the friday feed: green basil

A couple Fridays ago was purple basil day and last Friday was green basil day. That was the morning the rains from Hurricane Helene made their way to Ohio. Before the upcoming deluge got too heavy, I ran out to what was left of my herb garden and pulled the two green basil plants from the ground.

At first pesto was on the radar to utilize the basil but then basil garlic butter became the plan. I already had the three needed ingredients: fresh garlic and Amish butter from the farmers market and my basil sitting in the kitchen sink. The basil got an ugly haircut and then one-by-one I picked off the good leaves, threw away a lot that had dried out, and enjoyed one last burst of summer - that scent of freshly picked basil - while the rain splatted against the windows and the winds howled.

Basil jungle in the kitchen sink!

Oh, hey, little buddy...I took him outside and put him under a bush.

A sink full of basil minimized to one strainer.

Wish I had some of those cute little glass Weck storage jars but for now the blue lid plastic Ziplock containers will have to do.

everything in between

 

Your destination will always be an accomplishment, but your journey is where everything takes place. Go and do, enjoy, and be kind along the way. 

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

For four consecutive Wednesdays, I drove to a charming store in Dayton's Historic Inner East neighborhood to pick up a CSA bouquet of flowers. Last Wednesday was the final pick up and I'm going to miss this weekly routine. Kathleen, the owner of Pink Moon Goods, was such a delight to talk to. She's an inspiring entrepreneur and has high hopes for the neighborhood's progress.

Thursday had an early start to the day. Street grinders and dump trucks lined the street at 6:45 and the grinding and filling trucks promptly began at 7:00.  Todd took off to the Cincinnati Airport for a football and fun-filled weekend in Las Vegas - the Cleveland Browns played the Las Vegas Raiders. The Adventures of Travel Penguin was in town and we met for a tasty breakfast...what fun!

Thursday afternoon was a workday at the farm. Thursdays are fun because we are loaded with brand new, fresh produce and the half-off produce section is filled with last week's veggies. People flock to "The Treasure Corner." A couple items that grace the checkout stand are these painted pumpkins. White pumpkins serve as a canvas for these works of art. The detail is outstanding. This certainly was and is a labor of love for this artist. I bought some produce, too. A fresh head of broccoli said, "Take me home!", the watermelon radishes...had to try them, and the red peppers came from "The Treasure Corner." Going to make a roasted red pepper feta dip with those. I love my market basket. It's an Indian basket from the Southwest. My mom never used it. After she died, I thought, "This needs to be used," and I hope she looks down with a smile when she sees it filled with food that will be prepared with love.

Facebook informed me that National Daughters Day was September 25 and then National Sons Day was September 28. My "Gang of Four" has grown to seven strong and just a little secret, soon to be eight in the coming year.

Just have to show you the inside of the watermelon radishes I purchased. They're beautiful and so delicious! Hurricane Helene's remnants blew through Dayton and caused a 30-hour power outage (some are still without power as this is written). My favorite way to eat them is raw with a sprinkle of salt. Ohmygosh...a little bit of color and comfort to bring some joy to the mayhem.

And last, one more Hurricane Helene story...After the power returned, I was so grateful to fix a cup of coffee to start the day. There really is something about that first sip of the morning. I like milk in my coffee, the milk had spoiled, time for resourcefulness. The can of whipped topping was there for a reason and it made a frothy, celebrate-the-power-coming-back-on cuppa. Life was (and is) good.

october 1

Hello October! The month of pumpkins, Halloween, and cozy sweaters. This is the time of year when the leaves start to change color and the air gets a little bit cooler. It’s a time for cozy fires, hot chocolate, and walks in the woods. A time to reflect on the year so far and set intentions for the coming months. There’s an unspoken message in the air - a reminder of the beauty of change.

I took this photo out at the farm on the first day of autumn. The new sunflower field was starting to bloom and if you look closely in the sky toward the upper left, there's a white dot - the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon relates to the timing of the autumnal equinox, with the full moon that occurs nearest to the equinox being the one to take on the name “Harvest Moon.”

October

~ Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow.

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away.

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,

Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—

For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

Robert Frost's poem "October" reflects on the fleeting nature of time and the beauty of autumn. It captures a sense of urgency to appreciate the present moment before it passes, using vivid imagery of the season's changes. Frost's tone is contemplative, urging readers to savor the ephemeral beauty of life and nature.