ODDS AND BODS

Thank you so much for the very nice welcome back yesterday.  It is great to be reading your lovely comments. I will be over as soon as I can. I have truly missed visiting.

We planted these red lilies last year. I was very happy to see them blooming again (June 4th). I love their deep red shade, one of my favorite colors.

I was trying to get a little artsy with a sprig of fresh herbs. We were making a Thai-themed dish and needed Thai Basil.  We found it in our local Asian supermarket.  The other supermarkets don’t seem to sell it.

Thai Basil has a more licorice taste and is much stronger than the Italian Basil that we use in spaghetti sauces. (I am not a fan of actual licorice but when put into our dishes, these are not overpowering and add a wonderful flavor. I also like to eat a leaf or two when preparing the meal. I find it a great palate cleanser but maybe that is just me. I will never be a fan of actual licorice.) I forgot to take photos of our meal, but it was a throw-together stir-fry using a mixture of ingredients we had available. 

The leaves were fresh and green.  I had just rinsed them and out came the phone. Definitely an odds and bods day.

There was a fox on the deck yesterday morning (7.30-ish - June 25th).  Gregg discouraged him by tapping on the window. We were expecting a repairman at 8 to replace our air conditioning unit. It stopped working a few days ago. He said the fox was very healthy looking, had a lovely coat and a nice bushy tail.  We have stopped putting birdseed out as used the last of it the other day.  Plenty of food out in nature now. Don’t want to be surprised by Mr. Bear looking around, or the raccoons and foxes, bless all their cotton socks but am worrying about neighborhood pet confrontations, and the obvious, our human population, especially the kiddos.  I do make sure the bird baths are full of water, and will replenish when needed. And as I started my paragraph talking about canines, an important message.

The following are all from Pinterest.

A little humor but I bet the kids would enjoy it.

So true! 

One last photo.  Absolutely loved this!  

Thanks for stopping by and may your day be filled with sunshine  

GREEN SPRING GARDENS, LAST OF THE PHOTOS FROM THIS TRIP - 6-3-23

 From the children's garden it is a very short walk to the area where produce is grown.

There is a thriving herb garden our side of the fence.  At this link I found a few interesting facts.   Growing pots of basil not only smells good but it deters flies and mosquitoes who are repelled by its scent. Mint leaves or oil also deters ants and so a few scattered leaves in your cupboards can prove a useful, natural solution if you are having a problem with these pesky critters.

The Romans believed that the consumption of mint would increase their intelligence and the smell of mint in their houses was also a symbol of hospitality.   Parsley is a natural breath freshener, particularly in combating the potency of garlic

Herbal seeds have been found in pre-historic cave dwellings dating back as far as 500,000 years ago. Our ancestors have always used herbs in cooking and health remedies.  The Egyptians studied herbs and used them in medicinal and religious functions as far back as 3500 B.C. Ancient records reveal recipes for herb infused oils and creams in the tombs of legendary beauties such as Cleopatra.  The Chinese began the organized study of herbs in 2500 B.C. Written records in China have survived, detailing the uses of herbs that date back from 100 BC.  I found lots more information at this link.   

We also saw signs saying that all produce grown is donated to local food banks.  The garden near us does the same.

I applaud them wholeheartedly for doing this...   

and I can't leave without adding a quote, this time about herbs.

We were slowly meandering our way to the car and came across a second family whose daughter was celebrating her Quinceanera.  I wrote about the first at this post. Not wanting to intrude, I was only able to take one photo from a distance using the camera with the zoom, a sweet moment between the young lady and her sister.  Very heartwarming! 

I couldn't quite make out what her gown looked like this time, but from a distance I could see it was a pretty pink.  I bet it was beautiful!

And this last photo of the Spiraea is the end of today's post.  We will be going back relatively soon, maybe in a week or two.