip. No - too strenuous a journey, besides, his best buddy invited him to the Cabin in Perry County for the week. They headed to the cabin with a homemade carrot cake that I made before we left. Little did I know, carrot cake is the buddy's favorite cake! In appreciation, the boys found this beautiful sturdy Hall teapot at a local antique barn and gifted it to me as a thank-you for the cake. How fun is that! Better than any souvenir I found at Disney!

Finding Tea

This tea vendor was located in the Asian area of Animal Kingdom, close to the Expedition Everest ride where you board a high speed train with a caution to beware the Yeti (abominable snowman). Cedar would like to know more about the Yeti particularly the one that tore up the tracks on the Expedition Everest ride, causing us to ride the train backwards. He wasn't willing to ride the high-speed train a second time though to gather more information.

Also in Animal Kingdom, this watering hole was tucked in the Maharajah Jungle Trek where you wander through the ruins of an ancient palace.

Moving on to China, at Epcot, this vendor sold Strawberry Red Bean Ice Cream in addition to various teas. We tried the ice cream, interesting.

An Affinity for All Things Lush and Green

Coming from dreary and grey Pennsylvania, it was so refreshing to see green grass, colorful flowers and blossoms on the trees.

It was a magical place ~ everywhere you looked. There is an amazing attention to detail; wonders meet the eye at every turn and when we spotted a woman picking up trash on the muddy wet road in her high heels, it became obvious that everyone employed at the park is responsible for keeping it spotless. Quite a task when you consider the number of visitors every day, starting in the wee hours of the morning until the wee hours of the night. The park has 'extra hours' for guests staying at the Disney resorts. Magic Kingdom was open one evening from midnight until 3 am. No... we didn't make it during the extra hours that night.

An Affinity for All Things Tea

We do enjoy tea related things... and we stood in line to ride in the tea cups at Disney, or perhaps we just stood in line for the photo-op and the ride was a bonus. We divided into two groups with the boys in one cup, the girls in another, and spin we did!

Stop by our gardens at The Rosemary House, and you'll find a big old orange and yellow tea cup long retired from a local amusement park. Guess it's a good thing they didn't have the coordinating tea pot at auction also!

I don't do mornings!

Unless it's a Disney character breakfast... which we did, on two mornings... once at the Grand Floridian with a quite grand buffet breakfast that even included candy and ice cream (it is a magical place after all) and again at the Polynesian Hotel where we were served family style at the table.

We had the opportunity to meet the Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Tigger, and Winnie the Pooh at our first breakfast; and at the Polynesian, we were greeted by Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch. What fun! As you can see - some were real characters!

Aloha Mickey!

(For detail, click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Hand in Hand - to Disney we went

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy,

they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust

UP, UP, and

AWAY! We have flown the coop, so to speak.... all of us....

We're off on another family adventure, no wagons this time, no roughing it! Just high tech action and adventure at Disney World. We'll share more when we return! Talk to you soon!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sit back, relax, and enjoy a special Valentine's Day Tea prepared just for you! The bottom tier holds the sandwiches which include Heart's Delight Tomato Aspic and Cucumber Rounds, You Warm My Heart Ham and Cheese Domino Sandwich, Cupid's Fruit Cornucopia on Raisin Bread, and a Sweet and Savory Heart Shaped Sandwich on pumpernickel. The Scones include The Queen of Heart's English Cream Scones and Love Me Tender Cherry Scones with fresh fruit. The top tier holds the desserts which included a Cherry Cheesecake, I Love You Berry Much heart shaped cookie, a Hugs and Kisses macaroon cookie, and petite heart shaped DreamMint candies.
Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, this Special Tea Tray was Made Just for You.

One World One Heart

What an exciting adventure this has been! With just shy of 1000 participants, One World One Heart has created a circle of hands around the globe.... we were pleased to meet many new friends and welcome so many kind visitors to our blog. This endeavor has introduced us to many inspiring artists, many creative and clever participants, and indeed made the world a smaller place. Over 200 visitors posted comments to our blog, and we would like to thank each and every one of you for your kind words! Today, it is our pleasure to announce Barbara Will as the winning entry in our One World One Heart Giveaway. Congratulations Barb! Please confirm your mailing address by contacting us, and we will send the afghan and cookbook to you. Enjoy!

Napkin Folding

Setting a special table for a Valentines gathering? Why not try your hand at folding a heart shaped napkin. Easy enough to do, showy enough to look like you took all day preparing the napkins, cute enough that the 9 year old at the table doesn't want to 'unfold' the heart.
To recreate this little heart... open a square napkin to its full size. Fold the napkin in half, bringing the bottom edge of the napkin up to the top. Line the edges evenly when folding it in half. With your finger, hold the center of the bottom fold. Bring the lower right corner to the middle of the top left edge. Repeat with the bottom left corner. (It took me a few attempts to actually produce the heart, so don't give up with your first attempt!)

Presentation - Beautiful

Translation- I Love You!

Every Valentine's Day, this quick and easy cake is served to family and friends. The sharp contrast of the beautiful red cherries against the rich white frosting is just striking. Named Cheery Cherry Cake, it is suitable for Valentine's Day or President's Day!
To make this cake, simply prepare your favorite white cake in either heart shaped pans or round layer pans. While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting.
Whipped Frosting
1 c. Crisco
1/2 c. margarine
1/4 c. evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 lb. confectioner's sugar

Mix Crisco and margarine, cream well. Add milk, vanilla and sugar. Beat together for approx. 5 minutes. Frost cake. With remaining frosting, pipe shells around the bottom and top edge of cake. Chill. Just prior to serving, top with a can of cherry pie filling.

May I cut you a piece?