Fall Harvest {Garden & Gifts}

It's Day 16 in WeNdYs WiNtEr WoNdErLaNd!

So you might be wondering what Fall and Christmas have to do with each other so I will let you know {and also why this Summery looking Garden Angel is in the picture}!  Every year I like to give my neighbors a gift from the heart!  I live in a little gated neighborhood of 30 homes so this task is one that I can accomplish! {Well I end up doing more for others on that growing list of mine!}  Depending on how busy I am, and what is going on that year, I either do this gift for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  If it goes out for Thanksgiving it has a tag/message that reads "We are Thankful for good neighbors" or I sometimes think of a saying that goes with the gift, if for Christmas.  {I'm so busy right now that none of my old Christmas sayings come to mind!}  Well you get the picture!

If you enter through my garden gate...

you are greeted by my herb garden and ...

my friendly Garden Angel who watches over it for me!  This angel was a gift from my neighbor and friend Julie.  It's faded now because it has been out there for many years.  She thought it looked like me because I can often be found in my garden working in what most people would wear as their Sunday best, a hat and a dress!  {Oh yes I've been in heels to as that is considered barefoot to me!}

There are some well place ornaments such as this butterfly gazing ball.

But my herb garden is known for its many herbs that I use in daily cooking!  It is Winter so things are a bit dormant, even though many things grow year round here in the desert.  Here is some parsley. Great for salsa! 

 There are chives and garlic chives. Great for many things. {Even chopping up a few in scrambled eggs!}

My rosemary, which is great for many things including soups and Italian foods.  I also grow, basil and thyme and more.  My daughters have now learned that when you want fresh flavor you just go outside to spice up your pasta!

Here is my sage growing in front of the sweet marjoram.  I love using this when cooking chicken and especially that holiday turkey!   My favorite job to do in the garden is when I need to trim things.  It smells marvelous and makes you crave Italian food!  The smell is so strong!

A few lingering strawberry plants left over from Summer!

Then there is my favorite, my bay leaf tree!  This plant looks great and grows year round here in the desert!  I use this in everything I cook with, especially soups!  I use it fresh when cooking and it has a stronger flavor!

Here is a closer look at the leaves and a tiny hummingbird nest!  I really need to do my blog post about all of the different types of bird nests in my yard!  {My pets!}

So November comes around and I am looking for a Thanksgiving gift for my friends and neighbors!  It is Fall Harvest time for me.  Time to harvest some of the fruits of my labor and share them with others.  I go out to the garden to trim some of my leaves from my Bay Leaf Tree!

I am also lucky enough to have my mom live four houses away so I go to get some of the leaves from her Bay Leaf Tree!

Containers come in all shapes and sizes and here are two examples of jars that I used for this project.

I fill up the jars.  Stuffing as many leaves in each jar as I can!

Grab some ribbon and sticker labels...

and gift tags...

and simply tie the ribbon around the top of the jar.

Then I add the label and tie on the tag and there you have a perfect little {handmade with love} Thanksgiving or Christmas gift!

 I became swamped this year in November so today I passed out my Fall Harvest my Christmas gift!  

What ideas have you used to share something of yourself with your neighbors?