4th Bee Swarm, Rose Cutting Update and Birthdays!

It seems the honey worked well as the rooting medium I talked about earlier. It feels as if it is rooting and we have a bloom!
 And look to the right. I found an European Ginger plant at a garden club sale. Anyone want to tell me about the care, growing and uses of this plant, I would appreciate it:)
Last night we had a joint birthday party for my daughter Michelle, whose birthday was Saturday, and my grandson Breven, whose birthday was yesterday. He turned 11. Happy Birthday Breven! I love you! Sorry the pictures didn’t turn out too good:(
I made Michelle’s cake in the shape of a daisy, her favorite flower
 Last night my husband Gerald brought me home flowers from a Catalpa tree! Aren’t they gorgeous? And heavenly scented! How sweet he is!

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And today, I got a phone call about another swarm. This gentleman took my camera and took some pictures of me catching it! Gerald was home so he helped me by bringing the big ladder and steadying it for me

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And my hubby helping me! Glad he held the ladder as it was the tall one!
 When I got the call to retrieve this swarm, I went to the bee house to get my equipment together and I had noticed that the 2nd swarm I caught, hive looked very quiet, so I suited up and checked and sure enough, they had left! Guess they weren’t happy at Comfrey Cottages! lol! Worked out fine though, as I just hived this one in their box. Hopefully they will like it here. The first swarm is still industrious and seems quite settled, and Eric says the third swarm we hived seems happy at his house. Gotta run now. Someone called about another swarm while I was creating this post!
Herbal and Honey Hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xxx

Making Rose Cream, Second Swarm and Stray Kitty

I am following my dear friend Lucinda’s instruction for making this rose cream. I decided an infused herbal oil would be nicest. I used the double infusion method. First I put a generous amount of dried fragrant rose petals in the top pot of the double boiler, poured sweet almond oil over it to cover, lidded it and let it slow simmer over a flame for two hours. I strained this, and then added the rose infused oil back into the pot, more dried rose petals, and again, slow simmered it, lidded, for another two hours. Strained, and now I have a nice, fragrant, double infused rose sweet almond oil. Please refer to Lucinda’s post for complete instructions, I will just show you pictures of mine and give you the proportions I used :)
     Melting beeswax and oils together. I used 6 ounces of double rose infused sweet almond oil, 3 ounces of coconut oil and 3 tablespoons of melted beeswax.

              and pour them into my blender

              I allowed them to cool till they began to solidify
  then the blender is turned on slow blend and the floral water and glycerin is dribbled in and it is all blended gently. I used 8 and 1/2 ounces of rosewater, 1 tablespoon of glycerin, and 3 drops of Rose Otto that dear Lucinda had shared with me:) I didn’t add more as the type of rose water I used is very, very fragrant, as was the double rose infused sweet almond oil.
  This recipe made 4 6oz jars of luscious rose cream:) Heavenly!
Now, my daughter had came over for lunch before I started the rose cream project. While she was in the back yard giving our dog Thor a treat, she saw a stray cat sitting outside Thor’s enclosure right next to Max the Duck! When she spoke to the cat, it ran though. While I was waiting for the oils in the blender to cool, I looked out the window and saw the cat on on patio. It ran when I went outside, but came back to eat when I put out food. Must be spring, we always find stray kitties in the spring:(
I took this picture through the window. We will see if I can gentle him/her down then go about trying to find out if it is a lost kitty or one who needs a home… sigh
 I was just getting ready to try out my new cream when the phone rang. Someone had a swarm of bees they wanted removed! So off I went! This was a nice big swarm and very easy to remove as it was so low down on a small magnolia tree, the bottom of the swarm was on the ground.

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The lady didn’t want me to cut the branch, which would have been easiest, so I slip a piece of cardboard under the swarm and then lifted the branch up, slid in an empty brood box and gave the branch a good whack so that the swarm would fall in. An easy catch!

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My wonderful hubby Gerald was home when I got the hive back to my house and he hurried and put together my lid that was only partially put together! I feel like such a split personality in the spring! Should I garden, make herbal creations, wild forage, or work on bee equipment!? lol! I think I better work on more bee equipment since now I have increased from one to three hives in just a week!
 My daughter Michelle and I were talking tonight that we should paint a box robin egg blue and re-hive this new swarm later in it.  Then we would have pink, yellow and blue:) We are thinking it would be a fun time to have the kids paint different things on them too:)
 The pink hive is the oldest hive and its boxes are more than ready for fresh paint! The yellow hive is the swarm I got last week. When I caught it, I had to put the branch it was on in the hive and so I still needed to remove that branch and insert the rest of the frames. When I opened it I found they had started building their own comb on the inner hive in that empty spot that had no frames, so I had to remove those

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I just took my hive tool and gently ran it along the inner cover lid, (that is the piece with the oblong cut out hole in it), and removed the comb they had built. You can see how that comb fit right into the slot where I had left the branch and not put in frames. After removing that comb I then put in enough frames to complete the hive. This is how pretty and pure their comb looks that I removed
 I then reopened the new swarm’s hive to complete putting in it’s full amount of frames

So, last weeks hive looks good and strong and has settled right in and is storing pollen and nectar and this new swarm looks very strong so fingers crossed it likes its new home too and starts building up quickly. The old pink hive is very, very strong and so I think that I might be making my first split from it soon!
To top of the day Michelle and I took a 2 1/4 mile walk around Lakeland so now I am off to get cleaned up and finally try out my new cream! :)
Honey and Herbal Hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xxx

Propagating a Rose Cutting with Honey

Rose is my number one ally with my Springfield Sanctuary Apprenticeship this year. Sarah asked us to start plants from seeds, etc. and since you can start a new rose bush from a cutting from an established one, I started exploring this. I found many sources suggesting using a rooting compound, and I will try that on another cutting, but today, I decided to try to root a cutting by dipping it in honey and then water. This is the video that inspired me to try this environmentally friendly way to root a rose cutting:)

starting a rose bush from a cutting

I have admired one of my daughter’s neighbor’s roses, and decided to use a cutting from it, with permission.

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I do not know this roses name, but it has lovely pink roses that repeat bloom from spring to very late in the fall and has lots of lovely rose hips every year. I will let you know how this method works in a few weeks! I will try another cutting using rooting compound and see if I can discern a difference on the success or (perish the thought!), the failure!
 Herbal and Honey Hugs from all who visit Comfrey Cottages xx

Rose Hip Candy and other Rose Hip Recipes

My friend Leanne, of Cottages Tails blog, and fellow Springfield Sanctuary apprentice, asked if I had any rose hip recipes. She lives in New Zealand and so it is in fall time instead of springtime for her:) Since I will be posting rose hip recipes anyway this year as part of my apprenticeship, I thought I might as well go ahead and post a few now, instead of fall when it is my rose hip time
                                   from WikiMedia Commons
Rose hip Candy (posted by Janet Woodring Haines on About.com)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 mL) rose hips
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) sugar
• 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (40 mL) water

Preparation:

Wash the rose hips with a spray or under running water. Drain and pat dry gently with paper towel or a clean cloth towel. Remove the seed from each rose hip with a small coffee spoon or pointed knife.
For each 1 cup (240 mL) rose hips, dissolve 1/3 cup (80 mL) sugar in 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (40 mL) water. Add rose hips to the sugar-water and cook over medium heat. Be sure all hips are coated on the inside. This is easiest done by tilting the pan and spooning the syrup over and around them. Shake pan occasionally. Cook until rose hips are just about to burn, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove hips as quickly as possible from pan - but individually, if you can - dropping each onto a sheet of waxed paper that is covered with granulated sugar. (Use two forks for this process. ) Separate any nested hips. Sprinkle sugar over them, then roll in the sugar until the hips are well coated on all sides.
While they are drying, break off any hard bits of sugar. Add more sugar and toss the hips gently with two forks. Store candy in a glass jar.
It is not advisable to try more than 1-1/2 cups (360 mL) rose hips at one time. For that amount, use 1/2 cup (120 mL) sugar and 1/4 cup (60 mL) water. It is best to have the hips only one layer deep in the pan to avoid nesting of hips. Also, the syrup thickens fast while you are removing the hips from the pan.
A winner of two blue ribbons at the Southeast Alaska State Fair
Recipe Source: One Hundred Years in the Kitchen by Mary Scott Peters

I found these rosehip jelly and jam recipes interesting and yummy sounding, from Elise, on Simply Recipes
And one for rosehip and apple jelly at The Cottages Smallholding blog.
Maybe some rosehip catsup might strike your fancy, Leanne!
Rose hip Catsup
1 qt. Rose Hip puree
2 c. vinegar
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. Salt
Dash of cayenne
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Cook until thick. Bottle in sterilized jars or old catsup bottles.
There are pudding, bread, and fruit leather recipes here:) I will post more recipes throughout the year!
Please make sure and blog about any of these ideas you tried:)
                                             Cicely Mary Barker
Herbal and Honey hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xx

Rose Petal Jam

Some rose bushes are starting to bloom! Seems very, very early! Rose is one of my herbs I am studying in depth with my Springfield Sanctuary Apprenticeship, and as I have stated before, I am going to be sharing lots of recipes. Here is one I will be making as soon as I have enough lovely rose petals:) I will show you pictures when I do!
4 cups rose petals
1 1/4 cups water
juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons rose water
1 cup white sugar
Slowly simmer the rose petals in water for 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves. Cook steadily for 15- 20 minutes, until the jam starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and stirin the rose water. Pour into sterile jelly glasses and seal. (The Herbal Connection Collection, Maureen Rogers and Patricia Sulick)
An alternative recipe  is this one, from a delightful book I am reading titled Rose Petal Jam Recipes and Stories from a Summer in Poland, by Beata Zatorska and Simon Target
Such a simple recipe to just use a mortar and pound the rose petals and sugar together:) Time consuming, yes, but nice! Make sure and choose the most fragrant roses you can find, and cut the white off. You can stack several petals together before cutting to save time.

Herbal and Honey Hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xx

Rose Petal Jam Tarts

INGREDIENTS
2 large peaches - halved, pitted peeled
1 1/4 CUPS all purpose flour
2 TBSP unsalted butter, well chilled
extra flour
8 TSP Rose Jam or Rose Jelly
1/4 CUP sugar
1 TSP grated lemon zest
1 egg

DIRECTIONS
Wash and pat peaches dry and set aside.

In a food processor, mix 1 1/4 CUP flour and sugar.

Pulse 2 times.

Cut up chunks of butter and mix in some flour.

Sprinkle chunks and lemon zest into the flour mixture in processor until it resembles fine meal.

While the food processor is running, add egg, mixing just until blended.

Knead gently on floured surface, just until pastry forms.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Sprinkle board with flour and turn pastry frequently during rolling.

Roll out to 1/8 inch. If it rips, just patch it.

Roll out 4 circles of dough (approx. 6-7 in. diam.)

Place each peach half in center of each circle with the cut side up and fill each with 2 TSP of jam/jelly.

Enclose pastry carefully, sealing all sides. For extra effect, use leftover pastry to form "rose petals" to place underneath peach.

Bake 425 degrees for 10min. and then lower to 350 degrees for 15 min. on ungreased cookie sheets. Baking time may vary slightly

recipe from Marmellata di Rose

I have not made this yet, but wanted to save it for when I have fresh rose petals this summer:)

Hugs to all Who Visit Comfrey Cottages xx

Decorating with Rose and Comfrey

Rose and Comfrey are two of my allies I chose for my participation in the Springfield Sanctuary Apprentice program this year. Wanting to incorporate these lovelies in every way I could think of, in my life this year, I decided to redecorate the wall above my kitchen table.

The two rose prints I found at a yard sale many, many years ago. They were  just so beautiful, I had to buy them. They have travelled with me through my life’s journey for at least 25 years now.

I have been enamored with learning the history of roses, and in particular, how they have received their names. In the course of pursuing this, I have had to learn new terms, such as “sport”, which refers to when nature pulls a genetic surprise and creates a new rose from another! I explain this term as it comes up in this bit I could find out about the Alfred K. Williams rose. Seems A. K. Williams is the sport of a French rose named General Jacqueminot,  who was an offspring of Glories des Rosomanes and Geant des Batailles. From what I can figure out from different sources it was introduced in 1877! (1877 — Schwartz, France)

From The Garden: An Illustrated Weekly Journal of Horticulture and All Its Branches, March 24th, 1894:

A.K. Williams When this Rose was sent out in 1877 by Monsieur J. Schwartz it was considered to delicate a grower...However, now it has got over the strain of excessive propagation, I find it a fairly good grower and hardy....it has probably won the medal as bieng the best Hybrid Perpetual in the show oftener than any other Rose...it is one of the most perfect Roses of its type-imbricated...Deep carmine-red when first opening, changing to a more or less magenta hue with age, every flower bold and upright, with good lasting powers and exquisite fragrance...It is not so long-lived as many when grown upon the Manetti...the Brier stock gives a more lasting bloom, and is much the best for autumnal flowering. A.K. Williams is useful for forcing, making a near, compact plant, and carrying from three to twelve blooms at one time in a 6-inch or 8-inch pot.

and from the same magazines in 1882:

 

Rose (H.P.) Alfred K. Williams. This beautiful Rose was sent out by Schwartz, of Lyons, in the autumn of 1877, and flowered for the first time in my Rose garden the following summer. From the very first flower I...discovered that it was a Rose of great promise...A few complaints have been heard regarding its being a weak grower...misgivings to which I give no credit...I find it does well as a standard, and also on the Manetti, but I am inclined to think that the Brier is the best stock for it. Colchester. B. R. Cant...
In growth I should describe A.K. Williams as being between Duke of Wellington and Lord Macaulay....growth may be set down as moderate. The wood is thorny, the spines being what the rosarians call red. The form of the flower is perfect, being beautifully imbricated and of the brightest carmine-red...No Rose, if I omit Gloire de Dijon and La France, is more thoroughly perpetual....As regards constitution or durability, can it rank with Alfred Colomb...?I fear not...One great thing...is that it grows alike freely on Manetti, seedling Brier, and standard Brier.

(this information was found on this website)

Now the next one says Monsieurs  E.Y. Teas and Jean Liabaud, two different roses in one pictures. From the same source I find scant information on either rose.

E.Y. Teas

Hybrid Perpetual.  Pink.  Strong fragrance.  Blooms in flushes throughout the season.  USDA zone 6b through 9b (default).   Eugène Verdier fils aîne (1874)

Jean Liabaud:(1875 — Liabaud, France)

Hybrid Perpetual.  Crimson, darker shading.  Moderate fragrance.  Large, full (26-40 petals), borne mostly solitary, in small clusters, cupped, scalloped bloom form.  Occasional repeat later in the season.  USDA zone 6b through 9b (default).   Jean-Pierre Liabaud (1875).

The other picture I know exactly where it came from. A dear friend named Lucinda xx

Hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xx

 

On My Mind… Heirloom Roses

The hemisphere I live in is fast approaching winter. It was gloomy, a little snowy and cold when I came home and found my Heirloom Roses catalogue in the mailbox. I changed into some comfy fleece pants, made a cup of tea with both rosehips and rose petals and settle back to enjoy the catalogue with visions of spring dancing through my mind. As I wishfully peruse each page, I read each flowers description with the avidness of a wine connoisseur reading the wine list at an upscale eatery…the fragrance is my weakness, with the actual beauty being secondary.  Tess of the d’Urbervilles, fragrance: exceptional, Myrrh; Lexy, fragrance: Moderate, Spicy; Crocus Rose, fragrance: Very, Tea; Lilian Austin, fragrance: Very, Clove; Strawberry Hill, fragrance: Very, Myrrh/Lemon; Tea Clipper, fragrance: Very, Citrus; CL Iceberg, fragrance: Moderate, HONEY!!!; Galaway Bay, fragrance: Very, Old Rose; Creme de la Creme, fragrance: Moderate, Fruity; Veilchenblau, fragrance: Very, Orange; Cecile Brunner: fragrance, Light, Pepper, Spice… I have a giddy, heady feeling just reading these descriptions.

I will eventually come down to earth and sort through first by fragrance, then by beauty and bloom time, of course, keeping in mind my actual planting zone, but in the meantime… what is on my mind is fragrance…and away I drift on a waft of rose scent….

This is my contribution to Herbology’s What’s on my mind blog post.

Big herbal and honey hugs, and a bit of rose scent thrown in, to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xxx