Garden

All is Well-ing

Garden, Health, Theatre

To start, I’m fine. I believe I mentioned earlier that I had an infection at a surgical site which went away and then immediately came back worse. Very bad. Approaching sepsis. (During this, the bathroom renovation went belly up and two vacations were canceled.) However, it is gone now, I’m getting my strength back, and I feel better than I have in a very long time. I mowed our postage stamp size front yard yesterday. =)

I think I might’ve mentioned I was working on an adaptation of 1728’s The Beggar’s Opera. Didn’t work out. I was enjoying the work, but the details, places, people, customs and occupations of 1728 London are all things that would have to be very clearly explained to a modern audience. That would result in a well-over-two-hour musical, it could possibly prove tedious, and that’s not what I’m after. I’m after small, meaningful, and fun.

So I’ve started something else. At this point, I’ll say that it is a two person musical (plus the non-speaking pianist character) based on the local stay of a very famous, very fun, very complicated person from the 1920s/1930s. The first 15 minutes is currently being read by a few people. Interestingly, it’s revealed itself to me as about 75% sung and 25% spoken. I’m having a good time.

The garden is at peak!

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And of course, I’ve already got a good amount of herbs in hanging and drying. A few stalks of sage, basil, oregano, and thyme so far.

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Today is a rest day! You have a great day too!

The Tortoise and the Hare

Garden, Goals, Health, Mobility, Musician, Personal, Psychology, Shopping

It’s the old story I suppose — feeling a little better but acting like you feel a lot better.

I noticed today that pretty much every time I was home this week, I was sleeping. Like, all the time. So I reviewed my week.

Sunday is a five hour day, and much of that is playing the organ, hyper-focusing, teaching some parts, handling social anxiety when in a group. Blah blah.

Monday, I didn’t have anything going on officially, but I had errands to run and a bunch of music stuff to do at home. I wrote an arrangement for one tune and started on another.

Tuesday was a palliative care doc appointment and a run to the store on one side of town, and then a run to a store way on the other side of town. Then, 90 minutes of teaching and some house cleanup stuff.

Wednesday was a nutritionist appointment, and a bit of teaching. In between, I did some leaf blowing and dug up and replanted the three plants in the front yard. (Unknowingly, I originally planted them in a very buggy spot. The bugs were eating them.)

Today is Thursday, and of course, I woke up exhausted. I had a prescription to pick up, and a few things to grab at the store, so I forced myself out and did all that so I’d have the rest of the day with no commitments. Ugh. I was getting to the point where I was unknowingly dragging my feet and tripping every once in a while.

Real Life of course, does not go away. Adding to the usual tasks, there’s medical stuff that has to go on in between times, my food to be monitored and cooked, and pills to remember to take on a schedule. Not a huge deal, but another set of things to think about that all take time. Never mind liaising with Jonathan and getting basic household stuff taken care of. At least I moved the plants. 🪴

Yep. It takes a bit of time and effort to keep me standing, alive, friendly, and looking like I can accomplish something. And now, of course, as I’m reading this weekly roundup, I’m thinking, “What’s wrong with you?!” Simmer down!”

I had to pick up a prescription (it’s nearly my hobby at this point), so I grabbed a cup of my favorite coffee and grabbed some ice cream for a sequestering treat . (Recommendation – Oreo brand Cookies & Cream.)

I can’t believe it’s 2 o’clock already, however, now we rest for two days! If an asteroid hits the planet or the Hudson River breaks its banks, Tell Jonathan. He’ll wake me up. 😴

Herbs de Provence

Cooking & Baking, Garden

Irritating Gatekeeping Mention — Due to the number of “marketers” liking posts (thereby connecting and leaving their site address), I’ve turned off post “likes.” Comments are still open.

The leaves begin to tumble, the moon rises in the very early evening, and a chill wind blows past creaking wooden shutters and underneath ill-fitting doors.

It’s time to put up the herbs.

Nothing terribly surprising — just basil, thyme, oregano, and sage — but I have a nifty way of saving fresh herbs for the entire year. (At least I think I do. For all I know, everyone else is doing exactly the same thing.)

Sage & Basil ready for their bath

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I set the herbs in piles and pick through everything. (I have indeed taken caterpillars out.) I drop the stems and rejects in a pile on the counter, and I drop the good stuff into a colander in the sink.

After everything is rinsed, it’s food processor time — the basil, thyme, and oregano are wozzed up together nice and small as an herbs de Provence mix.

I tuck the washed-chopped herbs into ice cube trays, cover with water, and freeze. After they’re frozen, I plop ’em in a labeled Ziploc bag and I have ready-to-go chopped fresh herbs all year long — just drop an herb cube into whatever I’m cooking. =)

The scraps and stems can be put into a bottle with warmed olive oil and placed in the sun. Strain the herbs out after a week or two, and you’ll have herb-infused olive oil.

The sage is frozen separately (not chopped) in Ziploc bags by the bunch — filled with water and frozen to wait for Thanksgiving.

Happy Autumn!