everyday bounty

It is amazing how nature creates, transforms and sustains itself. And we are lucky to be witnesses to the abundance and wealth that our good earth offers to those who are willing to cultivate it. The earthy smell of the soil being dug, the miracle of the seed transforming to a living plant, the crisp of leaves fresh from the picking. This is bounty that we are blessed to experience every waking day.

Our garden is our inspiration. We look out to it the moment we wake up. Our first greeting is to our beloved children, then to our beloved bushes right outside our porch. We take a closer peek at insects and pests that may be on the attack. A quick check on the soil especially if it did not rain the day before. This is our morning habit, which sometimes extends until noontime, or even until the late afternoon.

My husband is an agriculturist by profession. I used to like to think that I was lucky to have been married to a man who will tend my garden for me. Although recently, I gathered enough courage to try to do these gardening tasks on my own. Believe me, but gardening was not as hard as I thought it was.

I was officially bestowed the title, “herb lady.” I am now in charge of caring for our lovely and ever helpful herbs, of propagating them, and making sure they were healthy and pest-free. I have recently learned the skill of crushing caterpillars and grasshoppers with my bare fingers. And I will probably never get another manicure because soil will always be stuck under my fingernails. Pruning shears, rubber boots and a mini-trowel are my new buddies.

Gardening is my newfound love. I am now saving up for solar-powered garden lamps and concrete pots. I have hoarded Turo’s gardening books in search of growing tips and plant traits. And it is eating up a lot of my time, we almost always end up eating lunch late and having repeat food for dinner. Anyhow I enjoy it as much as I enjoy cooking and doing the laundry.

Below are some photos of my lovely herbs. Do be green with envy looking at them.

italian oregano spicin' up my arrabiata

sweet basil for my precious pesto

sage for my pumpkin dip

creeping thyme

planning to make lemon balm cookies using these

mint for my tea

ashitaba a.k.a. tomorrow leaf

mayana is for stomach problems, i think, but i like them better for their colour

I hope you like them as much as I do. Will post updates of my other garden projects soon. Evergreen days to y’all!