The Blessing of Herbs

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace,
As I have seen in one autumnal face.
~ John Donne

I had a huge herb garden years ago when we lived in New Jersey. I loved harvesting the plants and would hang the cuttings from the wooden chandelier in the dining room. It was a perfect place because I always had the windows open in that room in the autumn, as well as the top of the Dutch-style front door in the living room entry. There was a constant breeze between those two rooms, and as the herbs dried the entire house took on the wonderful aromas.

I've never had as much success with gardening as I did then, but I still like to make herbal gifts. Here are some ideas from one of my notebooks. Many of them would make lovely Christmas gifts!

~ Fill antique bottles with white vinegar and insert a sprig of your favorite herb into each one. Place them in a row on a windowsill for a country decoration until they're ready to use.

~ Line baskets with a homespun cloth and fill with your favorite mixture of potpourri... and place them throughout your house.

~ Make up lots of herb sachets and place them in your dresser drawers.

~ Layer different herbs and dried flowers in old canning jars and display them on windowsills, tables, or the fireplace mantel.

~ Place a spoonful of crushed herbs into a piece of Christmas homespun or calico, and tie with a red ribbon... use them as package decorations, or tie to the tree as ornaments.