Lavandula aka Lavender

Lavender

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) in the mint family (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic evergreen subshrub native to the Mediterranean region.1 The plant grows to three feet, and has green to grayish-green foliage and small blue or purple flowers. The essential oil is obtained from the flowering tops.

Lavender in garden 2012

History and Traditional Use

Lavandula angustifolia (syn. L. vera) has been used to prevent intestinal gas, to increase urine secretion, to prevent and relieve spasm, and as a general tonic.1  In Spain, lavender is used as an antidiabetic agent. The flowers are simmered and the steam inhaled as a cold remedy; a tea has been used to induce or increase menstrual flow; and extracts have been used to treat acne and migraines. The fresh flowers and leaves have been used to treat headache and rheumatic pain. Lavender has a multitude of uses in aromatherapy.

Modern Medicinal Use

Lavender flower is approved for internal use by the German Commission E for mood disturbances such as restlessness or insomnia, certain functional abdominal complaints such as gaseous distension of the stomach, Roehmheld's syndrome, and nervous intestinal discomfort; it has been approved in bath therapy for the treatment of functional circulatory disorders.2 In Germany the tea is used additionally for lack of appetite.3 In Europe, lavender is commonly used to prevent spasms of smooth muscle (such as in the stomach), to prevent gas formation in the stomach, and as a mild tranquilizer.4

Modern Consumer Use

Lavender is used as a fragrance component in pharmaceutical products such as antiseptic ointments, creams, lotions, and jellies.4  Cosmetic products such as soaps, detergents, creams, lotions, and perfumes also commonly contain lavender as a fragrance component (especially the oil), and the oil is frequently found in insect repellents. In commercial food preparation, the flowers and more commonly the oil are used as a flavoring in beverages (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic), vinegars, baked goods, candy, gelatins, puddings, and frozen dairy desserts. 

Picked lavender ready to dry.

References

1 DerMarderosian A, Beutler JA. The Review of Natural Products: The Most Complete Source of Natural Product Information. 3rd ed. St Louis (MO): Facts and Comparisons; 2002.

2 Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, Gruenwald J, Hall T, Riggins CW, Rister RS, editors. Klein S, Rister RS, translators. The Complete German Commission E Monographs&emdash;Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin (TX): American Botanical Council; Boston: Integrative Medicine Communication; 1998.

3 Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, editors. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Austin (TX): American Botanical Council; Newton (MA): Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000.

4 Leung AY., Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York: Wiley-Interscience; 1996. 

drying for 1 week

Hope you learned a little bit more about Lavender and it's uses , I know I have. Here is something I am going to try;

 Lavender Sugar. using the blender, for every cup of sugar, use two tablespoons of dried lavender buds. Blend them together until the sugar has a purple tint and there are no signs of buds. You can keep this sugar on hand to add to lemonade, tea or baking sweets.

Please if you have any idea's or "what works well for you" let me know, when it comes to growing lavender.  I would love any feedback I can get, since lavender grows so well in the rough climate of Central Oregon I would like to expand my plants next year. I really liked the fact that everyday after about 10am the bushes where swarming with at least 6 bee's. I just know they were doing their thing in making everything else grow around my yard and the neighbors yard too. 

The Deer love our yard until they trip the DEER SPRINKLER!

For years I have been trying to co-exist with the deer and my yard. My Husband Glenn needs a round of applause,  for my birthday last year he got me (hav-a-hart) deer sprinklers. As you can see by the photo I took this afternoon they work! To the left of this photo is 3 garden boxes the middle box filled with beans, deer love beans. This is about as close as they can get to them, if they adventure any closer to the boxes the sprinkler goes on and startles them away.

I decided to leave the front brun at the edge of our yard alone so they can enjoy what is growing wild under those trees. As you might say I can "have-a-hart" when I want too:). If you are interested in these sprinklers which I highly recommend I have provided two links he got me one of each. One takes a 9volt battery and the other AA's, aside from that they both work the same.

I was asked last weekend what I wanted for my birthday the year and I said 2 more deer sprinklers of course:). Well and a rain barrel (which if you think about it we live in the high desert and it hardly rains) but I still want one:). Oh yes and a word of advice, invest in batteries at Costco it will save you in the long run. I am on my 4th set this summer season, just saying.

It's nice to know I can go to the lake and not worry that all my hard work will be eaten up in 15 minutes!

http://www.havahart.com/store/electronic-repellents/5266b or http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346887941&sr=8-1&keywords=deer+sprinklers

Happy Gardening, Betty

Hiking into camp!

Labor Day weekend we decided to hike into one of our favorite lakes. Back packs filled with our camping stuff we set off for our short journey to our camp site.

I guess you might say we became a little soft over the years, as we followed the trail through the woods, crossed over fallen logs our breathing became pretty darn loud not to mention a little sweat was shed.

The next morning we woke up a little sore after our two trips into camp. So we decided after dinner three nights a week we would put our packs on (they are always packed and ready to go) and walk down to the new high school and back.

Tonight we did what we talked about, it could of been really easy to just say "oh let's go another night" but we didn't. We probably look like two homeless people with our dog trying to find a place to slept for the night. But it sure will be nice to get our breathing under control with a little exercise !

Happy Hiking, Betty

Vintage Work Horse Harnesses and Collars - Idea?

Driving through Eastern Oregon approx. 5 years ago we came upon a barn sale, that is where is all started. We had just began our 10 day vacation and probably 80 miles from home if that. We came upon a barn sale so being who we are we just had to stop. At the same time my husband Glenn and I both saw a pile and I mean "A PILE" of leather, chains and metal. Our first observation told us, this mess of a pile was weather beaten and neglected due to non usage for what it was intended for and just keep walking. As we took a closer look we both began to see what the pile was, now that we are both caught up in the moment we hear "it's forty dollars for all of it".

Glenn looked at me and I said "Load er Up"! In our possession we had seven very used and abused work horse collars, two sets of harnesses and one blind, (you know the 2 leather pieces that keeps the horse looking forward only and not to the side). Now remember this stuff was somewhat nasty, straw stuffing coming out of the collars, mold on the leather, chains rusted yes I said chains. The chains are attached to the leather piece that goes under the horse and these chains are full size as chains go and heavy. Let's not forget all the bird poop laden on the leather and mice droppings.  So we are off to start our vacation covering about 900 miles, by the way remember I said we were maybe 80 miles into our trip:). The back of our Jeep was filled with what I would referred to the rest of the trip as a pile of  "what the hell we going to do with it stuff", which had spent it's years working hard upon a horse doing anything and everything that needed to be pulled or dragged. OMG!!!

Current day, "Glenn will you get out all that leather stuff from the back room in the garage, so I can figure out what I want to do with it"? Six years later here sits on my back patio a pile of "what the hell am I going to do with this stuff"! The pile has gotten smaller over the years we have used three collars for various things, but everything else still remains. You might be asking yourself why I am posting about this, well it's unusual to say the least and I need help with my creative side. For some reason I don't want to sell "the pile", I just want to do something with it. So if you took the time to read this post first of all; thank you, and now can you give me any ideas?  I could sure use your help to get your creative juices flowing here are a few photos I took yesterday after I started going through "the pile".

So there you have it, my first blog in almost a year. Thanks for visiting, Betty Jo 

Changes in Life!

Understanding it has been a while since my last post, but I have been trying to come up with a blog that will be fun to read, helpful and inspiring with a twist of intrigue on what I might talk about next. Glenn and I are now empty nesters and what you might say "middle age", I am OK with that but your prospective on your life style and the freedom that comes with this stage in life is a little unsettling to say the least.

I wonder what it would be like to blog as a couple about this stage of our life?

Or

A blog that travels through the new life style of a women who became a parent of young adults on their own?

If you have any ideas that might inspire me, please let me know otherwise I guess I need more time to think about this!

Thanks for the support, Betty

Garden boxes not as easy as they say!

 

After much discussion between Glenn and I we decided to "mix up" our yard. For 8 years we have planted our garden in the backyard, planting your traditional garden plot in rows of corn, beans, zucchini etc. Glenn has played around with the garden watering trying to get to the most bang for our buck but if you know Central Oregon the watering is one of the many challenges you come across in your garden. Just to list a few; cold nights, short growing season like under 50 days, deer, rabbits this is what makes up gardening in the high desert of Oregon.


http://www.sunset.com/garden/perfect-raised-bed-00400000039550/

The above link is what we used as "guidelines". Those of you that know my Husband will understand what I mean. Our good friend Lisa was over for the weekend, she got to see 1st hand Glenn and I trying to get the 1st box built. After we were well on our way Lisa states that most people hire out to have this done or buy kits. My only comment to you my dear friend is "now do you really think we are like most people"?

I am please to say we are 1/2 way done with the 3 boxes we are building this year deciding to build the next 3 in 2012 for a total of 6 boxes. Moving the boxes to the front yard is a good decision but pulling up sod is a killer. My core muscles are so sore, but I guess that is a good thing right. Every night since we have started this project both Glenn and I are popping aspirin for our aches and pains, it is so silly getting old and what you have to put up with isn't it.

If I could see into future I would say the 3rd week of June will be the date I can sit back and wait for the seeds and baby plants to start growing. That is my personal goal to have this all completed. If you are wondering what we are going to do with the huge garden space in the backyard, we are turning it into a small field of wild flowers mixed with sunflowers it will be a sight to behold so you can be sure I will be posting some wonderful photos for you to enjoy.

Getting started is the easy part!

 

 

 

One frame built.

Pulling up sod, Google it, they make it sound so easy. Just do this they say, oh the pain it puts on your body:(...

All 3 frames built as I type 2 frames have sod removed, 1 frame has its mixture of dirt in it, just waiting to be planted.

Remember to mix your dirt you buy from the dirt place with peat moss. What is peat moss anyways??

I don't like that old sod, it is going to the dump.

Micah taking a break from studies to play us a tune or two. Thanks we needed that and I am sure he did too. 

 

I will update my blog on our progress as it happens. Thanks for reading my blog and have a great growing season. Betty

Good People don't come along that often but when they do....

With a title like that what do you suppose I am up to? I work with the most wonderful Lady (leaving her name out to protect the innocent), Lol. How this all started is when  I was discouraged with my outdoor bathing area it wasn't going as smoothly as I had hoped and I was venting one night at work about it. While no customers were in the store if that matters to anyone reading this post:). I got some wonderful advice from her and she understood exactly what I was talking about, I was explaining that cost was a big issue and anytime you want to create something outside you can just see the $$$ adding up. So I think you get the drift.

The conversation I was talking about happen well over 6 mos. ago, to bring you current, my co-worker/friend is moving out of the area, and there we were working together on one quite evening. What I didn't know was her next statement was going to completely change my thoughts on well lets say a lot of things and what she didn't know was she was tapping into one of my passions that very few people know about outside of my wonderful Husband Glenn, my kids and a few very close friends. The passion being my yard. Now if you know where I live, you might wonder why I say its my passion because I differently don't have the "Good Homes and Garden" yard but I have yard that is me and I always say its a work in progress that seems to get me off the hook when needed.

After a nice conversation and I find out she is not going to be able to take a lot of her yard belongings and they are for sell. She invites me over to take a look, I can hardly wait to get home to tell Glenn, he sees how excited I am and really doesn't understand but says OK we can take an hour out of our weekend to stop by and see what she has for sale. 2 loads later and well over 5 hours invested here is what I picked out, I should say Glenn had his eyes on a few pieces also. Lets see if after looking at the photos you can tell me which pieces Glenn picked out. Go ahead and leave a comment I like the feed back...

We don't have everything placed where we want it, but most of the stuff is in the vicinity of its new home:)..

This beautiful bronze Dancing Lady is going to be placed by the outdoor bathtub. Perfect!!

One of many heavy pieces that Glenn was a real trooper in helping me with. Solid concert what a wonderful piece.

The sound is amazing, it lingers on well after you ring the bell.

These are the pieces my Friend knew I would like and boy was she right. Front yard is their new home, when we gaze at the stars in the summer we will feel  like a King and Queen due to the size of these chairs.

This is the detail on each of the chairs and bench, each post has a bird house on it.

OMG, the quail they are so cute and if I remember correctly they are from Sundance Utah, you know Robert Redford's stuff, you can look it up online, fun outdoor items and more.

What can I tell you about this "jack" rabbit I can tell you "I Love It"!!!

Pots, I only wished I had, I think all 5 of them are going on the back patio, summer photos in a few months.

The top of this photo is our roof line off the garage, this wonderful sunflower is at least 6'5". It will welcome you to our backyard all year long but especially in the summer/fall. As a side note ignore the paint that needs to happen on our house that is on our to do list.

I am not a fan of bird houses but this one is different and I knew when I saw it, it belonged  in our front yard..

 

 

 So I have plenty more to show you but that will have to wait, they require plants or ?? on them or around them. I hope you enjoyed seeing what I purchased this weekend for the yard and as you can see I am very excited about everything I got. A special THANK YOU to My Friend who will always be welcome in my yard for a glass of tea,,I am going to miss working with you!!