My childhood was spent in the Southwest where triple-digit temperatures were standard summer fare. We lived miles away from the nearest public pool and nowhere near a wading stream. So I kept cool by running through the lawn sprinklers.
Sometime after the Fourth of July, herb gardeners are occasionally overcome with strange needs. We scout for flat surfaces around the house. Spare tables, the top of the clothes dryer, nothing is safe.
I love the holidays but what I DON’T love is to spend lots of time putting up decorations that will not be there more than a month. That’s why I try to keep my decorating to a minimum. As far as I’m concerned, an hour or two is all it should take. More than that and I will become impatient.
When I first learned about herbs, it opened new dimensions in gardening and cooking. Old friends like sage and rosemary showed me surprising uses and interesting histories. I also uncovered new delightful herbs. One of my favorite early discoveries was luscious lemon balm.
Last May when I was out watering my front garden, I noticed some big changes to my cilantro. What was a green luscious plant barely a foot tall six weeks before was now reaching two feet tall and sporting delicate clusters of white flowers. It was healthy and pretty and going to seed. But it was also no longer producing more flavorful leaves that I could use in my Tex-Mex tacos. So what did I do?
About Ann McCormick
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