Afternoon Tea - Westminster Abbey

Although we were served a light breakfast snack in-flight, after touring Westminster Abbey, we stopped at the Cellarium which houses the café, terrace, and shop in the Abbey. Recently opened in 2012, and located in a part of the Abbey that was constructed in the 14th century, the term Cellarium originates from the Latin word cella,  or pantry. The pantry was a storehouse found in a medieval monastery or castle, which is of course the perfect spot for a café. The boys were happy to see that they served breakfast in addition to Afternoon Tea. One half of the table had bacon, eggs and toast, while the other half ordered the afternoon tea.

The tea tray included current scones with cream and jelly on the bottom tier. Three little sandwiches on the middle tier featured ham salad, a petite quiche, and salmon rounds with a garnish of frisee lettuce (a bitter type of chicory). The top tier held a medley of homemade desserts including a petite Victoria sponge cake, tasty lemon curd filled shortbread, chocolate cake and a brownie.

Refreshed with tea and treats, we were ready to head across the River Thames for the London Eye rotation. After that, we settled in to our hotel, took a quick nap, and then hailed a Black Cab for our Evening Tea reservations at The Berkeley.

Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye; oh my

Our first full day in London included visiting the iconic Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye. Our lodging was located just across the Thames River and within easy walking distance of all three of these destinations. Since we arrived at 9 am and check in wasn't until 2 pm, we safely stowed our luggage at the Premiere Inn County Hall and headed out for the first of many adventures.

 Westminster Abbey, a national shrine, in all its medieval glory, offers a resting place for many of England's royalty, noblemen, authors and poets. One of London's top tourist destinations, the line to enter was long. It's impossible to see everything that this religious building offers, but walking within these sacred halls, you could feel history surround you. From the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 to the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, it was surreal to be walking within these sacred walls.

 Afternoon Tea was enjoyed in the Cellarium of Westminster Abbey. More on that in tomorrow's post. Following tea, we headed back across the Thames towards the London Eye, the country's Millennium project.














While crossing the bridge, Susanna spotted this graffiti by global artist Hogre. It's a great depiction of these British tourist destinations complete with the hoards of people that gather here everyday. Walking across the bridge in the morning was pleasant with a minimal number of people, by late afternoon/early evening the sidewalk was solid with multi-lingual visitors, tourists with selfie sticks oblivious to the crowds, and buskers (street performers) trying to hustle a buck. There were some playing the shell game (at 40 pounds a pop) and others playing the bag pipes with an open case for coins.

The Internet provides the opportunity to purchase many tickets in advance in an attempt to avoid long lines. We took advantage of this and had our flex-tickets in hand to board the London Eye at any time. This worked well for us, and was our last stop before we checked into the hotel for a much needed nap. The London Eye (think ultimate Ferris Wheel) has 32 glass pods that hold 25 visitors. The rotation takes half an hour to complete and on a clear day offers a view over the city of approximately 25 miles.

View over London from the British Airways London Eye

English Lavender

Lavender at the Manor House, Avebury

Our most recent travels took us across the Pond to England where we spent a most delightful holiday. July is the best time to travel to England if you want to experience the lavender in full bloom. Everywhere we looked, there was a patch of healthy lavender in blossom.

Lavender path at the Barnsley House gardens

With daylight extending well into the late evening, frequent gentle rains, and free draining limestone soils 1,000 feet above sea level, one finds the best growing conditions for English Lavender.


Lavender Patch at our Bed & Breakfast in the Cotswolds



Lavender Maze at Anne Hathaway's Cottage, Stratford-Upon-Avon

Lavender border at the Manor House in Avebury



Lavender and Rosemary

Lavender Brownies

 Hope Hill Lavender Farm shared this wonderful recipe for Lavender Brownies. 
Lavender Brownies​

1/3 cup cocoa 
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
2 eggs
½ cup veg oil or applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
Pour into a greased 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan
​Sprinkle with 1 tsp  - 1 tbsp. of Hope Hill lavender flowers and smooth over surface
​I will mix 1 tbsp. into batter, also
​Bake at 350° for 20 – 25 minutes

OR, keep it simple:
Spice up your favorite box brownie recipe by adding 1 tbsp of organic lavender flowers to the batter and once the batter is poured in the pan sprinkle 1 tbsp of flowers on top of the brownie batter and spread into batter with a butter knife. Bake as instructed on mix or recipe.

Hope Hill Lavender Farm

The third lavender farm on our travelling lavender odyssey included a visit to Hope Hill Lavender Farm beautifully nestled upon quite a hill along the PA state game lands. This family owned, Marine veteran proud, offers a delightful opportunity to forget the stress of the outside world.

Our visit here included a tour of the farm. We also sampled green tea with lavender, nibbled lavender shortbread cookies, visited the chickens, walked the fragrant fields, peeked into the drying room and purchased a few lavender products! Hope Hill prides themselves in offering 100% American manmade products.

The hand harvested lavender is bundled, and hung upside down where the drying process is hastened by the aid of circulating fans. The organic dried lavender will be used in bouquets or further processed for culinary use.

Growing Lavender - Hints and Tips

Peace Valley Lavender Farm generously shared these tips for Growing, Pruning and Drying Lavender.  Visit their website for lovely lavender products including their own steam distilled essential oil!

Lavenders want well drained soil, good air circulation, and as much sun as possible to promote flower production. Lavenders prefer neutral to alkaline soil. In humid climates, coarse sand worked-in around the crown will help the plant dry out. Keep weeds down to prevent sources of wetness and avoid wetting the lower leaves, which may encourage disease. Lavenders require no feeding, though an occasional dressing of low-nitrogen organic fertilizer will make your plants happy. If you are growing lavenders in containers, a spring feeding of a slow-release fertilizer will be helpful. Also, lavender in containers will dry out faster than in the ground, so keep an eye on them.

Tips for Pruning Lavender

Lavender can be pruned in the early spring or in the fall (not too late so as to give plants time to harden off before winter). Generally speaking, trim plant by one third, keeping the typical mound shape of the plant. If you do not plan to harvest the flowers, then a light pruning just after flowering, will be sufficient to promote new growth. Cut each flower stem back to the first or second pair of leaves. Pruning old, woody lavenders can be tricky. Some growers recommend pruning the plant down to the base after flowering if there is evidence of new growth. The plant may continue growing anew or may die. If you are sentimental, take a cutting from the plant before pruning, just in case. Other growers recommend taking a three year approach to revitalizing old, woody plants. Cutting the plant back in spring and fall by 1/3. Also, cutting out any woody stems that are dead. Again, there are no guarantees. The best plan is to begin a regular pruning regimen with your plants, minimizing woody growth.

Tips for Harvesting and Drying Lavender

Lavender blossoms should be harvested when only one or two buds have opened. Harvest in the late morning after a few days of dry, warm weather. Tie up small bundles with rubber bands. Hang upside down in a dark room with good air circulation. Lavender flowers will fade in color if exposed to sunlight.

Peace Valley Lavender Farm

The second stop on our Traveling Herb Seminar included a visit to the Peace Valley Lavender Farm in Doylestown, PA.

                                                               Lavender fields forever...

Our hostess greeted us and presented an informative talk on about the varieties of lavender that they grow here at Peace Valley Lavender Farm. She also shared about the distillation process of lavender. Did you know that it takes 11 pounds of lavender to produce 1 ounce of oil?

The gift shop had quite an array of lavender products. Soaps, culinary delights, room spritz, essential oil, sinus packs, cleaning products, lavender plants and much more.

Lavender Labyrinth

A labyrinth is a single path that one walks to meditate or prayerfully consider spiritual or personal concerns. It is among the simplest forms of focused walking meditation. Along the path, one contemplates the issue, when you reach the center of the labyrinth you rest and listen to guidance from the Supreme Being and on the journey out the answers or spiritual growth should develop. This lavender labyrinth at Carousel Lavender Farm was recently planted but as this fragrant lavender labyrinth fills in, it is going to be such a fragrant and relaxing walk.

Carousel Lavender Farm

As part of our recent Lavender Odyssey Traveling Herb Seminar we visited Carousel Lavender Farm in  Mechanicsville, located in Bucks County, PA. We were given a tour of the extensive lavender fields complete with a lavender labyrinth.                        

 Owner Nikko is a also a professional photographer and we were able to tour his studio and guest cottage as well. This farm has many little visual treats everywhere you look.  Nikko explained his drying and distilling process as well.

Artistic and photographic touches were everywhere! This clever tool rack holds all the necessary equipment for gardening. We were able to take a peek in the guest cottage.

Beauty everywhere. And an explosion of lavender, too!

Lovely Lavender

"There’s flowers for you;
Hot lavender, mints, savory, marjoram;
The marigold, that goes to bed wi’ the sun,
And with him rises weeping; these are flowers
Of middle summer, and I think they are given

To men of middle age."
William Shakespeare The Winter’s Tale

Happy Fourth of July!

Let Freedom Ring!

Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia is a cold-tolerant cactus native to the Americas. It has a variety of names including pricky pear cactus or the pads are sometimes referred to as Nopales, the fruit is sometimes called Tuna. Used often in Mexican cooking (huevos con nopales), the fruit is also used to make a delicious jelly, candy or in drinks.