Summer Herbs and New Age Wine!

I am finally getting into the groove of summer

now that both kids are back from their travels...

Life is good!

My flower pots and hanging baskets are in full bloom...

love!

My herb pot is filling in nicely too!

I have rosemary, French lavender, lemon thyme,

ginger mint (perfect for lemonade) and peppermint

(great for mojitos!).

With all of these herbs, I was inspired to re-make one

of Jill's creations from when With A Twist was in

its first stages of development.

(If you don't remember, Jill is co-founder of With A Twist and also my BFF!

I can't remember what

we called it, but this is what Jill's creative brain

came up with...

Pretty cool, huh?

Here it is displayed with hydrangeas,

but she also created some displayed with school supplies...

Super cute and the possibilities are endless.

My thought was to create a chalkboard herb garden.

Here's how it went...

I had leftover chalkboard paint and decided to put it and my

over abundance of herbs to good use.

I wanted to make two boards, each with three jars.

 These are the supplies I started out with:

-Two old pieces of wood (cut to desired size)

I just used what I had and they measured 6" x 23".

 -Chalkboard paint

- Six mason jars

 -Six 1/2" screws

 -Six clamps (size depends on size of mason jars)

I used what I had on hand, regular mouthed size.

I painted both sides of the board using Restoleum Chalkboard Paint,

three coats, drying completely between coats.

I divided the board into thirds and measured down from top

(a little less than half way down the width of the board) and marked

where I wanted my clamps to go.

I don't have a bit to drill holes thru the steel clamps I had,

so I had my friendly neighbor help (Thanks Olthoff!).

Next, I seasoned the chalkboard by using side of chalk to cover the entire

chalkboard with chalk. I wiped off the chalk with damp cloth. (This is a simple step, but

one that you don't want to skip!)

Next I opened the clamps and used the 1/2" screws to secure them to the board.

Lastly, I placed mason jars into clamps and tightened them securely.

Viola!





On another note, I received a bottle of wine from my friend/hairdresser

(a fellow dog lover who also recently had to put her dog down).

It's a new type of white wine, almost like a spritzer.

She gave me very specific instructions for this little gift...

Serve chilled.

Serve over ice.

Serve with a little lime.

Enjoy!

So that is exactly what I did!

And, I did it with my feet in the river, with friends and with this view....

Couldn't ask for a better afternoon!

Cheers!