Herbs - Pesto - Growing your Garden.

. . . . . . for late June.

I'm growing all these herbs - and they are doing well.

As it's so unbearably hot in many places across the country here right

now, I'm thinking a really 'green post' will be a little cooling!

First pots of Genovese basil are now being harvested for pesto.

Of course there should be garlic here also!!!!!  Lots of it.

Using walnuts this year - pine nuts are just so expensive.

I add a little lemon juice to keep the bright green color.

Good ingredients, as always, make good, healthy foods.

Extra virgin olive oil, real Parmigiana Reggiano cheese freshly grated, 

fresh nuts of your choice are a must.

These small square Ziploc storage containers are the perfect size for

 pesto - I share a lot and pack the freezer with the rest. 

Big pot of sage, smells so good.

Pots of thyme - regular and lemon.

The long leaves? My amaryllis bulbs over-summering - will repot for 

the house come early winter.

More pots of basil planted later, also more dill. . . . . .. 

. . . . . . because the flowers are tall and pretty. 

The current 'kitchen window' vase is of course filled with basil also!

Are you growing herbs?

Which is your favorite?

Mine has to be basil. . . . . . and hopefully there will soon be

locally grown tomatoes available to make fresh summer dishes.

A fragrant garden walk. . . . .

Take a closer look at the smaller things. . . . those you may take for granted.

Yesterday started out under thick, low cloud cover.  

Coffee mug in hand, camera around neck, in dressing gown and flip flops,
I quietly let myself out into the garden.
I've had to do my own mini pedicure to enable being seen in open toe sandals
 this week - sweet Ms. Kim, my pedi lady is probably missing me, as I am her by now! 
As for my gel finger nails, don't get me started, just know I need my sweet 
 Ms. My Lihn more than ever before!!!

I only managed a few hours sleep, found myself reading at bedtime and 
then again at 3:00 AM. One of those lousy nights I'm having more often lately - can
 I blame COVID-19?

I needed fresh air.

garden is still lovely even without sunshine. 

Dampness brings out full fragrance of the jasmine billowing over the fences,
the mint and rosemary standing tall perfume the air as I pass by.
The new, still tiny, basil shoots when gently rubbed between my fingers, bring
 thoughts of making pesto when summertime arrives.

Yes, wildlife was awake too!  A naughty rabbit was already eyeing my small
tomato patch. A brown thrasher was busy breakfasting on the suet cake,
the bluest Eastern bluebird and pair of wrens were on the big feeder. . . . . 
and all around birds were singing and calling from the trees.

Early morning does not allow you to take the small, beautiful things
for granted - especially in a spring garden.

The real Origano di Montagna. . . . . . . . . . .

OREGANO ~ ORIGANUM vulgare
A flowering plant in the mint family(Lamiaceae). Native to temperate western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. Oregano is a perennial herb (although grown as an annual in colder climates as it often does not survive the winter), growing 20-80 cm tall with opposite leaves. Flowers are purple and
produced in erect spikes. Sometimes called wild marjoram.

As we wandered through the charming alleys of Sicilian towns, stopping

 to glance at little shops and their offerings, there were many dried herbs

 bagged and bunched for sale. . . . . . oregano was definitely a favorite.

My own bunch of sweet smelling dried oregano is now on the dining room 

table both as a decoration and also to be used in many Italian dishes 

over the summer months. Have to say it smells and tastes so much

better than the contents of that little glass jar in the kitchen!

There are many subspecies of Oregano each with their unique flavor. 

Tastes range from spicy or astringent to more complicated and sweet.

Sicilian oregano is usually sweet and spicy with little bitterness, and is

prized for flavor and compatibility with various recipes and sauces.

Leaves are more flavorful when dried than fresh, warm and aromatic.

Taormina, Sicily - May 2017

Oregano's most prominent modern use is as the staple herb of Italian-American cuisine.

Its popularity in the US began when soldiers returning from World War II brought back

 with them a taste for the "pizza herb" which had probably been eaten in southern Italy for

 centuries. It is eaten with roasted, fried or grilled vegetables, meat and fish, and combines

 well with spicy foods popular in southern Italy. . . . . . . and of course in pasta sauces.

Italian cooks love their food full of flavors from the countryside and, although

 fresh herbs are often best, dried versions have to be used when they are

 out of season. Perhaps I try to keep my dried herbs purchased from grocery

 stores far too long - you know how they eventually lose their flavor and turn

 into dust in those jars - probably adding little of the original brisk fresh taste.

Do you enjoy using herbs when you cook?

Are you growing fresh herbs this spring?

My annual basil, chives, fennel and parsley are all coming along in large pots -

and my perennial rosemary bushes (2) are now huge and in fact need to be

pruned way back.

I so love walking into the garden and clipping a few leaves to add to 

the evening meal - today it will be basil for the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.

BUON APPETITO!

A thing of beauty, a job forever!

Late May Garden update ~~~~~~~~

We've tried to put the garden straight since returning from Sicily - not easy 

when feeling so rough with Europe's 'bug from hell' which came home with us,

 and weather which although lovely for a couple of days, has now turned cool 

with several continuous rainy days saturating the ground and giving a new growth

 spurt to weeds! Fortunately, two days of tornado activity stayed away from our 
area - we are sad for the North Carolinians who lost their homes in rural
 areas - thankfully there were no deaths or severe injuries.

A swing by the garden center for mulch, potting soil, and packets of herb seeds,

 morning glories and moonflowers to plant in those waiting pots, also brought

 sighs over all the lovely pots of plants, perennials and annuals now in bloom,

 all calling out "choose me" of course!

How could I resist the foxglove, one of my favorites even though it doesn't 

like our hot/humid climate here and will usually only last one summer season.

I've kept it mostly on the porch under cover as the heavy rains came down,

trying to save the flower spires to enjoy on sunny, drier days coming soon.

The hydrangeas have hardly a bloom due to the severe freeze we had in early
 spring killing the new buds - I doubt we'll see those lovely blues this year, or many 

figs on our two trees as they were also hit hard. The jasmines were damaged 
but with a hard prune they have returned and are raucously climbing, blooming
 and perfuming the front porch now.

I took down the nesting boxes as all babies have gone, and I've hung my 

hummingbird feeder early this year in hopes the tiny beauties will

 return as usual. For some reason I feel ahead of myself regarding the 

outdoors for this summer season. Probably due to being away in the non-stop

sunshine and heat of Italy. . . . . . I feel I've had, and enjoyed, my summer already.

I like this feeling though, knowing I still have a good three months ahead where 

I can work around the cottage and garden, relax in the gazebo, perhaps plan some

 outdoor get-togethers with family, friends and neighbors. . . . . . . and maybe take a

 few overnights out of town to enjoy the North Carolina countryside and the

 summer bounty of its farms and markets. 

What are your summertime plans?