Shampoo Ginger!

   So, thanks to Darling Daughter, I am now "forced" to try something new.  It is no big secret that living like I do, I muddle around with tisanes, poultices, balms and other herbal concoctions.  She knows this and also knows that I grow or forage my herbs.  In fact, she is all for it as she is quite the same.  That said, she and my son-in-law always find some plant that is not in the Small Gardens and they give me that as a gift.  Last Christmas, they gave me a ginger root.  This was unlike the culinary ginger that fills the back garden, it was Shampoo Ginger.  Alrighty, then!  I carefully planted this root in a huge pot to keep it separate from the other garden bound plants.  Well, it took off growing and never stopped!  

  I was meandering the herb gardens while thinking about what to plant for my fall/winter vegetable plot.  Imagine my surprise when I was greeted with nine blooms on the Shampoo Ginger plant!  (Those buds sure look a lot like the pine cones that the squirrels are dropping from the treetops.)  I gave the largest "cone" a gentle squeeze and, sure enough, it was filled with liquid.  It is that liquid that I am supposed to harvest and turn into shampoo!  Tomorrow will find me on my knees with a jar in hand trying to capture all of that lovely stuff before something knocks over the plant and spills everything.  

  This is my first experience growing, harvesting and using this type ginger.  From what I have read, each cone will refill a few times after they are emptied.  According to all information, only the red ones should be harvested as the others are still growing.  That makes sense.  There are a couple of brown cones that will need to be removed so that will be done, as well.  Wish me luck in this new endeavor!  I am making shampoo!

Mama Spider Knows Best

  Flanking the steps outside the French doors, a variety of plants can be found.  Several of these are ginger and turmeric plants.  The plants evidently love the spot under the arbor surrounding the door because they grow profusely and, once the leaves overhang the steps, the aroma is incredible when anyone uses the doors.  This also makes it handy to grab a few leaves or a root to use in the kitchen. The area is sort of like an herb garden with the added beauty of stained glass French doors.  I love it.

  Obviously, I am not the only one that loves the gingers and turmerics.  Deep down in the spirals where the new leaves come from the main stalk, a spider has made her web.  This is not the spider's main web but her retreat web where she hides during the daytime hours.  At night, the arbor is strung with an intricate web as the spider catches her supper but, as the sun rises, she crawls back in her hiding spot.  It is in that retreat web that she has her egg sacs.  There, she can protect the sacs from any marauding critters.  Centipedes and wasps are both known to eat the eggs so it is a full time job for the female to protect her egg sacs. 

  I noticed this morning that the spider had moved her egg sacs from the retreat web to a spot deeper in the plant's leaves.  Perhaps she feared for their safety or perhaps she, herself, is going to move to a less obvious spot.  Mama Spider knows what is best and I admire her determination to keep things safe.  At least, she does not have to fear me.  I would never intentionally shoo a spider from any of the gardens!