Mukilteo Musings

Rosemary

On Friday it was nearly 80 degrees. The warmth lasted only one day but I was determined to stay outside a good share of the day which I did. After we put in our fountain last summer, we rearranged some of our bushes and added some plantings. But after all of the rain and some sun, the weeds were taking over. All by myself, I managed to load up two wheel barrows full of left over bark piled in a cramped spot on the side of our house and hauled it around to the back. I pulled out the weeds and shoveled bark until it got too hot---I did finish, though. In the process, I discovered yet another rosemary bush I didn't know we had.



Oh, being warm is wonderful. I am still freezing after Easter Sunday. My job was to be a greeter at the door of our church and hand out bulletins. I really enjoy doing this but it is especially fun on Easter because we have a few new and different faces. I got to wish everyone a Happy Easter and welcome them to our service. One couple asked me if they would be allowed to take Communion even though they were not members. "Yes! Absolutely! We welcome everyone to our altar rail. Please do not hesitate to go up--just follow everybody else." Sweet! Anyway, we opened our doors as we greeted and it was quite chilly. Seriously, I refused to wear a winter coat and I think I suffered a little hypothermia.

What does all of this have to do with rosemary? Dave and I were alone for our Easter dinner. Our daughter cooked a gourmet Easter meal for 11 of her friends at college. Her boyfriend (yes, a new thing) took her shopping and helped set her up in the kitchen of their dorm. Our son and his girlfriend went to Helena where all of my family including my brother and his wife, my nephews and their wives and children ate at my Mom's house. I was feeling a little sorry for myself so Dave cooked one of his signature dishes---rack of lamb. His recipe requires a ton of rosemary.

Dave has been obsessed with rosemary ever since we lived in Lyon, France in 1995. The house where we stayed had a giant rosemary bush right next to the kitchen door. He would use some of the dry branches on the little charcoal grill we had and of course, we picked it and used it as an herb in all sorts of things. Oh, these are such lovely memories. He has always wanted a rosemary bush like that one. At our house up the hill, he tried and tried and we could never grow one over six inches tall. Simply, our yard did not have enough sun and it was too soggy. Once we moved to this house, Dave started planting rosemary bushes in all parts of the yard to see if any of them would take and grow. I think he can stop now.

We have five rosemary bushes growing like crazy including the one Apolo pees on. (We just don't use that one to cook with!) They are all a little different so we have a variety of tastes and aromas. At the moment, one of them is covered with blue blossoms and it is gorgeous. Not only do we use it for lamb, but I pick it for soups, stews, beef roasts and kabobs, chicken, turkey and pork. We don't use it much on fish.


Back yard rosemary.


Front yard rosemary.

Apolo did not like having his picture taken today. He was not cooperating and you can tell by the look on his face. "Mom, this is so stupid--taking pictures of bushes! I don't care about your bribery morsel in your hand this time. You are just using me for size perspective and not because you think I am cute."