I have been meaning to start reviewing & sharing some of my bookcase must-haves for quite some time now. While in the midst of packing up my way too extensive/obsessive library for the impending doom - I mean move, I just decided to do it and sit down with a cup of tea and tell you all about one of my absolute favorites. (forgive the poor photos - it's waaaay early & I don't know where the good camera is)
Mrs. Reppert's Twelve Month Herbal by Bertha Reppert
I lalalala love this book! It is such a refreshing change to the standard "this is an herb, this is what it looks like, and this is what it is good for". Don't get me wrong, those kind of books are necessary and I have several, but this little gem is an absolutely lovely read. You will feel like you are reading letters and notes that have been written directly to you. Mrs. Reppert's style is such that she draws you into her garden and her everyday life. Lovely quotes and words of wisdom are scattered throughout the pages. Good old-fashioned (and much needed today) common sense emanates from the book. Her daughter Marjorie Reppert and Rose Kocher provide charming sketches to illustrate the herbs and ideas that she speaks of.
The format is that of a daily diary. She has provided an essay for each day of the year. Recipes, herbal lore and crafts, and gardening know-how are generously shared with the reader. When I first received my copy, I thought I'd read along day by day. I was too impatient and ended up reading it cover to cover that first weekend. What a treat. Now, I go back and read each day's entry as a part of my daily routine (see today's page below). I have found myself making notes on the pages where I usually hate writing in my books. This book, however, seems to encourage and welcome me to add my own thoughts & observations alongside Bertha's.
A bit about the author from The Rosemary House site:
Bertha Reppert (1919-1999) was the founder of The Rosemary House . She was a Renaissance woman ahead of her time when she opened a herb and spice shop in a conservative East coast town in 1968. Convinced that once everyone learned about herbs they would love these plants as much as she did, she became an avid educator about the secrets of herbs. Lecturing, writing and always promoting herbs, Bertha Reppert became a mentor to many.
Two of her daughters, Susanna and Nancy, continue in their mother's footsteps and share all that is herbal with the world at both The Rosemary House and at Sweet Remembrances Tea Room.
Click here to purchase your own copy of this fantastic book: Mrs. Reppert's Twelve Month Herbal. I am planning on ordering a couple copies to give as gifts and as part of an herb & tea basket I'm making up for Christmas this year.
