Open House, Homemade Crackers

Anthony giving garden tours.

Visitors started arriving at 8:30 a.m., just as we were setting out the lemon balm-lavender lemonade, the homemade crackers and lemon balm cookies. And they kept coming throughout the day, just perfect for us to get to visit with each group and person.

Cricket and Anthony Bongiovani.

This was the last day with us for our intern, Anthony. He's from Pennsylvania and has been with us since April. He has planted a good part of everything growing in the garden this year. So when the first group arrived I asked if he would give the tour. He jumped at the chance and did a great job. He said later he had surprised himself at how many plants he could identify and how much he'd learned while here.

That's Cricket, our pup, who sort of adopted Anthony as her own and the two played together every evening after work.

Anthony had spent the previous couple of days making an assortment of homemade crackers from my book, Easy Homemade Crackers Using Herbs, and lemon balm and lavender cookies, to serve at Open House.

A few of the kinds of homemade crackers Anthony made.

Anthony, having worked at pizza joints in previous years, had a real feel for making crackers and does a better job than I do when I make them.

Lavender and Lemon Balm Cookies.

Visitors came from several surrounding towns as well as from Huntsville, AR, even one couple from El Paso, AZ (although they didn't travel just to see us). Everyone who came were gardeners, and we talked about the new dwarf heirloom tomato, 'Big Purple' from the international Tomato Dwarfing Project.

'Big Purple' dwarf heritage tomato.

One view inside the Herb Shop.

Salvia argentia and daylily bed.

Herb Shop door.

Thanks to everyone who came, including dinner guests, Darcy and Paul, who came to help us celebrate a successful Open House. It was an excellent day. And thank you, Anthony, for all your cheerful help. We wish you the best in your next WWOOFing farm in New Mexico.