HLBOES Herbology

My favourite muggle plant is English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). Here is a picture of one of the many shrubs I have growing in my garden. I love it for the colour which varies between pale blue as here and pinkish purple. I also love it for the aroma, which is heavenly. Indeed, muggles have perfected the art of harvesting the flower heads to use in all manner of ways. Oil can be distilled from them to use in perfumes and toiletries, and massage oil. It is also reputed to be an effective antiseptic, and I myself used it in the nappy soaker when my children were babies. The flower heads themselves can be dried to use in pot pourri, or to fill scented sachets such as wardrobe hangers to repel moths. The smell can be refreshed by simply crushing the flower heads together, and so the sachets are useful for years. Every September I harvest the flower heads from my shrubs to dry and use in handmade items for my home and as gifts. And it just so happens that I have a wardrobe hanger on the needles right now which I really want to finish tonight, must dash...!!!

End of HSKS Summer Camp

Well, it's been such a great vacation with Summer Camp. I have had a wonderful time and am going to miss all my new friends, especially my Manticore Cabin mates. I think it was the butterbeer that helped us to get to know each other so well, I am always more sociable after a drink or two! I'm looking forward to Quidditch now, I really need to get some practice in though, so I must dash...!!!

Dales and Peaks

I had a totally fabulous 2 week camping holiday with my family. For the first week we were in our tent (with magically enlarged interior of course) at Bewerley Park near Pateley Bridge in the North Yorkshire Dales. My little witch and wizard had a fantastic time cycling around, having mastered 2 wheelers in January on the grassy slope in our local library grounds. They are not old enough for brooms yet, but these Muggle cycles are a great first step in mastering the balance required for a broom. They made lots of friends whilst there, and there were a few tears when we left. The tears soon dried up though as we joined my dear sister Emma Wigworthy and her family at a campsite by Buxton in the Peak District. For that week we stayed in a friend's caravan, which was lovely though a little cosy compared to our tent! Our little witches and wizards were overjoyed to be together again, and spent many happy hours on their bikes, and in the caravan playing Diagon Alley. During the holiday I made good progress knitting up the scrumptious Melody yarn that my spoiler Ambyr Phoenixfire sent to me, into the lovely Spring Garden scarf pattern. Here is a picture of my progress... I've had a hectic week so far since getting back though, there has been so much to catch up on in Summer Camp! And getting the children to return to a reasonable bedtime hour has been a headache, speaking of which I must dash...!!!