Okay so it wasn’t as much the wild as it was a beautifully landscaped herb farm, but give me an opportunity to use a little alliteration and I just can’t help myself.

Saturday morning last week dawned early enough that it wasn’t yet bright.  I woke up a little after 5am, did my morning grooming, finished packing a bag, and was outside waiting for my friend M2 when she pulled up just before 6am.  She came with coffee in hand for me and we headed out to Lady Rose’s, about 40 minutes away.  After switching cars we headed out to Well Sweep Herb Farm, with only a brief stop at WaWa for sustenance.

The ride was filled with laughter and conversation – there was no need for music.  We had a couple of moments of confusion on the drive, but never got lost and while I did succumb to more than a touch of motion sickness and a migraine, it didn’t last long once my tummy settled enough to let me take some medication.  All-in-all it was about a 1.5 hour drive and we were the first car to arrive in their parking lot.

Our hosts for the day were happy to let us in to walk around even though we were early for their 9am opening.  It was beautiful!!  It was, for me, an instant sense of “see what is possible.”

I saw a living breathing example of a place I’d like to live in.  And while my own dream home would be set a little further back off the road, and would include a thriving vegetable garden, fruit trees, with smaller acreage given to herbs it was close enough to the dream that I spent much of the day submersing myself in the hope of what may, one day, be possible.

We only attended one period of lecture, back-to-back talks on growing & presenving herbs and herbs in the kitchen.  I enjoyed the presenter who obviously loves herbs and truly does use them every day in her cooking, I loved the herbs that she passed around to see in their live and dreid state.  And, I especially loved the samples on the porch after class was done – Anise Pear Cake, Cardamon Seed Bars, Basil-Fruit Cooler, and a Rose Geranium Cake.  Yum yum yum!

The rest of the day was spent shopping (they have a lovely gift shop) and I was forbidden to buy anything for myself.  Lady Rose picked up some items she thought I would enjoy and then M2 paid for the items in my own basket, no matter how much I protested.  We browsed the gardens – which are more extensive then you might think when you first pull up – and I drooled over just about everything.

I immediately put both a flower bed and a fairy garden on the list of ideas for future landscaping.

And using this hollow log as a planter is just a wonderful idea.

I even found a ground cover plant that I want to buy next year. The photo does not do it justice. It was like a living bed of almost metallic autumn leaves – something out of fairyland.

I enjoyed wandering around and seeing all the examples of useful herbs and plants.  The farms focus is on the medicinal and mundane aspects of plants – herbal remedies, culinary use, decorative plants, and those that can be used in dyeing.  I would imagine though that most witches,  like me, will find themselves wandering around thinking about their magickal attributes as well.

A good block of time however was spent sitting in the shade, at a lovely picnic table eating the food we brought with us.  A friend of Lady Rose’s from work had met us at the farm (having heard about these plans for months) along with a friend of hers and the five of us enjoyed not only the beauty around us but each other’s company.  Then, just as I thought we were getting up to wander the farm some more I was surprised with presents – yes multiple presents and for the next half hour or so I got to be the envy of the herb garden as I unwrapped my new treasures in clear sight of other event attendees around us and it was wonderful.

Normally I am almost terminally shy.  I would rather gouge out my own eyes with a spoon than be the center of attention.  But, it was like we were in a bubble – a wonderful peaceful bubble and for one of a handful of times in my life it was okay, it was better than okay actually, it was pretty much a wonderful feeling to be sitting there on a blue-skied-white-puffy-clouded day, full of sunshine and cool breezes knowing with full certainty that I was loved, and that the people who mattered thought I was deserving of such a special day.

And I haven’t even told you about the presents yet ….. but that is a post for another day.

Have a day blessed with beauty!

Mama Kelly

• A Witch Walks in the Wild – part 2...
• A Girl Goes Dancing and the Witch Comes Out to Play...
• Notes from Herb Class...
• June Draws to a Close...
• For Being the Envy of the Herb Garden...

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