Preserving Summer for Joy

In addition to creating herbal vinegars for winter use, I've also been looking around my flower beds for the last remnants of summer blossoms and picking them to dry. Pink Simplicity Hedge roses, yarrow, status, and lavender all blend together with herbs like oregano and rosemary to make a fragrant bowl of fragrant potpourri. I think I enjoy the color of the dried flowers as much as I like the fragrance. Drying vibrant flowers is a nice way of helping summer last through the winter months. When the fragrance of the potpourri starts to fade, I just toss the flowers and give them a little squeeze to release more of the fragrance. And if after awhile that doesn't work, they make a great 'carrier' for fragrant room spray or essential oils, but that won't be necessary until maybe February or March. By then, the new blossoms will be starting to show their pretty faces.