Rhubarb : The Ruby Red Herb, Vegetable, and Fruit

"Rhubarb is usually considered a vegetable. In the United States, however, a New York court decided in 1947 that since it was used in the United States as a fruit, it counted as a fruit for the purposes of regulations and duties. " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhubarb

Here are some ideas for all the rhubarb in your garden, or your neighbor's garden!
Rhubarb

Rhubarb Magic Cake
http://aspoonfulofphotography.blogspot.com/2014/04/rhubarb-magic-cake.html

Rhubarb Bread and Butter Pudding
http://traditionalcelticcuisine.wordpress.com/2008/09/07/rhubarb-bread-and-butter-pudding/

Farmer's Almanac, with recipes:
http://www.almanac.com/plant/rhubarb

Merry Rose Herbs : Dandelions : Pretty, Healthy, and Nutritious

As Spring moves into Summer, the everpresent yellow lions appear in people's yards. These sunny, cheerful flowers offer more than beauty. The healthy dandelions share their wealth with Earth's creatures.

The University of Maryland Medical Center gives this information:
"While many people think of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a pesky weed, it's chock full of vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines."
For details regarding ways to use dandelion, check the UMMC website:
https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/dandelion

Wellness Mama post
Wonderful information, however, from a Mom’s point of view ….the MOST important use of a dandelion:  IT IS THE FIRST FLOWER CHILDREN GIVE THEIR MOM!   A most cherished memory!  
http://wellnessmama.com/5680/herb-profile-dandelion/

A Modern Herbal
This site gives a detailed discussion of the origin of the name and other interesting facts.
"The blooms are very sensitive to weather conditions: in fine weather, all the parts are outstretched, but directly rain threatens the whole head closes up at once. It closes against the dews of night, by five o'clock in the evening, being prepared for its night's sleep, opening again at seven..."

Gothic Romance Books and Reviews Sites

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Finavon_Castle.jpg
Donald Thomas Finavon Castle, Scotland

Keeping a home, garden, and farm is fun and exhausting. We can cherish some rest time, for a glass of water, a cup of herbal tea, or tea, or coffee, along with a Gothic Romance book. While many of these stories involve manor homes, mansions, and castles, the stories also include nearby cottages.

Three famous writers of Gothic Romance include Daphne du Maurier, Mary Stewart, and Victoria Holt.

From time to time, sites will be added to this post.

Here's a link to book reviews, including the three master writers listed above.

http://agwiabreviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/reviews.html

Garden Herbs via The Bach Centre, Dr. Edward Bach Flower Remedy System for Humans and Animals

Agrimony 640 x 480 is 165 KB 120px-Hemp_agrimony_(Eupatorium_cannabinum)_-_geograph_org_uk_-_930608

File:Hemp Agrimony - geograph.org.uk - 506897.jpg

description 1 Hemp Agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum growing by the side of the lane to Kernstone Farm and Speke's House. | date 2007-07-24 ... (480 × 640 (93 KB)) - 16:48, 27 November 2012

http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=agrimony&title=Special%3ASearch&uselang=en

In 1917, Dr. Edward Bach was working with wounded British soldiers from WW1.
Dr. Bach himself became ill, the surgeons operated, removed a tumor, and gave him three months to life. However, Dr. Bach recovered, feeling that he still had earthly work to do. Eventually, he worked with flower therapy. Here's a link to learn more about how flowers can help us stay healthy and happy.

"There are 38 remedies in the Bach remedy system. All of them were discovered in the 1920s and 1930s by Dr Edward Bach, a well-known bacteriologist, physician and pathologist.
Each remedy is associated with a basic human emotion. Mimulus, for example, is the remedy for when we are anxious or afraid about something specific. Taking the remedy helps us overcome our fear and face it with courage."
http://www.bachcentre.com/centre/firstpag.htm

Here is a guide to the remedies.
http://www.bachcentre.com/centre/remedies.htm

Here's information about our pets and animals.
http://www.bachcentre.com/centre/bfrani.htm

Merry Rose Garden Herbs : Dill

The Alchemy Works webpage has details about the legends and uses for Dill.
http://www.alchemy-works.com/anethum_graveolens.html

Merry Rose Herbal Recipes : Trefoil , John's Wort , Vervain , Dill

In Mary Stewart's novel Thornyhold, the heroine Geillis Ramsey, known as Gilly, inherits an isolated but magical home from her cousin. When she looks through her new home, she finds a "still room." On the center table is a bowl containing four herbs: trefoil, John's Wort, Vervain, Dill. Then she remembers the old rhyme: "Trefoil, John's-wort, Vervain, Dill, hinder witches of their will."

This gentle protection charm is easy to make with ingredients from the kitchen, the yard, or the local herbal store. Trefoil is common three leaf clover. Dill is usually in everyone's kitchen. St. John's Wort and Blue Vervain are available in most health food stores that stock herbs.

Mix up a lovely batch of sweet-smelling herbs and keep in your home, office, or car: anywhere for fresh scent and legendary protection.

"[Trefoil] has a long tradition of use as a protection against magic: an old rhyme says, "Vervaine and dill/ Hinder witches of their will." (Another version says, "Trefoil, vervain, St. John's Wort, dill/ Hinder witches of their will." In either case, this is specifically meant against evil witches: the healers actually used all of these herbs.) http://windspirit57.tripod.com/id4.html

Here are some hints and guidelines when gathering herbs.

Before picking trefoil, make sure to have either a small amount of milk or some ginger, fresh or powdered. Leave the milk or ginger as gifts for the Little People to thank them for the herb. This practice keeps humans on good terms with these faery folk.

Be careful about stepping on St. John's Wort after the sun sets:
"...true it is alleged to be that, if on the Isle of Man you tread on St. John's wort after sunset, a fairy horse will rise from the earth and bear you about the whole long night, only leaving you when dawn comes."

Dill seeds are said to help with love, to help with court cases, and to help with health.

Vervain requires honey, which should be left after picking. Many people wait until the new moon, to pick this herb.
http://www.janih.com/lady/herbs/magick/V.html

Resources
http://books.google.com/books?id=2JYF1Uj2o2QC&pg=PA237&lpg=PA237&dq=trefoil+johns+wort+vervain+dill&source=bl&ots=XBcWh-dn8N&sig=CnPfP-8fX_eaVPh1XHdCUCqztcw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UhXXUq7POM-QyQHO8YHQCA&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=trefoil%20johns%20wort%20vervain%20dill&f=false

How to Display and Store Antique Books : Vertical, Supported, Out of Sunlight, Out of Dust

There are guidelines to storing and displaying antique books.

On shelves, it's best to store them vertically, supported by other, stronger books or boxes.
At the same time, allow for air circulation, as much as possible.
Books over 18 inches should be stored flat.
You can carefully place other similar-sized large books on top.
Avoid over-burdening stacked books.
For more suggestions, you can visit this website on How Stuff Works:

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/care-for-antique-books.htm