Fresh herbs…

One of the best things about summer in New England is my herb garden. I began growing herbs long before I knew what to do with them, I wanted to be a person who cooked with herbs. Just to be clear, I also wanted to be a person who sipped herbal tea and loved wine. I am nothing if not a goal setter.
The garden is mostly gone now. I was out there the other day and there are still remnants of the butternut squash that the mice & local rodents enjoyed. The tomato plants still cling to the fence. We ate fresh tomatoes until we just couldn’t eat one more. The beans were amazing, and the vines hang from the lines we put in to support them back in the spring. The October sun is beautiful, but it shines on the remnants of our garden, except the herbs.
Tonight, I sent Keith out to grab handfuls of parsley and rosemary. The sage, thyme, and oregano are still hanging in there. The colder weather hasn’t overtaken these last pieces of summer. So, we gather and chop and use them for soups and stews this time of year. Tomorrow night, there will be sage in the stuffing, roast chicken with herbs and lemon, and herbed potatoes… just because.
Soon, our garden will be covered in a thick layer of ice and snow. I will watch the birds find cover in the ruins of summer abundance. We will leave some vegetation up for winter cover. Later, in the deepest part of the winter, when the days are short and the mercury barely rises, we will dream and plan for our next summer garden. Many of my herbs will winter over, and be ready for us to enjoy in the spring.
But tonight, there is chicken soup with wild rice and herbs fresh from the garden. It doesn’t get much better than a hot bowl of soup and warm bread in front of the fire on a blustery October night.
 I hope you are enjoying this exploration of simple things that make life special. This is part of the Write 31 Days challenge. Click here to follow along.