The End Game

I thought it was all over –

the growing season for herbs I mean,

because my sweet Basil plant was beginning to flower.

“This is the end – the last harvest,” I thought, and sadly pinched off every leaf for drying.

“Thank you. You did a great job,” I said, feeling guilty about taking its life.

And in the end it really was the end.  There were two skinny sticks left with no foliage.

I tried pulling the naked sticks out of the pot to discard them roots and all, but they fiercely resisted.

“Oh well, I will put off the final dumping of dirt and stems for later.”

A week later it was later.

And look what I found!

My Basil’s Second Life

“I’m not finished yet!” said my tough little Basil plant.    “Just look what I can do with no attention, no water, and a mistress ready to chuck me over the rails!”

 

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Herman’s Summer Bounty

 

Ornamental Herb

Just look at my parsley and basil!  They were only little guys when I bought them at Herman’s Produce this Spring.

Yes!  Herman’s has a wonderful little nursery too!

Bounteous Basil

Perfectly Perfect Parsley

Purple Basil in a Pot

The herbs are so lush and healthy, I think of them as ornamental landscape additions that can be harvested for food and health.

Talk about multi-tasking!

 

 

And would you believe I have harvested them for drying at least three times?

 

And of course, Herman’s Produce is known for (guess what?) it’s produce too!

 

 

They feature fresh-from-the-farm tomatoes –

and everything else that looks and tastes like Summer!

 

And the rumor is a local green house grower

is growing veggies exclusively for Herman’s!

 

We are already eagerly awaiting December

for tomatoes that will taste as good as Summer!

 

Imagine a tomato and mayo sandwich for Xmas?

Yummmm.

Herman’s Produce
Lexington, Virginia

Herman’s Produce
Lexington, Virginia

 

 

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For the Love of Lavender

I know.  I have taken a time out from blogging.  My friend is here visiting from Phoenix, Arizona and we are busy, busy, busy.  We are either hoarse from talking or tired from walking, or I must admit, somewhat dizzy from playing tourist and visiting unusual places in the Virginia Commonwealth.

So here it is – a blog post I was going to save for later, bit couldn’t resist posting while Janet is still sleeping.

Have you ever been to a lavender farm?

This was a first for me, and although it was only a quick stop en route to other exciting venues, the White Oak Lavender Farm in Harrisonburg, Virginia, was a must-stop along the way.

The scent will lure you in and the color, even on an overcast day, is mesmerizing.  I wondered why people were staring into space from the wooden porch of the sweet little gift shop.

And if you love lavender, a lavender farm is a place to linger.

From Wikipedia:

 “Lavender Blue,” also called “Lavender’s Blue,” is an English folk song and nursery rhyme dating to the seventeenth century, which has been recorded in various forms since the twentieth century

Although there are as many as thirty verses to the song, and many variations of each verse, most modern versions take this form

Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly, lavender’s green,

When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen.

Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?

‘Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so.

Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work

Some to the plow, dilly, dilly, some to the fork,

Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to cut corn,

While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm.

Lavender’s green, dilly, dilly, Lavender’s blue,

If you love me, dilly, dilly, I will love you.

Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly, And the lambs play;

We shall be safe, dilly, dilly, out of harm’s way.

I love to dance, dilly, dilly, I love to sing;

When I am queen, dilly, dilly, You’ll be my king.

Who told me so, dilly, dilly, Who told me so?

I told myself, dilly, dilly, I told me so.

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