The Wonder of Robins in the Spring

I am fascinated by robins. I always know Spring is finally here when the first robins start to appear. There is no greater time for reflection than in the morning, with a cup of coffee, listening to the robins sing. Did you know that only the male robin sings? I have been reading a lot about the American robin and there are many interesting facts I thought I would share in this blog.


Here is a close up of the 3 newborn chicks waiting for Mom to bring lunch.

• The American robin is in the thrush family and bears its name from early English settlers. The robin reminded them of a European robin even though the two species of birds are not related.
• In addition to earthworms and meal worms, a robin's diet includes grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, centipedes, fruit, and berries.

  

  A broken robin's egg I found in the grass.

  
• American robins cannot digest birdseed.
• I have always thought that the female birds get the "short end of the stick" when it comes to appearance, and the robins are no exception. The male robin has a beautiful rust or burnt orange colored breast while the female is pale and washed out in color. The female robin is less noticeable in order to camouflage herself while tending to her young in the nest. If you see a spotted colored breast on the robin it's usually an adolescent.
• Female robins build the nest from the inside out. It can take 5 or 6 days to complete. Once the nest is formed, soft mud is used to make it sturdy. The finished nest is usually 6-8 inches across and 3-6 inches high. Throughout winter, I fill an empty onion sack with dryer lint, pet hair, scraps of yarn, and shredded paper. I hang it from a tree limb in the Spring for all of the birds to use for building a nest.
• Robins love water! I have 4 birdbaths and 2 garden fountains around my yard and each one needs to be filled 2 or 3 times a day when the temperature is warm. There can be as many as six robins waiting their turn to make a splash...reminiscent of when my son was small; how he loved to splash the water when he took a bath. 
• Robins love freshly mowed grass. Take the time to sit and enjoy the view after you've finished mowing the lawn. It's like the old adage "stopping to smell the roses." The amount of robins searching for worms on the lawn seems to triple when the grass is freshly cut. I always enjoy watching the robins tug and tug for that worm.

  

  Male robin in my yard

• Why are robin's eggs blue? The blue egg color is caused by pigments in the females’ oviduct and by the nest materials or soil where the eggs are laid. Scientists still say that the blue color is somewhat of a mystery but birds that lay their eggs in open nests tend to be camouflaged—the egg colors match their background or surroundings to better conceal them.
• During courtship, the male robin feeds the female. They also approach each other and touch widely opened bills almost resembling a kiss. The male robin also sings for the female before mating.
• Female robins can have up to 3 broods a year. The incubation period typically lasts 10 to 14 days. The chicks stay in the nest for another 14 days. Nestlings are pink with little tufts of feathers after they hatch. Fledglings become independent and start flying in 4 weeks.
• Robins can fly 20-36 mph, they typically fly at a faster speed when migrating.
  

  

  In my lilac bush, a mother and 3
  babies sit happily in the nest.
  I have been watching them for awhile...
  Mom has gotten used to me
  getting close to them.

• If you sleep with the windows open, you might be awakened by the songs of the robin. They are one of the first birds to begin singing in the morning and the last to be heard at night. Robins have a clear cheery sound with a number of songs and calls. The songs might sound like "cheerily...cheer up...cheer up...cheerily...cheer up."
• Robins are "hoppers." They can spring forward in a hop from branch to branch and on the ground. Robins are one of the few species that do both! Robins tend to hop when grass is too high to see through. Sometimes they seem to hop just because they feel like it. Robins have sturdy legs with muscles designed for running or hopping. This allows them to get away from predators or quickly cover open ground while hunting.
• Robins see worms, not hear them. At times, the robin will cock its head to the side toward the ground. It looks a bit like he's listening for the worms crawling under the ground, but really he's watching the ground for the tiny movements that would indicate a worm is traveling close to the surface. When foraging on the ground, the American Robin runs a few steps, then stops abruptly.
• The average lifespan of the American robin is 2-6 years. There has been documentation of a robin living up to 14 years too!
• American Robins have monocular vision, meaning their eyes are situated on the sides of their head. As they look at an object, they can only see it with one eye at a time.
• If a young robin accidentally falls out of the nest, it is okay to gently place the chick back. It is a myth that the parent birds abandon their young if touched by humans.
• I thought the primary diet of the robin was worms, but worms only make up 40% of their diet. Fruit and berries make up 60% of the robin's diet and is generally eaten later in the day. A robin can eat up to 14 feet of worms a day!

The American robin is such a beautiful and cheerful bird. Next time you are relaxing outside or enjoying that morning cup of coffee listen for the musical song of the American robin. It is such a familiar sound of spring. The whistles are so clear and happy that it's a wonderful way to start and end the day. Don't forget to clean and fill the birdbaths regularly and please share all of these interesting facts with your family. Maybe even go on a family walk to see how many robins are spotted or listen for their cheerful songs. Happy Spring!

Cleaning Paint Brushes: One step at a time!

If you're like me, the last thing you want to do after a long day of painting is clean the brushes. A good brush, if cleaned properly, will last through dozens of paint jobs. I will go through the steps of cleaning your brushes no matter what type of paint or you use and how to maintain the shape of the brush once it's cleaned. A little elbow work now, will help protect your investment without having to buy brushes every time you paint trim or a whole room.

First of all, start by purchasing a good brush. Those $2.00 brushes will not give you good results when painting. For latex paint, purchase a quality nylon or polyester brush. Oil based paints should be painted with a natural bristle brush preferably out of animal hair.

5 STEPS FOR CLEANING WATER-BASED PAINT FROM A BRUSH

1. Scrape off excess paint. This may seem obvious, but getting the brush as free from excess paint will be beneficial. Use the rim of the paint can or I paint the excess off on newspaper.
    
2. Wash the brush. In a pail of soapy warm water, work the paint off of the bristles with your hands or a brush comb (available at home improvement stores).
    
3. Spin the brush. You can purchase a brush and roller spinner, but I usually swirl the brush with my hands. In the same soapy bucket, spin the brush handle through both hands back and forth. This may take several minutes depending on how clogged your brush was with paint.
    
4. Rinse the brush. In a pail of clean water, work the bristles with your hands and spin the brush again. Dump out water and repeat in another pail of clean water.
    
5. Wrap the brush. I like to use a paper bag from the grocery store. Make an envelope for your brush with the bristles facing into the fold of the paper bag. Fold each side in around your brush and tie loosely (but securely) with twine. This step is critical for maintaining the brushes original shape.

6 STEPS FOR CLEANING OIL-BASED PAINT FROM BRUSHES

This process is very similar to washing latex paint except you'll use mineral spirits (paint thinner) instead of soapy water to get the brush clean. Always work in a well-ventilated area when cleaning brushes in solvents such as mineral spirits.

1. Rinse the brush with paint thinner. Wearing chemical-resistant gloves and protective eye wear, work the bristles with your hands. If necessary, use a brush comb on any hardened paint spots, but this is usually more of a problem with latex paint.
    
2. Spin the brush. With your hands or a brush spinner, rinse the brush for 10 seconds after nearly all of the paint solids are out of the brush.
    
3. Dip the brush. In a clean container of paint thinner, work any remaining paint out of the bristles.
    
4. Spin the brush again. Agitate the bristles and spin the brush in paint thinner for at least two minutes.
    
5. Dip the brush in lacquer thinner. Lacquer thinner is flammable so please proceed with caution or use outside. Agitate the brush for a minute to remove any remaining paint and shake out brush on newspaper to remove lacquer thinner residue.
    
6. Clean the brush in warm soapy water. Dish soap will work fine for this step. Work the bristles for about a minute. A quick cleaning in water won't damage the bristles, spin the brush to get out any extra water. Shape brush and store in a brown paper bag envelope as stated previously.

TIPS:

• After using the container of paint thinner, let the paint solids settle, then pour off the rest in a clean container for reuse.
• Make sure you check your local hazardous waste department for proper dumping of any solvent.
• Solvent-based brush cleaners are available for the hardened brush that never was cleaned.
• Don't clean brushes with solvents around water heaters, stoves, or any open flame with potential to spark or ignite.
• Cleaning shellac or varnish requires a different solvent than latex and oil paint. Follow the same steps for oil-based paint but use  denatured alcohol instead of paint thinner.

Kitchen Math Made Easy

Since we are heading into the prime cooking season with the arrival of Autumn and soon...the holidays, I've prepared an easy to follow list of many kitchen measures and exchanges. Sometimes, our brain can't quite figure out the amounts of dried beans vs. cooked beans or teaspoons in equivalent to tablespoons. Many recipes ask for measurements that are hard to figure out, so I hope this information helps the novice as well as the seasoned family chef.

SAFETY FIRST

• Before any cooking, scrub hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Rinse well. dry with a paper towel and use a kitchen towel to turn off faucet.
• Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces in hot soapy water after handling uncooked fish, poultry, meat, or raw eggs.
• Refrigerate food within 2 hours of cooking, on hot days...1 hour.
• Don't overload the refrigerator...it needs room for air to evenly circulate.
• Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator...never on a counter top.

EASY EXCHANGES

1/8 teaspoon or less = a pinch                                        2 cups = 1 pint

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon                                            4 cups = 1 quart
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup                                                 2 pints = 1 quart
5 1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup                                           4 quarts = 1 gallon
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup                                              
10 2/3 tablespoons = 2/3 cup
16 tablespoons = 1 cup

FOOD MEASURES

Butter                                                                           
1/2 stick = 1/4 cup or 4 Tablespoons                            
1 stick = 1/2 cup or 8 Tablespoons                               
1 pound = 2 cups or 4 sticks
                                      
Cheese
8 ounces cream cheese = 1 cup
8 ounces cottage cheese = 1 cup
4 ounces Parmesan = 1 1/4 cups grated
Chocolate Chips
one - 12 ounce package = 2 cups

Cookies
1 cup crumbs = 19 chocolate wafers, 22 vanilla wafers, or 14 graham cracker squares

Cream
1 cup heavy cream = 2 cups whipped

Dried Beans and Peas
1 cup = 2 1/4 cup cooked

Herbs
1 Tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried

Pasta
8 ounces elbow macaroni = 4 cups cooked
8 ounces fettuccine = 3 3/4 cups cooked
8 ounces angel hair = 5 1/2 cups cooked
8 ounces spaghetti = 4 cups cooked

Rice
1 cup white = 3 cups cooked
1 cup instant = 1 1/2 cups cooked
1 cup brown = 3 to 4 cups cooked

Sugar
1 pound granulated = 2 cups
1 pound brown, packed = 2 1/4 cups
1 pound confectioners = 4 1/2 cups

WHEN A RECIPE CALLS FOR:

4 cups shredded cabbage = 1 small cabbage
1 cup grated raw carrot = 1 large carrot
2 1/2 cups sliced carrots = 1 pound raw carrots
4 cups cooked fresh green beans = 1 pound green beans
1 cup chopped onion = 1 large onion
4 cups sliced raw potatoes = 4 medium-sized potatoes
1 cup chopped sweet pepper = 1 large pepper
1 cup chopped tomato = 1 large tomato
1 cup diced canned tomatoes = 14 1/2-ounce can, drained
4 cups sliced apples = 4 medium-sized apples
1 cup mashed banana = 3 medium-sized bananas
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest = 1 medium-sized lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice = 1 medium-sized lemon
4 teaspoons grated orange rind = 1 medium-sized orange
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice = 3 medium-sized oranges
4 cups sliced peaches = 8 medium-sized peaches
2 cups sliced strawberries = 1 pint of strawberries
1 cup soft bread crumbs = 2 slices of fresh bread
1 cup bread cubes = 2 slices of fresh bread
2 cups shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese = 8 ounces of cheese
1 cup of egg whites = 6 or 7 large eggs

I hope all of this information will help you
prepare glorious dishes for your family!

My Great-Grandmother's Romantic Cake Recipe

This recipe has been handed down through the generations of my family. In honor of Sweetest Day coming up on October 15th...I thought I would share with you my Great-Grandmother's Romantic Cake recipe. It's not your typical recipe because this cake includes dates and shortening. I know my grandmother used to use lard, but crisco will be fine for the shortening. It is written in steps rather than ingredients first and then instructions. With that in mind, making this delicious cake is a nod to the past and is sure to be a hit. I have requested this cake every year for my birthday...it's not too sweet but sooo tasty!

ROMANTIC CAKE

Cut up 1 cup of dates. Add 1 cup of boiling water to the dates. When cool add 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

Cream 1 cup shortening and 1 cup of sugar. Add 2 beaten eggs and blend well.

Sift 1 3/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Add flour mix and date mix (alternating a little at a time) to creamed mix and beat well.

Pour in greased 8x8 square pan and sprinkle top of batter with 1/2 package of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts, but any nut of your choice will be fine)

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

When cooled, sift powdered sugar all over the top of the cake. Enjoy!

Romantic Cake

BEER: It's not just for drinking...

ENRICH SOIL...the yeast promotes plant growth. Pour a few tablespoons of flat beer into the garden soil and cultivate, the yeast in the soil will help plants grow healthier and make the garden thrive. The sugars in beer are also enjoyed by your garden vegetables and flowers.

POLISH WOOD FURNITURE...Dampen a microfiber cloth with flat beer and rub gently into your furniture. It will give it a polish and bring back some color. I like to use darker ales for this to match the wood stain, it deepened the patina of the wood, added a shine, and buffed out a few scratches.

CLOTHING STAIN REMOVAL...beer works much like club soda on a clothing stain, rinse with water after will help take out the smell or just throw in the laundry.

HAIR LIGHTENING...while I normally go to the salon for this, it has been proven effective for a more natural glow to hair. Simply soak your hair in beer and then lay in the sun. It will pull out beautiful highlights and save you money at the salon!

SOAK TIRED FEET...soaking feet in beer is said to soothe tired feet and help soften the skin for a wonderful beer pedicure.

POLISH GOLD JEWELRY...both economical and a greener alternative to chemical jewelry cleaners: Place rings and other gold items into a container of beer and soak for a few minutes. Remove and polish to a beautiful sheen using a soft dry cloth.

SLUG AND SNAIL TRAP...at dusk, place dishes or jars of beer around your garden where slugs and snails like to feast. They are drawn to the beer's scent and will crawl in a drown which is a great way to control these pests.

PUT OUT A FIRE...certainly not as effective as a real fire extinguisher, beer can mimic one if an extinguisher is not around. Simply shake and spritz. This works best on small grill flare-ups or bonfires. Not a great use of beer but its better than an out of control fire!

BEER BATH...taking a beer bath may sound crazy but adding some to the bathtub are great soothers and skin softeners because of the yeast. Don't forget to rinse well otherwise you will smell like a brewery!

EASE AN UPSET STOMACH...the carbonation in beer can help ease your stomachache. Of course, this is NOT for children or people with serious stomach illness.

BEER TO HEAL...beer is a diuretic and it can be used to help pass a kidney stone. It cannot, however, be used like other diuretics — to treat liver disease.

DISTRACT BEES AND WASPS... beer placed in cups around the outskirts of your picnic or barbecue area will attract bees and wasps and keep them away from people or your outdoor gathering. It's not a long-term wasp control tactic...but it can help control these pests.

TRAP FRUIT FLIES IN THE HOUSE...if you like to have fruit on the kitchen counter or keep a compost pail inside...you will most likely attract fruit flies. Place a jar or can of beer on the kitchen counter and cover the top with plastic wrap or paper leaving a small opening for the flies to get into. The fruit flies won't be able to get back out.

MICE CONTROL...a small amount of beer placed in a pail will help get rid of a mouse problem. Pouring an inch or so of beer in a bucket and prop a wood ramp to the bucket.The mouse will crawl up the ramp and fall into the bucket.

TRAP COCKROACHES...soak a slice of bread in beer and put it in a jar. Add Vaseline around the rim of the jar to attract the cockroaches in so they can't get back out.

INDOOR PLANT FERTILIZER...use a small amount of flat beer at the plant base. Be careful not to use too much since they are not able to be rinsed with rain water like outside plants.

FEED BROWN SPOTS IN THE LAWN...the acids in beer kill off fungi and pests plus the fermented sugars in beer help feed the grass to reduce brown or damaged spots.

WASH YOUR PILLOWCASES IN BEER...my Grandma told me this to help people who suffer from insomnia. This may be an old wives tale...but supposedly the smell of hops helps you fall asleep. If you have trouble sleeping...try washing your pillowcase in beer.

ADD TO RICE...the next time you cook up some long-grain rice, cook the rice in beer. A dark ale or stout beer will add a lot of flavor. The rice will absorb the beer and have a lovely flavor.

BEER BATTER RECIPE...follow this recipe for a great tasting beer-battered cod dinner!

1 12oz bottle of beer
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 egg beaten

MAKE BEER BREAD...there's nothing like a good loaf of beer bread.

INGREDIENTS

1 12oz can of beer
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup butter or margarine...melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. In a bowl...mix the dry ingredients.
4. Add the beer and sugar...mix well...place in pan.
5. Top with melted butter.
6. Bake 45 to 55 minutes...and cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Autumn Place Card Ideas...Giving Thanks For Family

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate. Spending quality time with family and friends reminds us all of what and whom we are thankful for. Creating individualized place cards for your guests is a fun way to add a personalized touch to the Thanksgiving table. I will often use scrap booking supplies and the computer to generate my ideas for place cards. Along with the name of the person, I often use clip art and/or a photo taken from previous gatherings in the year to create my design. I often start with gathering the photos and then apply a theme. In this particular name card to the right I added a cut out pop up photo in the fold for interest and went with a simple cornucopia theme above the name for each guest.

Every other year my brother and I celebrate Thanksgiving with our in laws, therefore my family gets together for a special pre-cursor to Thanksgiving in October. On these years, I try to combine Halloween and Thanksgiving into my place card design. In the above three photos, I used circular Autumn themed clip art on the doors and a Halloween design on the inside with the person's name attached. Pulling up on the name reveals a photo of that family member. I tried to match the Halloween character on the inside of the doors with the personality of the family member to keep it fun and interesting.

 

Sometimes due to time constraints, I keep my place cards simple. The next two photos are examples of simple designs mounted to heavy card stock.I found a wonderful paper napkin with a leaf motif and folded it in an interesting way to make it special for dinner and a backdrop for the name tag. I used a hole punch in the napkin, added olive ribbon and the printed name tag glued to heavy card stock for support to create a simple but elegant place card. To contrast the simplicity of the place card, my table was dressed with faux leaf garland, small pumpkins and gourds in clear hurricane vases. The design created a colorful centerpiece for the table. Adding candles in silver candlestick holders and gold chargers under the china gave the table design the punch that it needed for a memorable Thanksgiving. The "we are thankful for" place card is the second simple design mounted on burgundy card stock. Again the simple place card was offset by seven burgundy candles of varying height placed on unused cd's. I used the faux leaf garland from a previous year wrapped around the bottom of each candle. I hot glued little pumpkins to the leaves as well and found wonderful fabric for $1.00 a yard to make napkins and a table runner. You can sew the raw edges if you have a sewing machine or you could use the "no sew" method that comes on a roll.

For a more elaborate name card, I used scrap booking techniques to create a 3-D layered place card. The base is made from an orange foam sheet. A smaller rectangle was cut from leaf patterned scrapbook paper mounted on dark brown card stock for contrast. On top of that, I applied a narrow horizontal band of shiny gold card stock with a smaller strip of textured paper to resemble the skin of a football. The letters are stickers in glittery silver. I embellished the rest of the place card with scrapbook 3-D appliques found at my local craft store. I hand cut orange leaves out of the rest of the orange foam for an extra touch. I think the end result is a beautiful addition to any table setting. The possibilities are endless with this design. Lastly, my family has a Thanksgiving tradition after football, dinner, and dessert. We all gather around the table and play Bingo. This may seem unusual to some but its a wonderful way for all of us to get away from the ipods, television, and cell phones. No matter what your age, everyone can play Bingo. We always have a great time laughing and being together. In addition to the place cards, I create a Bingo sheet for everyone to follow along. My Mother enjoys putting little prizes together from the dollar store or getting silver dollars for the kids. Whatever your family traditions are...adding personalized place cards will add a special touch for all of your guests and let them know they are loved...Happy Autumn

Home & Garden Helpers: EGGSHELLS and COFFEE GROUNDS

COFFEE GROUNDS

1. Use coffee grounds when washing your hair...it adds softness and shine. Rub coffee grounds through wet hair and rinse well. Coffee grounds will also add highlights to brown or darker hair colors.
    
2. Coffee grounds are an exfoliant for skin. Pat on skin, massage over skin, rinse.
    
3. Fertilize plants...old coffee grounds are nutrient-rich for plants that thrive in an acidic soil such as hydrangeas.
    
4. Add used coffee grounds to the pots of indoor plants, or mix in soil if repotting.
    
5. Work used coffee grounds into your garden soil before seed planting. After your plants start to emerge, work in coffee grounds near the plants. Used coffee grounds are said to repel snails and slugs as well as adding nutrients to the soil.
    
6. Increase your carrot and radish harvest by mixing seeds with dry coffee grounds before planting the seeds.
    
7. Use coffee grounds to repel ants around your landscape.
    
8. Keep cats from using your garden as a kitty box by spreading used coffee grounds and orange peels throughout flower beds.
    
9. Deodorize a freezer. Place a bowl with used coffee grounds in the freezer to remove unwanted odors. You can also add a teaspoon of vanilla to coffee grounds for extra scent.
    
10. Rub coffee grounds on hands to get rid of smells from chopping or cutting up pungent foods such as garlic and onions.
     
11. Make a used coffee grounds sachet. Fill old nylons or cheescloth with dry used coffee grounds. Hang in closets to absorb stale odors.
     
12. Remove furniture scratches with wet coffee grounds. Buff well and let dry thoroughly.
     
13. Dye fabric, paper or Easter eggs. Simply add used coffee grounds in a nylon stocking to warm water and let steep to create a dye.  

EGGSHELLS

1. Add crushed eggshells to the bottom of planting holes, especially for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. These crops are susceptible to blossom end rot, which is caused by calcium deficiency. While this deficiency is most often caused by improper watering, there’s no harm in making sure your plants have a steady source of calcium. As the eggshells break down, they’ll nourish the soil, and your plants.
2. Use crushed eggshells to deter slugs, snails, and cutworms. All three of these pests have soft undersides, and dislike slithering across anything sharp. Crushed eggshells, applied to the soil’s surface, may help deter these pests.
3. Add them to the compost pile, where they’ll add calcium to your finished compost.
4. If you are feeding birds in your yard, crush up the eggshells and add them to a dish near the feeder. Female birds, particularly those who are getting ready to lay eggs or recently finished laying, require extra calcium and will definitely appreciate it!

No matter how you want to use them, be sure to rinse the
shells out well before using them in the garden.

Cultivating Herbs: Drying and Storing

Now is a great time to cultivate the rest of the herbs before Fall. Air drying herbs is the easiest and most economical way to dry fresh herbs. This process works best with herbs that don't have a high moisture content, like Bay, Dill, Marjoram, Oregano, Summer Savory, Rosemary and Thyme. Basil, Chives, Mint, and Tarragon contain a higher moisture content and preserve better in a dehydrator or by freezing in ziploc baggies.

The best time to cut herbs for drying is just before they flower or in the morning. Herb leaves have the most oil at this time, which is what gives herbs its best aroma and flavor. If your herbs have already flowered don't worry, they can still be harvested and dried. Avoid gathering herbs in the hot afternoon sun.

Only the best looking leaves should be kept and dried...discard wilted, damaged, or insect eaten leaves. Give the gathered herbs a few shakes to remove any pesky insects and rinse under tepid tap water. Gently pat dry with paper towels. Don't forget to harvest the lavender! I make sachets for Christmas gifts!

Tips for Drying Herbs

• Use only healthy branches from your herb plants.
• Remove all dry or diseased leaves
• Rinse with cool water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Remove the lower leaves of the branch to prepare for bundling 5 or 6 branches together and secure with garden twine. Make smaller bunches if bundling herbs with alot of moisture.
• Label a brown paper bag with the name of the herb you are drying and take scissors or a sharp pencil to poke air holes in the bag. Place the herb bundle upside down into the bag and tie the herb branches and bag closed leaving enought room inside the bag.
• Hang the bag upside down in a warm, airy room.
• Drying process takes about two weeks and keep checking weekly until your herbs are dry and ready to store. As the leaves are dry, check for any signs of mold growth. Toss the entire bunch if moldy and try again.

Tips for Storing Dried Herbs

• Store your dried herbs in air tight containers, a ziploc bag will do. I like to use small sealed jars in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
• Label and date your containers. Dried herbs can be used up to a year. Your herbs will retain more flavor if you store the leaves whole and crush them when you are ready to use them.
• Make sure herbs show no sign of mold.   
• In cooking, use approximately 1 teaspoon crumbled dried leaves in place of a tablespoon of fresh
• Whole herbs retain their flavor longer than crushed, ground or rubbed herbs. Sage is the only herb that will grow stronger in flavor during storage.

The Herbs ought to be distilled

when they are in their greatest vigor,

and so ought the Flowers also.

- Nicholas Culpeper