My Herb Garden

I love to cook with herbs.  It probably stems from my weird desire to eat grass when I was a kid, but I actually love that I can pick something from the garden and have it transform dinner in a matter of minutes.

A few years ago Jeff built me a nice little box to contain all my herbs, and it's been very useful.  Except I'm being evicted now, because Jeff is ready to put a playset for Luke where my herb garden has lived so nicely. 

So, this year the herbs went in pots.  And I'm pretty glad because of one particular herb:  MINT.  Have you ever planted mint?  It can get out of control!  The mint plant I planted three or four years ago has worked its way across the whole garden box, out of the box, and even out of the bed containing the box. We have mint in our yard!  And, in my opinion, mint is really only useful for making mojitos (If you have another use--or if you need some mint of your own--let me know!).  If I used all the mint I'd be so drunk!  Haha!



Basically, the mint started life as one very tiny plant in the middle of the box.  Every green bush in the box--and all those outside the box--and outside the bed--should be gone!





My "Pizza" pot.  There's basil, tomato, and peppers, all waiting to grow up big and be part of a yummy pizza or pasta dish.  Caprese salad = yummmmy!  (I actually have two "Pizza" pots, because if there was such a thing as a tomatotarian I'd be one--and I'd eat basil on the tomatoes just because I could!)

  

Mint's new home: a house with impenetrable walls.


 

I am very optimistic about this year's cilantro.  I've never been able to get cilantro to grow, and it's just about my favorite herb (avocado enchiladas, anyone?!?).  I've decided that if I could get this plant to grow to the same size as one of the bunches in the store I'll be happy (Even though I need about 10 bunches to recoup my losses...).



 

And the coolest container of all?!?  The "Scarborough Fair" pot!  Cheesy alert:  From the top, clockwise, actually are parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.  Parsley's a no-brainer for pasta, sage is good for pumpkin sauce, rosemary is amazing on grilled corn, and I have no idea what to do with thyme.  But they are true loves of mine.  (J/K!)

Got any ideas for what I can do/cook with my herbs?  Let me know!



The Easter Bunny

***SPOILER ALERT***   (Not for the very youngest among us!)

Jeff's the treasurer for the family group at his work, and this year he's in charge of the children's Easter party.  It's at the Dallas Zoo this year, which we're really looking forward to.  Well, last night he brought home the Easter bunny costume, and he thought it would be cool to try on and surprise Luke.  So I kept Luke busy while he got ready, and then he called us out into the living room.

I must say, I don't think I've ever had a 6'1" tall bunny walking toward me in my own living room before, and it was just a little creepy.  Don't get me wrong; he was awesome at it.  He was cautious around Luke (whom I was holding very tightly).  He was friendly.  And he was very charming.

Luke's reaction was probably what I expected.  He's very, very curious, but he's also a bit cautious.  When he's in a new situation he normally thinks carefully about it at first, then he generally pulls back before he decides it's okay to get involved.  Of course with a big ol' bunny coming towards him in his own house he was a little more nervous and he was clinging to me a little more desperately.

I also had mixed emotions.  My first concern was Luke's reaction.  I didn't want to scar my kid's visual memory for the rest of his life.  And I didn't want to make it so I have to avoid costumed creatures for the next ten years.  (Because I really want to go to Disney World!)  But I have to admit that when I put myself in the moment and tried to imagine the Easter bunny (It was very easy to do!) actually being in my living room, it was all quite surreal. 

The EB used Luke's room as his staging area, and I was afraid Luke would never go back there ever again.  I was sort of afraid I would never go back in there again!  It reminded me of the time when my cousin Kelly and I were young and playing at the church while our grandmothers quilted with the other ladies; somehow we convinced ourselves there was something scary in the back Sunday School room, and it took us both months to be able to go back in there again. 

All in all, the Easter bunny visit was short-lived.  He retreated back into Luke's room and was gone before we knew it.  Just like magic!

The best thing for me was watching Jeff come back out to greet Luke.  Luke was very excited to see his daddy, and I couldn't help but think it would have been so wonderful if Jeff could have been holding Luke while the EB was in our living room.  Luke does so well in frightening situations with Jeff.  It's so amazing to see Jeff be Luke's daddy and comfort him from all the world's scary stuff. 
Before we went to bed I decided it was probably a good idea to show Luke (and myself...haha!) that the EB was really gone, so we walked from room to room checking each out and calling for the Easter bunny, who never answered us, and never appeared.  Luke looked a little sad, and I think he wished the EB could come back to play.

As we went to sleep I asked Luke if he wanted the EB to come back, and he nodded his head to say yes.  Now I guess we'll see how he does when Easter comes.  As sweet as Jeff was, I'm glad he'll be on this side of the EB costume when we go to the zoo. 

Oh, and in the quick visit I didn't get a picture, but I thought I'd include the picture we took last year at the children's party (Yep--same costume!).  Happy Easter, everyone!