Another part of the garden was made weed-free and raked today, this time in West side. The new garden. The one where those weeds really, really want to hang on. You see, it wasn’t too long ago that garden was just a bit of lawn, and it very much wants to go back to being one. And, seeing as it borders the herb garden, that also feels it deserves a bit of it’s spaces. In fact, the chamomile has up and decided it WILL NOT live in the herb garden, it likes to be among it’s green friends on the West side, thank you very much. So, that was gently dug up as well, and reintroduced to it’s right and proper home. When I was finished (for the day, not completely, oh no. We are a loooonnngg way from that), I moved over to the East garden to make sure all was behaving there, because being a Farmer has taught me that much…you turn your back for a minute and those weeds just slip right back into place. But, thankfully, no slipping took place this weekend. Maybe word finally got out that I have a trowel and I’m not afraid to use it. And so, seeing that very good work done (and also seeing as coming is coming) I went inside and made a batch of cookies.

And this is how it is done: a cup of good molasses is poured into a bowl in which is added a third cup melted butter, one half cup sugar of the granulated variety, one teaspoon black pepper and two teaspoons freshly grated ginger. This is beat together until blended and blended well. To this is added one egg, which is given the same treatment. In a separate bowl, a tablespoon of vanilla is stirred with a half teaspoon of soda and a teaspoon of salt. This mixture is added to the first, and again, beat in. To this all is added two and a half cups all-purpose flour, which is now gently stirred in until all lumps are removed. The dough is then scooped out and placed on a parchmented cookie sheet where it is doused with a bit of coarsely granulated sugar. It is placed into a preheated three hundred and fifty degree oven where it stays where it is until done–about ten to twelve minutes, depending on your oven. The cookies are then left to cook a bit and hidden, so that some will still be here when the company comes.