Font yard ideas and other random babble

Last night while Lisa spent some time in her sewing room, and I sat here and did a bit of research. As I mentioned in my last entry, we are looking at things to do with the front yard. We're doing our first farmers market this Friday since last week was rained out. We talked about "cash crops" for small gardens, and thats what I was researching. As far as vegetables, the usual things came up-tomatos, garlic, onions, cabbage, etc. Then I started looking around at herbs.

More and more people are cooking with fresh ingredients now, the local fresh and farmers markets are really showing that. Most are vegetables, but few are herbs. I think this may be the route we are going with on this unused space. While looking around, I found a list of the top 12 commonly used culinary herbs-parsley, basil (was the biggest seller), mints, dill,chives,rosemary,french tarragon,oregeno,sage,thyme,marjoram and french sorrel. Lisa already grows most of these for our own use, so why not try producing more for sale? It's worth a shot. I don't wanna be the couple at the market with the same old things as everyone else, this may be what makes us different.

Besides culinary herbs, we're also looking at some medicinal herbs, as well as "majick" herbs. (remember Lisa is pagan) Lisa swares by some of her home-grown herbal teas, and after my horrible bee attack incident, I'm a big believer in using yarrow. We're taking the time and energy to grow and raise our own food, make others from scratch, make homemade cleaners, soaps, etc, so growing our own herbs for cooking and medicinal purposes is just another step.

The local markets that specialize in organic/health food/alternative medicine are booming, and herbs are a big part of their business. There are also 3 local pagan/wiccan stores around that sell the majickal herbs,( yes that"s how it is actually spelled), and I'm sure they would be happy to find a local grower that can keep them stocked. SOME herbs used in majick are highly poisonous if mishandled, and those we will avoid completely, but the others I will be happy to grow. No, we won't make our fortune on growing herbs in the front yard, but making more for us to use and making a few extra bucks on the side won't hurt a bit.

I saw an herb garden on someones blog that I'll use for a basic design. Hers is 12x12, octagon shaped. I'll make Lisa's a bit bigger, lol, using railroad ties or landscape timbers to form an octagon like this one. I'll use 2 on each side, so that means I'll need 16 of them to form the basic shape, and another 8 to make the center a path to go around the rose of sharon and rhotodendran (i know thats not spelled right lol) that are already in the center of the area that I plan to use. I'd like to make her a flagstone path in them, but until I start burping $50's, thats not gonna happen. All in good time....

Other than that, we need rain around here. The forecast has called for rain since Sunday, and all we have gotten was about a half hour of really light sprinkles. Again, it called for thunderstorms today, but now the sun is shining and the sky is blue. UGH, gotta love Ohio weather. Like we've always said, if you don't like the weather here, just wait 10 minutes. Hopefully we get it, but hopefully it changes by the weekend. I have a friend getting married on Saturday...outdoor wedding and outdoor reception, and the forecast says storms and rain all day. I sure hope not! This is his 3rd, but it's her first, and at 38, she's been waiting her whole life for this day.

As I'm sitting her typing away, Austin comes in to get a drink. (the bloodhound) Sometimes this dog just makes me laugh. He is VERY much a creature of habit. He walks one path and one path only when he is outside, it's actually worn from years of him doing this. He always lays in the same spot. He knows exactly when it's suppertime. If we rearrange the living room, we have to make sure his dish will be in the same spot or he gets confused. Now, sitting here and watching him drink, he reminds me of all this. He drinks in threes. Most dogs just stand there and lap up water, but not Austin. It's always the same when he drinks, one two three, one two three, one two three, lol. What a goof.