Busy springtime

With the collision of weddings, birthdays, and deadlines, it's been nonstop action this April.  My  conversations all begin with my asking, "When is it going to get warm?" to which my boyfriend sincerely responds, "I think this week it's supposed to be nice." And after one nice day, it goes back to 50 degrees.  But now that the storm has passed, I'm looking forward to a few creative weeks before a road trip vacation to the wild, wild west (this one, not this one).  The biggest news: the soon-to-launch etsy shop where I'll be selling my prints!  And now that I've written it here, I'm committed to it.  Here's a preview of the newest woodblock.

Here you are, a message of love. 

I'll be sure to make an announcement when it goes live!

Arts and Crafts at the Herb Farm

Well Sweep Herb Farm in Port Murray, NJ

Last Saturday I spent a lovely morning at Well-Sweep Herb Farm where I took a DIY herb planter class with some friends.  I went in there thinking that we'd build a tray and put some basil in it, no biggie, but I was in for a surprise.  For starters, we built the planter by essentially coiling up a nest out of dried grape vine, which is requires the tremendous arm strength and at least two people.

Our tablemates,
whom we hit with the vines a lot

My planter-to-be

We then stuffed it with netting and dirt and planted our choice of 5 herbs.  Mine has rosemary, dill, cilantro and two kinds of parsley. I can't recall the exact names, but it wasn't the normal store-bought variety.

New friends

Here's my finished product:

I intend to not let die

Afterwards we ventured around the farm and greenhouses.  Being on herb farm is a lot like being on a regular farm, except everything is in miniature.  There was even a miniature cat, also known as a kitten.

A crazy variety

Here's a few tall outliers

If fairies exist, they surely live here

More delicious smells and humidity in the greenhouse

If you're local and can make it to Well-Sweep, they offer lots of weekend workshops and are some friendly folk.  Or check out your own local garden centers or farms, they're fun even if, like me, your garden is limited to that planter you just made!