Making Tea.

Growing herbs is my on and off hobby. I buy herbs, plant, grow them. They sometimes stay with me, they sometimes die. And then I have those that almost died -- but got rescued. There are also who are just so fit, I am able to propagate.

The best thing about growing herbs is when you get to use (or harvest) them.

Take for example my taragon and my mint. 

My sister M was the one who started it -- making tea from the dried herb leaves.

It's not really rocket science. I just cut the dried leaves from the plants.

Taragon

Mint

Dried leaves

I place the leaves on a coffee paper filter... paper filter placed on a teapot, poured hot water on it.

After around 4 minutes, voila.

Your homemade tea.

New Therapy.

I found a new pastime recently - gardening.

I remember being able to make plants grow back in my elementary days when mongo planting and onion growing were major Science projects.  Still, I was surprised to rediscover my green thumb having saved a mint plant and a eugenia plant from near death experience.

It is a good therapy and a worthwhile 'me' time - taking care of very passive living things, beautifying them and even talking to them sometimes (with the risk of looking insane to the neighbors).  I got my boy involved... he enjoys it, too.

I have been re-planting the extra Irises that were not used by my bro for the landscaping he did for our place.  It is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

This is the Iris in the temporary plastic pot.
I got my pot.  It is a cement pot which I purchased from the rows of gardening stores along White Plains.
Bro advised me to use a potting mix instead of the garden soil.  This helps the plant grow well in a pot.  Nutrients are limited in a pot of garden soil - the potting mix is sort of your fortified soil.
To re-plant, remove the plastic pot but cutting it exposing the mound of soil with the Iris.  Place the mound of soil to the cement pot then start filling up the pot with potting mix.  Tap it once in a while to ensure that the soil is tight.
I prefer topping the soil with rice hulls to absorb moisture and for aesthetics as this is an ornamental plant.  This should be easily available in your ordinary garden store.
Place the pot in your preferred area.  Do not forget to water the plant after transplanting.
Iris is actually a flowering plant.  It is easy to grow and care for according to bro - low maintenance, very much compatible to my less active lifestyle.  It needs sunlight but will still thrive in areas with shade only that the flowers may not bloom.  

Here is the Iris flower in our pocket garden.