March Madness

No! Not that March Madness. The Allegheny Mountain variety.

Witch Hazel twigs prepared for boiling.

Too much to do, in too little time, with too many t-total unknowns regarding the weather!

Witch hazel to cut.
Trees and bushes to prune.
Gardens to plan.
Cold frames to plant.
Compost to turn.
Fences to mend.
Brush piles to make.
Nest boxes to hang.

Oh, my.

And then there are the festivals for which to prepare: Highland County Maple Fest this month, Uniquely WV Wine & Food and Spring Mountain Festival next. We've not yet met a festival for which there isn't more to do than can ever be done.

If we had television at Brightside, we'd never watch it. Believe it or not, here on a mountaintop in the middle of nowhere: We don't have time!

In the midst of all else, we are creating new tea blends and facial treatments from herbs dried last season. Such creative experimentation is key to figuring out what's most important to plant and harvest in the season coming up.

That's the really fun part.

Milkweed seeds, an ingredient in Grace: Facial Toner for Mature Skin.

Dried rosehips, another ingredient.

Rosemary, the aromatic Grace note.