This weekend was spent tidying up around our home in DuPont and doing some much needed yard work. With all the time we spend on the farm, our current home’s needs tend to be pushed aside and it was starting to show. Clover was taking over the yard, lavender needed to be harvested and my small, single raised bed needed to be put to rest for the winter. Gabe mowed and then cleaned and vacuumed out both our cars (Did I mention how amazing it is to have him home? My car hasn’t looked that nice since he left). I weeded and pulled my last tomato plant. As you can see, my rosemary and chives are out of control. I pruned a small portion of the chives and almost half of the rosemary.

Besides cooking, I didn’t know any other way one could use rosemary. After searching online, I came across this blog, Slow Living Essentials and found this lovely recipie for a rosemary hair rinse. Apparently, rosemary water adds shine and improves the overall health of your hair. I’ve been making my own shampoo for the last four months and rinsing with a solution of apple cider vinegar and water. I haven’t had any issues with my ACV rinse, but I thought it would be fun to try something different. After soaking the sprigs of rosemary in boiling water overnight, I poured it into my rinse bottle, adding just a touch of ACV as recommended. I can’t wait to try it.

Oh yes, the pears. Our friends, who also bought a farm in Eastern Washington, not long before we did, brought over a huge box full of gorgeous green pears. I am excited to can them this week. (Did I really just say that? Two weeks ago I would rather have killed myself than can another apple. Pears must be different. Yeah. Right. )