our new pet!

This is our new bird! We had to let the chickens go after several months of no eggs. They're living happily with our friends just down the road. Our new little frizzle headed rooster is so nice to watch. He just moseys around the yard(he doesn't crow) and lays on the porch in the sun like a sleepy cat. I love him. He has yet to be named. We're leaving that up to Alchemy.

I met my match

This world is great and mysterious. I firmly believe that if you can imagine something you can make it happen. Putting your thoughts out into the universe and allowing yourself to receive the answers does work. I recently worked up the courage to approach a woman whose land I'd admired since the day I read about her in my southern herb growers book. The book which I  had purchased in Houston at a garage sale when I was 15 years old. This book really got me interested in herbs. After moving to my dream house I realized that I was living just a few blocks from the garden in my book. For many years I wondered about the woman who tended this garden here. I failed to connect with people who shared my interests for the first few years I lived here. I wondered if this person would be someone I could talk to. Years passed, I lost my father and welcomed a new member to our family. A lot had changed quickly in my life and I began to feel misguided. One day while walking to the library with my baby  , I passed the garden that inspired me for years. At that same moment someone that was walking along the road addressed me.  "Hey ! You know the lady who lives here?"  I was a little taken by the question but quickly replied. " No, but I've always wanted to meet her."  The man went on to describe a situation he'd experienced with her many years back. He had run out of gas in front of her house..she came out and gave him gasoline for his vehicle and in return he agreed to help weed the garden. "The SOIL, she would say , never dirt. A strong woman with a great heart, and Scoop, he balanced her out. The two of them made a whole." This was her husband who recently passed away. In fact he had just left that week. Tears burned in my eyes as he began to speak of the now broken pair who had loved each other for a lifetime.  It was then that I felt I must reach out and meet this person. Later that evening I brought a bouquet of flowers and a pint of fig preserve I'd just made up to her door. There was no answer. I left the flowers, not the preserves, as it was still the heat of the summer. Months passed and I thought of her often . I wanted to go back. I wanted to talk to her. I felt a pull in my mind and heart. It wasn't until about a month ago now, my partner said to me to go to her. "Take Ancel and go meet that woman, if there was an older man living close that I felt I could learn something from, I'd be trying to get to know him! You need to go to her."

 So I did. I gathered the most beautiful flowers and basil I could put my hands on and placed them in the tin I wrapped , cooked a bowl of butternut soup , and took Ancel on the stroll to her beautiful place.  She was happy to receive our gift,  but she was busy writing the moment we arrived. She took my card with my email and exchanged it with her own.  We turned and left. Later I received an email that exclaimed how lovely she thought my  gift was. She went in to some of her history , how she came to be here in Bastrop and what the world of herbs had done for her. Here I was connecting with a radical and literary genius who  was now in her 80's . Our conversations have led me to believe that our meeting was not incidental but cosmically intentional for my growth as a person. I was looking for her...and quite possibly , she for me. I want to support her and absorb all of the knowledge that she graciously bestows upon us.  She seems to me to be unstoppable . She is extremely admirable. She's the one I was searching for.

Brats and Beer at Loblolly

This weekend is Brats and Beer at Loblolly General goods! Come by and check out Marc's incredible pulley lights,  some great local art and beautiful imports . I'll be set up with seeds and plants and possibly some herbal stuff. I will also have a loaf of my herb swirled bread if you're a veggie and can't eat Brats! Starts at 10 am on Saturday , october 10! 

Get out there and plant! Annual Herbs!

Plant all the herb seeds you can get your hands on along with flowers,  veggies and trees! The fall in central texas is the best time to plant EVERYTHING! Contact me for southern climate adapted seeds of chervil, cilantro, fennel and salad burnet.

Some great herbs to plant now:

CHERVIL- a beautiful french herb that deserves more recognition in texas herb gardens. It grows in nice round clumps and lends a sweet flavor to dressings, fish, eggs, poultry, breads, and desserts! (pictured at bottom)

CILANTRO- a wonderful self-seeding and delicious herb that can go on just about everything. Plant one and you'll have a carpet of it next fall in the area around it's last life! Cilantro has become like a groundcover in my backyard. When you step or mow over it, the smell is incredible. Definately let it go to seed and turn brown. Collect the coriander seeds and make delicious curries, chutneys, soups, and marinades with the fresh ground seed. Don't forget tacos, enchiladas verdes, guacamole, pico de gallo...all mexican food is oh so good with fresh cilantro. Always eat cilantro with fish that come from the sea..the constituents in cilantro aid the removal of heavy metals from the body. Ocean fish tend to have high levels of mercury. (pictured with seeds)

DILL- This herb is so pretty growing amongst its lettuce partners in the garden.Plant LOTS , so that you and the swallowtail caterpillars have plenty to nibble. Dill pairs well with fish , my favorite being salmon. But it also makes a great addition to salads, marinades , dressings, and biscuits! Yes, biscuits ! With a little dill and capers mixed in the dough, it turns out so yummy! (pictured at top)

PARSLEY- I like to plant the italian kind because it's taste is more subdued than curly. Curley makes a pretty garnish to your dish, though.  Parsley is another herb I like to include in breads, dressings, eggs, pesto, pasta, soups, parslied potatoes! fish and poultry. Parsley is a good companion to winter veggies . This year I planted it in all my beds..brassicas are their most beloved companions. ( pictured with carterpillars)

SALAD BURNET: Another forgotten herb. This herb has a flavor similar to cucumber and goes very nicely with cucumber / tomato salads along with fresh fruit salads. I planted salad burnet around my collard greens this year, as they are good companions. ( pictured with round pinkish flowers)

FENNEL: I planted bronze and the giant bulb fennel. Bronze is a small variety with "bronze fern-like foliage." Use the foliage in salads and for garnishing soups and other dishes.  The giant bulb fennel makes a delicious meal when roasted in the  oven with winter root veggies , onions and topped with parmesean cheese. It also adds a great taste to southern potato salad. Plant a lot for caterpillars that turn into beautiful butterflies. (" bronze" pictured below dill)

seeds

Today I packed up the standing cypress, plains coreopsis and will begin the mullein in a few hours. Here are some pictures of these beautiful plants at maturity. These are all great for central texas xeric landscapes!

it's been raining

Everything has sprung back to life. The drought was killing everything. Like magic the rain has changed it all. We lost our newly planted apple tree...the one I planted a few years ago is now thriving! It's time to plant the chives around the base of it.

Everyday I plant more seeds..the fall in texas is my favorite! Today I planted more carrots, borage, and standing cypress. I have lots of standing cypress seeds that will be packed for sale in the coming days. This is the best time to divide and transplant perennials. I love taking cuttings from various salvias and root them in water . Next spring they'll be huge and full of blooms. Indigo spires is a favorite of mine.