The last month or so I have been working part-time at a local garden center,
Moore and Moore Garden Center (M&M). This is my third spring there and have been loving this spring since it was so mild and everyone is ready to spruce up their gardens and flower beds. The most exciting part about spring other than the great weather is all the growing of herbs and veggies going on. Since TN had such a mild winter a lot of my herbs from last year are still growing and taking over my growing area.
My most prolific grower was the oregano that I got from a M&M co-worker last year and early spring I decided to divide the plant so I can get some room for other herbs this spring and was able to divide the one plant to three good size bunches. The other two went to my neighbor that loves to make her own tomato sauce so I thought that would be a great pairing. The biggest one is my Lemon Balm that I got from M&M last spring.
I was determined to use up this big bush of an herb for something. So onto the internet for several hours on researching what to do with this Lemon Balm (thank goodness for google and youtube). Several stems are hanging upside down in my kitchen drying so I can use it some chicken recipes and future use, then some more leaves ended up in a great cookie,
Lemon Balm Cookies. This is more of a shortbread than a real cookie but it was delicious otherwise. Plus on top of that I added a lemon icing too that just added a bit of sour with sweet to the crumbly cookie. Everyone at M&M loved them and they were a smash or gobbled up (which ever way you want to look at it). I will definitely be making more this summer for everyone at the garden center once my herb grows back! I am making more for one of the manager's open garden tour in early June and can't wait to see her garden.
My garden is going well also. I have several herbs in pots in my back landing that I have easy access to from the kitchen. I am growing the Thai Chili Pepper again since it was so prolific in giving me very hot peppers that I processed in a blender to make a chili sauce for my awesome
Slow Cooker Carnitas.
Then I have expanded my garden to bigger pots with some veggies which is the first for me. Background Info: We live in the woods and there are many creatures that like to stalk my yummy plants and how do I grow veggies for myself and not for the critters? Put in pots and hope for the best!
I have branched out to Edamame (which a ground hog has already taken 4 of the 5 plants),
tomatoes (Mr Stripey and Old German),
and zucchini and squash (for the blossoms to make fried stuffed squash blossoms and for the veggie also).
I hope to get a great variety of veggies this summer if the doggies can keep the critters away!
Since I have been working, there has been less time for knitting. But I will always find a way to get those needles out and I had to for April. At the end of April there was a big baby shower for three women at my church that are all due this summer. It was so much fun to knit such small knits. I will post pictures as soon as the babies are modeling my knitwear. Also I have done other projects and I will post those soon also.
