Megan Palmer

Steve Mendez wrote:Today is our 35th Valentine's day.

We are two years behind you Steve:)

We were together for six years before we got married so I soon as we finally got married, called him husband when I wasn’t using his name and 33 years on, we still call each other husband & wife😘.

He is my best friend and sternest critic.

Vanessa, your coasters are gorgeous. What type of varnish did you use to seal the decoupage?

We several sets of coasters and the ones that get used most often are the ceramic ones with flowers. They have cork on the bottom. Have to be careful using these with cold drinks on a hot day - as the ice melts and condensation gathers on the bottom of the glass, it creates suction and the coaster can get lifted up with the glass. There are some fine chips on the coasters from being dropped. The two Ovaltine coasters are painted metal, also with cork on the bottom.

My favourite salve is made with dehydrated comfrey leaves and roots. I also make one with calendula petals and lavender. My preference is to stuff the herbs into a clean cut off section of pantyhose which makes it easier to strain after steeping in extra virgin olive oil. One part wax to four parts oil by weight gives the consistency that I prefer. I scrape a bit of the salve out of the jar with the back of a finger nail - a local cafe keeps 30g jam jars for me.

If you have a microwave, 30 second bursts are an easy way to heat up a wrung out flannel to use as a compress.

Fascinating, apple iPad in NZ, Vodafone

I only wear mine in winter time and love them, they are super comfortable. Having said that, I dont wear them for work or when i take the dog out, they are more of a casual wear at home or down to the shops shoe for me.

Found the photo  https://permies.com/t/240/57161/Photos-Joseph-Lofthouse-Garden#728092

Inge, that is beautiful darning. What is the purpose of the loops at the end of each row and what happens to them when the darn is completed? Are they left as they are? Many thanks

Here are winecaps foraged from a garden that had wood chips applied as a mulch about 12m ago.  Have dehydrated far more than one pound of fresh mushrooms but only photographed one weighed batch for the BB. Forgot to change the unit from grams to ounces. Have cooked them fresh in risotto, a chicken & ham pie and omelette😋

How about a compromise, leave some comfrey for the spiders to shelter in and pick and harvest just enough leaves to make a batch of tea in spring. The leaves dry very easily, I shred and dry them for making salves but you could drape them over a mesh shelf or on a fold up clothes rack, store in a paper bag or bucket and just add water when you want to use it. If they are not completely dried, you may want to put them in a bucket just in case they start fermenting which is not such a bad thing just so long as you can contain the smell with a tight fitting lid😉