Elderflowers, Red Clover Blossoms, and My Hero

Presently, as I type, I have a nice set of four homemade drying racks for drying all sorts of lovely herbacious type things, made my none other than the Carpenter (my Hero) himself. Today I tramped across a ditch and through some tall, mosquito infested grasses to a large elder bush, heavy laden with lacy white blossoms. I snapped off an armful of branches and now the delicate clusters are spread out on one of the racks. Beneath the rack of elderflowers is a rack of almost dried red clover blossoms, needing just one more day before they can be stowed away in a jar, ready to be added to teas. (Red clover tea is an excellent remedy for coughs; I also add it to an inflammation tea that Andrew drinks)

Soon, wild strawberry leaves and fresh mint will be added to the drying rotation and later on yarrow and mullein will follow. On my way home from the library I spotted the grandfather of all elder berry bushes behind a neighbor's barn; I'd venture to guess that he will let me collect a good amount of berries later in the season. I'm hoping to dry lots of random extras from the garden so they are ready to be tossed into soups all winter long. Its fun having these handy drying racks - just pick some stuff and toss it on, gather it up a few days later and stuff it in a jar! Plus, the kids can help: you know - pick a red clover blossom here, gallop through the grass whinnying like a horse, pick another blossom there and eat it... They keep me smiling!