-My first borage flower opened today--what a beautiful violet those are! The flowers are edible, and I've read you can freeze the flower in ice for a beautiful ice cube for lemonade, tea, or other flavored water. I am considering drying them for tea in the winter.
-Speaking of flowering, several of my radish tops went to flower without producing much of a root. Considering whether I want to pull or allow to flower and go to seed.
-Speaking of tea, I bought some nettles from my grocery service last week. Interested in drying them for tea also. I heard it's a good tea for PMS. Also a green you can sautee and eat. This is my first time with nettles, so we'll see.
-Honey-oatmeal-almond milk soap turned out kick-ass. I adjusted the formula for my soap and think it's pretty great--good, creamy lather with big bubbles and lots of moisturization. I am happy with the new formula, but it's hard to not keep playing. I keep thinking there is a "perfect" formula out there, but there isn't one. There are many fantastic ones, and I happen to like my simple one.
-I picked up a lotion base from brambleberry, because I am not quite ready to begin experimenting with lotion recipes. It's a whole other animal, especially when I am still perfecting soap techniques. Lotion involves water, which gives it the potential to mold if you don't have enough preservative. Body butters are just oils, which are shelf stable and don't need preservative. So I bought a premade base; all I have to do is add scent. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
-The garden is otherwise doing surprisingly well; we've continued the trend of hot and chillier weather back-and-forth. Today it's quite warm, but there's a breeze blowing off the lake at least twenty degrees colder. Everything looks pretty lush. Looks like flowers are just beginning to form on the peppers and zucchini, the broccoli is getting bigger, and the tomatoes are making small gains. The eggplant is just hanging in there; not a lot of growth yet.
-I am keeping an eye out for pests. I want to get some aluminum foil around the base of the zucchini, but haven't done it yet. I am watching the tomato plants for sign of bliggt--any yellow leaves are coming off immediately.
-I think I am sold on companion planting. Comparing the cucumber hanging out in its own square with the cuke competing with the giant borage shows the competing cuke to be much larger. I think that is fascinating. My garden is packed this year, but seems happier.
Anyway, those are just some tidbits from mid-June. Now, a photo:
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