Fireworks and Flowers

Independence Day.  For those of you in the US, what's the first thing you think of?  My guess is that it's fireworks, the traditional way of celebrating this holiday.  My town does a spectacular job of hosting a fireworks display at one of our town parks.  People from all over come to enjoy the show.  

I see a Chrysanthemum

Just as a tidbit of information, one of our founding fathers, John Adams, expressed his desire and prediction that the day would be filled with fireworks, picnics and all sorts of celebration of our independence; and indeed, he was right!  Picnics were the order of the day, and thousands of people in my area made their way to enjoy fireworks.

Shasta Daisy

This year, as the show started, a ground display of the US flag glowed and the crowd rose to sing the national anthem.  It sent shivers up my spine to see the patriotism displayed.


I was able to take a few pictures of the display, a few that I'm sharing with you here.  What do you see in looking at some of them?  To me, many of them look like flowers.  If you were wondering what this post had to do with either gardening or soap, now you know.  I just thought you'd enjoy the connection.  :-)


What do you think?  Do you see flowers?

Spider Mum

Soap and Garden AD - In honor of the 4th, the sale is Buy 3, get the 4th free!  Buy any three products and get the 4th one free.  The free item is the least expensive one.  Simply mention BLOG4th.  Sale is good through July 13th, 2012.


Featuring Gardener's Soaps: 
   Original - essential oil blend with natural exfoliants
   Cedarwood - for gentlemen
   Floral Garden - blend of floral notes
  Gardener's Salt Soap - exfoliating salt spa bar exfoliates and softens.  Pretty pink!


Summer Scents:
   Creamy Dreamsicle - Smells like a creamsicle; made with carrots
   Spun Sugar - Smells like cotton candy
   Pina Colada - Pineapple and coconut to take you to the islands

Where Does the Time Go?

Where does the time go?  The last time I posted on my blog it was summer, and now here it is, mid-fall!  Apparently, the fall hustle-and-bustle took its toll on me and my blogging.  Now, instead of sitting in shorts and eating a peach, I'm in jeans and a sweater, eating an apple.


It was a weird summer, weather-wise, and autumn no different.  I didn't get any Hydrangea blooms (boo hoo), but I have some flowers blooming now that one would never expect in NY in October.  I'm posting some of those pictures, but I've also noticed Clematis, Centaurea Montana, and even a rose blooming.  Honestly, I don't know if that's good or bad!  Thankfully, my area was not part of that east coast ridiculously early and awful snow storm of last Saturday!


How about you?  Does hustle and bustle describe you?  Has your weather been weird?


About soap:  I've been slowly working at labeling and shrinkwrapping my stockpile of soap.  If you want something, go ahead and ask.  I might have it ready, or I may have it ready in a hurry.

The Begonia is what is showy here

Coryadylis, usually blooms in May

Pixie Lily

Geranium

Another Begonia

Here is the current ad.  Order Today!

It's gotten cold here in NY.  Leaves are falling and we're getting our first hard frost.  We're thinking chili, hot tea, and our favorite autumn scents, pumpkin and apple and spices.

To celebrate, we are featuring our two fall soaps:

Spicy Pumpkin Pie

Cinnamon Apple

They are available for just $5/bar, $1 off of our usual $6.  Don't hesitate, though, they are available only while supply lasts!

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Not on my site, but also available:

Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - just $2/ea. 

Liquid shower gel: Natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00;  8 oz.  $11 -  In any scent listed above.

Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz., $7, 8 oz., $12

Foaming Soap: Comes in the seasonal Apple Pie, plus Gingered Orange, Summer Tropical, Lavender, 

and any other scent I sell. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

More thankfulness

It's my youngest daughter's birthday! I am thankful to have given birth to a healthy girl, and to have raised her to the ripe old age of 14. She is full of life, a real drama queen, really. She is a great person to have around when you're feeling tongue-tied, because she is never speechless. Well, it may have happened once, but I can't remember for sure. Her siblings and I hatched an elaborate plan for how we'd give her the gift we'd gotten. We had her convinced that she wasn't getting one for her birthday while we were planning to buy one all along. We decided that after dinner, we'd have her open a couple of smaller gifts and then move on to the cake business. At that time, Ethan, her brother, would call her new phone that had surreptitiously been placed by the computer she uses. In our busyness, we'd send Megan to get the phone. Once she found it, she'd see that it didn't belong to us, and would realize that it was hers. The plan went off without a hitch, and her reaction was priceless! Truly "America's Funniest Videos" worthy, as a matter of fact. That reminds me that there was a hitch--ds forgot to bring the video recorder home. Anyway, Megan came back into the kitchen, cellphone in hand, asking whose it was. We were all smiling big, me with the camera pointed at her face to capture her reaction. It was then she realized the phone was hers and she shrieked, started crying, and collapsed, "I have a cell phone!" This went on for several minutes before she calmed down enough to actually check it out. This, I think, was one of the best birthday reactions ever in our home. Thus, I am thankful not only for Megan, for the success of her gift, but for my family, showing their love in making things special for her. There's nothing like the love of a family.

What are you thankful for?

My Thankfulness sale continues, get a free bar of soap with ANY purchase! Just leave a comment on the blog what you're thankful for, and you're eligible.

Not on my site are:
Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - $2/ea.
Liquid shower gel: All natural. 2 oz. for $4
Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7
Foaming Soap, just in time for the holidays: Lavender, Apple Cinnamon, Pumpkin Spice, and Gingered Orange. I have a couple bottles left of Tropical Summer for you tropical die-hards. It's a pineapple based scent. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

I'm also posting photos of Megan's birthday and a photo display entitled, "November Flowers," the last few flowers in my gardens that have escaped the frost to send out their last blooms. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to rearrange the photos, so they are in backwards order. Sigh.

Summer fun

What kind of fun are you having this summer? I hope you get to do all of the things that you longed to do during the winter months. Summer has finally arrived here, so I'm doing some of the things that I enjoy.

Friday, my two girls and I went to Genesee Country Village & Museum, a 19th century living historical museum, nestled in Mumford, NY. We have visited this museum many times through the years, but each time brings something new to learn and discover. The highlight of Friday's trip, for me, was visiting the Shaker House and Gardens. A docent was there to give us a tour and to explain the Shakers' interests, primarily in growing and using herbs.

The Shakers were very industrious people, with many inventions to their credit, and they used herbs extensively for healing. In the Shaker house, rosewater was infusing, calendula petals were drying, and boxes were filled with herb and seed for sale. It's probably my favorite place in the museum.

I wanted to pick the brain of the docent of the pioneer log cabin about soap, but they were very busy readying the cabin for guests, so I decided that was best left for another visit.

The flower gardens were proudly displaying themselves to best affect for visitors to enjoy, and were particularly noteworthy because they were heirloom flowers.

On Sunday, the Henrietta Garden Club went to the Canandaigua Wine & Culinary Center and then to Sonnenberg Gardens. I doubted that we could do them both justice in one day, but we really did.

CW&CC is devoted to showing off what NY has to offer in wine and produce. For those who don't know, NY is a leading apple producer, has many wineries in the Niagara, Finger Lakes, and Hudson areas, as well as other growing crops. At the center, cooking classes are offered, including food and wine pairings, and there is a fine restaurant offering NY dishes.

One may simply tour the facility and visit the gift shop, nevertheless, and catch a beautiful view of Canandaigua Lake from the balcony of the top floor.

Our second stop, Sonnenberg Gardens, is a tour of a mansion and its grounds. The Thompson family, wealthy NY bankers, built it as their summer home, one of five residences, and had gardens created in various styles. We visited the Japanese Garden, the Roman Bath, the Rose Garden, the Perennial Garden, and the Italian Garden, as well as the greenhouses. It had been years since I was there last, and they've done an immense amount of work in restoring the house and grounds to its former glory. It was all amazing, and we enjoyed ourselves, despite the intense heat.

Pictures will follow as soon as I can coax my camera to upload them. :-)

Remember our August special!

What's on special? Everything! Take 10% off of your order. Everything on the site or below is included, no minimum purchase. If that's not enough, I'll add a free bar of soap with any $25 purchase! Patchouli is excluded. Just put 10% in the comments section or email me at beth@soapandgarden.com.

Not on my site are:

Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - $2/ea.
Liquid shower gel: All natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00
Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7
Foaming Soap: Comes in scents listed on site. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!