@Joannie - I was really into herb-growing for a while - and grew all my soup herbs, but we had a commercial veggie gardener (Italian) next door and they had a bunch of kids who always played with mine, so we always got buckets of vegetables from them . . . .
I/we re-discovered said 'kids' recently and the youngest one was totally hung up on my chocolate cake - she will be over here in January and I shall have to make said chocolate cake (which I also made last Sunday 2X!! - the first one was a failure, due to old eggs, but the second one was really appreciated by the birthday crowd) - we have a local Sunday market and I was able to buy farm-fresh eggs.
Sunday, generally was great, if tiring; - 11 people in youngest daughter's new and beautiful place - it's the house I always wanted, but it makes me happy that she and her husband have such a fabulous place. And the white cockatoos duly performed around the large and classical bird bath, with a rim big enough to sit on and have squabbles . . . . great fun - all watched from above from an open and large balcony.
Back to herbs: Juliette de Bairacli-Levy was my favourite lady for a while - she had a most interesting life. Daughter of high-class Turkish-Jewish immigrants to the U.K. she began life as a vet but could not cope with all the 'putting-down of animals' that job involved. She then became a wonderful dog breeder and always won prizes for her Afghan hounds. Eventually she became this wise woman, who wandered the world, and who grew herbs and gardens wherever she went.
She even took her two kids along on - at one stage - living with down-and-outs in New York City and she learnt from them, too. Lived with Gypsies but also Desert Arabs - did some wonderful work for an Israeli agricultural department - and - finally - died in a Swiss retirement home - her kids are still around, probably heavily middle-aged now. I recently bought a wonderful book on animal health and remedies written by her and gave it to my daughter for use on her dogs, but she prefers to pay out vet fees . . . .
Geranium leaves - I suspect they were the 'hairy ones' which would have worked like cotton wool and kept the wound nicely padded . . . .
I have some geranium growing just near the front steps - and they are a delight - also kangaroo paws are doing well for the first time ever - and they have been in the ground for at least 5 years - so somehow the ground must have gone 'native' by now - all those rotting honkey nuts must be good for something . . . so much to do round here - but the big job is finished and I was nearly hysterical by the end of it, because I was and still am so tired.
I will be getting a quote from a printer today and he sounded very knowledgable and nice on the phone, he also did my friends' books - did I tell you that a lady friend, who is past 90! has recently had a book launch for 2 of her books? I attended, and, of course, bought them.
I will now read them. She is a fabulous lady (Scots by birth) and got me into the philosophy class at the 'University of the Third Age' - really good fun!!
Go well, dear JoJo
X
Tau
