What's Growing?

We had a very unusual cold snap in April that stymied the growing season here and got us off to a slow start, but started we finally have here in southern Mississippi!

 

The squash are stretching their legs.

 

 The zinnias are reaching for the sky.

The wild petunia I transplanted from Georgia is showing it's pretty face.

And the tomatoes are basking in the sun.


Are you growing anything in your spring garden?


 
 

Dare We?

Dare we say spring is near?

 

 

 

 

My yard gives me permission. 

 

 

 

 

As does Rush,  who, like the daylight, has been lingering about a little longer as of late.



 

 

 

I think it's safe to come out!

Heirloom Vine

Britt's late grandmother loved to garden, and she propagated many of this particular variety of vine, one of which made it from Georgia here with us to Mississippi. 

 

 

 

 

Like many vines, it grows incredibly quickly and comes back year after year.

It's also incredibly easy to "share"!  As it grows, all along the vine will appear these tiny, spiny pods....

 

 

 

 

...that will grow into very large pods! 

 

 

 

 

After 4-5 months, the vine will be simply filled with them.

 

 

 

These can be stored in a cool, dark, dry place until the spring planting.  The "pods" sprout when halfway submerged in water and placed in a warm sunny location. 

 

Think how many vines I can have in the spring!

Alive

During this, the hottest time of summer, does everything just seem so alive?

Even your dog?  (Ours just had a little surgery, as you can see)

The air is so heavy and hot.

Things just seem to bloom.

This vines creeps and creeps, even when rain is scarce.

And this purple beauty needs little water to survive.



And thrive.

It's July, and all the world seems alive.

Orange and White Zinnias

Summer means

 

Zinnias in orange.

 

 

Zinnias in white.

 

 

Delight.

Just Tomatoes

It seems as though some years, some vegetables do better than others.  Last year, it was squash.

This year, it's tomatoes.

Every day, I'm picking and washing more ripening tomatoes.

 

Roma and Better Boy.  They haven't let me down this hot, hot summer.

 There's something so right about a home-grown tomato.

What backyard vegetable is filling your table this summer?

Petunias, Petunias, Petunias

Need I say more?

Three Ways to Preserve Basil

I just love basil.  It is hands down my favorite herb.  I use it in everything from rices to chicken to sauteed squash to delightful little wheat bread, mozarella, and tomato sandwiches I make myself for lunch.

There are three ways I preserve the basil I grow in my garden.  Regardless of how you want to preserve, you need to harvest the basil with sharp scissors or garden shears.  Be sure not to cut it too low so that it will continue to grow and produce more leaves.

Method 1:  Freezing

Once you've clipped your basil, clip off the individual leaves.  Bring a pot of water to a boil, and dip each basil leaf into the water for 3-5 seconds.  This is called blanching.

Prepare an ice tray of water.  As you blance each leaf (or pieces of leaves if they are too large to fit in each section), place them, completely submerged, in each section).

Freeze them as you would ice cubes and dump them in a freezer bag.  They're then ready to thaw and use in soups and stews.

Method 2: Drying

This is my second-favorite way to preserve basil because it's so quick and easy and allows a lot of hands-free time.

Prepare a cookie or baking sheet with a wire rack.  It's important that the leaves are able to "breathe."  Arrange them on the drying rack as shown below.

Set your oven to its lowest setting and "bake" your basil for five minutes.  Turn your oven off, and allow the basil to continue to bake until it's completely dry.  You can them crumble it into jars.  Repeat....and repeat.

Method 3: Basil Butter

Method 3 is my absolute favorite method for preserving basil.  It's also the one with only one picture (go figure!).  That's ok though, because it's beyond simple. 

Set your butter out a few hours ahead of time to let it soften to room temperature.  It's much easier to work with.  Process it in a food processor, and then add the desired amount of fresh basil leaves.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet, and freeze (or refrigerate) for several hours to firm it up.  Like so...

I then take all my delicious frozen basil dollops, put them in a freezer bag, and use them in everything all winter long.  I throw a few chunks of basil butter in rice, spaghetti, chicken dishes....you name it.  It tastes just as fresh as it did the day I prepared it.  Really!

Now's the time.  Go out and grab your basil!