I drove through my town this evening and smelled the heavenly, heady, dreamy, wintry scent of woodsmoke in the air. My neighbors are firing up their woodstoves in preparation for the first frost, which is visiting tonight — so they can wake in the morning feeling warm, comfortable, and toasty. We have been watching the weather reports closely, looking to spy the first signs of frost. It is now. Many of our garden vegetables cannot survive the icy temperature and need to be harvested before it hits. Lettuce, swiss chard, and kale can be left in the dirt. Kale will in fact grow sweeter with the first frost. Today I harvested herbs — froze some and hung some to dry — picked hot peppers, tomatoes, cukes, french beans, and butternut squash. My Love is making batchloads of pesto with our basil as I type this post — so far 48 meals and counting. The house is filled with the scent of basil — spicy, sharp, mellow, a hint of licorice all at the same time. I am sipping chardonnay and swooning over his passion for preserving what we have grown in our garden, together. Love all around. Each specimen of herb that I harvested and preserved today intrigues and delights me. We use them throughout the winter in soups, breads, teas, over fish and lamb, with breakfast eggs, on pasta, as toppings for homemade pizza, and in stir fries. Shall I present them to you?
I am in love.
Giveaway:
There is a giveaway going on right now on my blog where you can win Alena Hennessy‘s new book Cultivating Your Creative Life or a custom-made flower essence blend made especially by Alena herself. You have until tomorrow night at 9pm EST to enter.