Book Review: The Natural Soapmaking Handbook
Karen Meyers The Natural Soapmaking Handbook, by Simi Khabra, creator of Muddy Mint Soap Co., blends practical information with artistic expression to create a comprehensive guide to soapmaking. It includes all the…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Southeast
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow 2-79″ from…
Karen’s Therapy: self esteem exercise
Questions from Eleanor Roosevelt’s book, This is my Story Thursday, November 20, 2025 Wednesday November 19, 2025 (missing Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Monday, November 17, 2025 Sunday, November 16 (in…
Plant Profile: Sweet Scabiosa (Scabiosa atropurpurea)
Karen Also known as mourningbride, and mournful widow, this annual is a member of the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, that also includes weigelia, Centranthus, and valerian. It is native to the Mediterranean…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Cowslip (Primula veris)
Primula veris is known as Our Lady’s Keys due to the appearance of its flower clusters and Christian legend. Early Christians thought that the drooping flower clusters resembled an old-fashion…
Plant Profile: Cape Anemone (Anemone tenuifolia aka A. capensis)
Native to South Africa, this evergreen subshrub is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellabore. It grows 12-24″ tall and has a short…
Book Review: The Levantine Vegetarian
In her cook book, The Levantine Vegetarian, Salma Hage, an expert on Middle eastern home-cooking, draws on the diverse culinary traditions of the Levant, an Eastern Mediterranean area that includes…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Southwest
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…
Plant Profile: Acanthus balcanicus aka A. hungaricus aka A. longifoliius
Endemic to the Balkan peninsula, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the Acanthaceae family that also includes mostly tropical plants such as polka-dot plant and Thunbergia. Plants grow 4-5′…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium martagon) Our Lady’s Tears
The tears of Mary are linked to several plants including lily of the valley, larkspur, and spiderwort, as well as Turk’s cap lily. Tradition tells us that the tears of…