Yesterday, I had some cucumbers that I cut up to soak in cold salt water. (Today, I will make pickles.) Then I made a fruit cobbler with some of the apples Jim had picked from our tree. Also, I had a few peaches I put in, too. The cobbler was delicious. I knew I was having Baby in the afternoon, so I had to hurry and fix supper early before she got here. I made baked chicken and then put potatoes and carrots in the pan and baked it all in the oven.
It's been pretty cool around here lately compared to the Iowa summers we are used to. Anyway, I had to pull out a lot of my herbs, just for the summer, as they were getting scraggly. And then I just put fresh dirt down where the mints were, and I plant zinniahs and marigolds for a Fall garden. The mints will get to dryin' up and go to seed. So I just tear them out and it all returns the next spring. My basils are just in their glory right now. I plant basil each year ... it doesn't come back each year. (It doesn't for me anyway, as our Iowa winters are too cold for some plants.) I have lemon basil and some other kinds, too. But they are so fragrant right now.
Our tomatoes are green yet but will turn soon. I wil make some wonderful herb salads. I just take a jar and fill it with cut up onions, peppers and mostly tomatoes. Then I put in about a fourth cup of vinegar and the same of sugar. I put in some salt and black pepper and plenty of leafy basil. I have garlic chives I could put in, too. But the star of this show is the basil and tomatoes. The more this salad sets, the better it is. Also, when I slice tomatoes for the table I always decorate the plate with basil.
I have to have plenty of basil in the summer, as it is my favorite. Sometimes I will set a bouquet of basil on the table, mixed with lemon balm and some wild flowers.
The tall zinniahs and marigolds are my favorite fall flowers. They will last for the rest of the summer here, and well into the fall. They look pretty in a fall display, dried and propped around the fall pumpkins and mulitcolored gourds and squashes. A light frost will kill a lot of flowers but it brings out the vibrant orange of the marigolds.
