Rose and Herb Posy

When I find myself inundated with roses and my herbs are growing faster than I can cook with, I love to make posies. Not only are the colors beautiful, but the scent is divine. Placed in a sunny window, these sweet little nosegays will fill a room with a luscious floral/herbal aroma, making it an eco-friendly air freshener. For this arrangement, I used my sweet little yellow roses, tarragon, rosemary, lavender mint, and lavender sage. Many of these herbs are also natural bug repellents, which come in handy during the muggy, bug infested summers of Florida.

Lovely Lavender Mint Pimm's

I found the most fabulous thing ever at the Farmers' Market last Saturday: Lavender Mint! This is the most amazing herb, it really does smell of both lavender and mint. Excited about my new find, I had to try it in my favorite summer drink: Pimm's. This is a variation of my favorite version, using 7-Up instead of Ginger Ale.

• 1 part Pimm's
• 3 parts 7-Up, or your favorite lemon-lime soda
• 1 sprig of Lavender Mint
• 1 slice of peach
• 2 sliced of pear
• 1 spring cucumber

Muddle mint, cucumber, and Pimm's in glass. Let sit for 1/2 hour to blend flavors. Next add fruit, a few ice cubes, then 7-Up. Stir gently and enjoy!

PS: I was in the local paper this week talking about Pimm's! Not front page news, but it's a start... :-)