Greetings KHS Members,
This past week the temperature took a nose dive. I scrambled to pick all the green tomatoes still clinging to the vines. I got my garlic planted. Sweaters and wool socks have been released from summer storage. Hot cereal has replaced the cold variety at my breakfast table. And, as has been the routine over the past three years of my tenure as unit chair, fall brings planning for spring…..
Spring Education Day that is. The Program Committee has started searching in earnest for speakers and a unifying theme for our big event. This will be our 30th Spring Education Day! What a fantastic accomplishment. Be sure your calendar is marked for March 28th (set-up day) and March 29th (the big event.)
Back to the change of seasons. I still have many garden chores to complete, but that doesn’t keep me from dreaming of spending time in front of the wood stove listening to a recorded book while working on a knitting project. I know that many of you are avid readers, as well.
Don’t you find it interesting how our hobbies and interests overlap? I love gardening, cooking, fiber crafts and of course, herbs. I love reading about those things, too. I’m not talking about how-to books, here. I love a good novel that features these activities. Looking at the list of books I’ve read over the past couple of years, many of them include growing plants and/or using herbs.
Here are some of my favorites that fit that description : The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Louis Alberto Urea; Year of Wonders and People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks; The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline; Northwoods by Daniel Mason; The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Please feel free to share your favorites. I am always on the look-out for a good book and good conversation about books.
If non-fiction is your thing, put your research skills to work and join us for the herb study. Chamomile is the International Herb Association’s Herb of the Year for 2025. Join us on November 19th to learn about the Botanica l/ Horticultural Aspects of Chamaemelum nobile and its history and folklore. Then on December 3rd, we will delve into the culinary, medicinal, and other uses of
this enchanting herb. We still need someone to research and give the presentation on culinary uses. Let me know soon if you are interested. The Herb Study is a great way to dig a little deeper into a specific herb and share ideas, information and experiences with each other.
