Tuesday, June 17, 2008

If I Promised

If I said I was going to deliver anything cool this time, I apologize in advance. I did slap something fun at the end of the post, though. Not much is happening that I can write about, really. I sit, I think, I write, I think, I sit, I write. I knit. I get up, get coffee, check the mail, then sit and write and think and write and sit. And knit. Then I get up, check the chickens, do chores, weed, gather whatever is ripe outside, come back in and sit and write and think and sit some more. And knit. This will be the sum total of my life for a while, at least two days a week. The remainder of my time will be divided into teaching classes, cleaning the house (I don't plan on putting much into this one. I am hopeful that Mr. W. and Girl will just naturally take over. hey. It could happen.) and running errands and such.
So today we'll go with picture heavy, content light.
Comfort Food - South African Curry and Rice made with tofu instead of animal. I love this. I put it over brown rice, and will eat it all week long. No one else touches it. This is good. My favorite comfort food is actually Noodles Ala Cre (this dish is occasionally and incorrectly called 'tuna noodle casserole'). I can't have it any more because there is gluten in the soup and the noodles. Curry works!

Herbs, fresh, for drying and later use. I love having my own again. It's been a long long time. Sage, rosemary, mint, thyme, oregano, parsley...they are drying now.
Mountain Laurel. This is real honest laurel, not hybrid. It grows wild all over the place.
Raspberries in training. I cannot wait.
Blackberries in training, but you can't check your email on these, or call home. They're great with cream and sugar though, or in jam.
Baby Peachlet. There's maybe 15 on the tree. If I can keep the deer away, I may get actual fruit this year. The tree is still young, only 5 or 6 years old.

Bunny Bath. This came with the house and I love it. It's very charming and sweet and sees a lot of use.
Gooseberries and Currents. I am also trying to make sure I get these before someone else does. Last year we lost them all.

Motherhood, Eleanor's style. She is in the same position, I think, as last time. I know she's getting off the nest because the food and water levels change. She's very entranced. I love this part. I think she does, too.
SUMMER SQUASH!! This IS summer for me. I will eat it every day for days on end and drive the family crazy with it.
Future tomatoes. Things are looking up. This is our first real garden in four years. We've got our own kale and spinach and lettuce on the table almost daily, squash and tomatoes coming. Can't get much more local than this.
Strawberry, the one remaining. They don't last long around here. They come inside just slightly before being fully red, or the birds get them.
Almost last but not least - - - - KNITTING! This is Kraemer Sterling, hand-dyed by Gail Callahan, the Kangaroo Dyer. I am swatching. When I am not writing.

OK, now for the fun part. Guess the plant and win a prize! The first correct guess will win a skein of hand-dyed sock yarn. Be warned - it's not as easy as it looks. Hints: It is an annual here, although not elsewhere. It is very uncommon in New England. In the event that no one guesses correctly, I'll draw a random winner in a week's time. Good Luck.

31 comments:

Tracitalynne said...

I LOOOOOOVE summer squash. I drive people crazy with it, too.

I also had some Melissa relish this weekend- making any more of that? Delish!

ccr in MA said...

Garden pictures: the definition of promise! Mmmm.

Anonymous said...

Berries, Berries, Berries! - last year was a bust for us with the berrieds but they are everywhere this year!!
Curry - yum. seriously, yum

and, ah - some kind of coleus (sp?)

Unknown said...

I vote...strawberries for the plant at the bottom.

I would have never thought of making my own dried herbs.

Yarnhog said...

Hibiscus.

If I win, can I have some of that curry?

Anonymous said...

what the heck IS that?

knittingdragonflies said...

Excellent, I have blueberries in my yard. Whatever postion that is that she is in looks good!
I'd like to stay like that for a week.
Vicki

ikkinlala said...

That looks like basil to me.

Anonymous said...

well, it looks like basil, but that's an annual everywhere I think... so, I'll guess mint.

Elaine said...

It looks like Lemon Balm to me, which is Melissa officinalis - I'm not kidding. Do a google on Lemon Balm.

dianne said...

It looks like Bee Balm to me.

Consy said...

Maybe... new zealand spinach?
If so, you're very lucky! They're plants full of vitamins, more than real spinach ;-)

Jean said...

Hmmm, I give up...some kind of melon, like watermelon? That's rare in New England...

Anonymous said...

My vote is for Coriander -- also know asa cilantro.

I didn't know taht gooseberries grow in New England, I'll have to see about getting some. Yum Yum

Lapdog Creations said...

Could that be a mustard plant?

Anonymous said...

You really know how to peek my interest...free sock yarn and guessing a plant with nothing but leaves. Well here's my impressions:
First I thought it was Lemon Balm, it has opposing leaves, indicative of something belonging to the mint family. However the leaves are different than the common mints, my lemon balm looks very similar. My other thoughts were, Anemone, it's only found in MA in the US, according to one source, but not native in the USA. The leaves are very similar to your photo. My other educated guesses are Lantana. Lantana has been naturalized in FL and grows as a perennial there and in tropical zones, however in MA it would be treated like an annual. I have Lantana in my garden and it's possible that you have a slightly different variety, since the leaves kind of look like the photo. The only other plant that might have been possible was Ageratum, also know as the Floss Flower, Mexican Ageratum, which come from the Family of Asteraceae or Aster family. Other plants I considered were the Hollyhock, which are both listed as an Perennial and an Annual in Michigan, the Bellflower or Campanula, but I think your leaves aren't pointy enough. The Mexican Sunflower, Monkey flower and Wishbone were all on my list to research. I hope I win, I need some new sock yarn....I'm a member of SKA, Sock Knitter's Anonymous on Ravelry. I've yet to cast on for my own design this month, using your yarn would be a fabulous way to celebrate this months KAL!

Amy Jackson said...

My guess is Spearmint :D

Anonymous said...

my guess is good old mint.

Unknown said...

Because mint is taken, how about oregano? Hmmmmm?

Anonymous said...

so, melissa, i am guessing a strawbewrry-ish variety or a short bee balm or a mint. i have 2 out of three here and the leaves look similar. who am i to run from potential yarn?? little april is so cute!!

Anonymous said...

I'm going with Begonia

Unknown said...

My guess on the mystery plant is Ajuga (also known as Bugleweed).

Bec said...

Looks like the mint I have in my planter outside! That reminds me...better go water my herbs!

Shilly Sit Knitter said...

I wanna say watermelon seedling (I have some started) but I'm sure that's not right. LOL

Shilly Sit Knitter said...

I will guess watermelon seedling. I'm sure that's not right but what the heck, free yarn is at stake!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'ld guess it's a "basilikum", in engl:"balm?".
Delicious with strawberries in a salat,hmmm (o;

Lot of summer greetings from Berlin,Germany,

Winni

Unknown said...

I'm not really sure what the plant is, but in my search, I came across a place I'd love to visit!
The Village Green Greenhouse and Ice Cream in Haydenville MA. It's a nursery and it serves ice-cream. Life doesn't get much better than that.

MelissaKnits said...

Voting is closed. Winners will be announced tomorrow, along with the identity of the Mystery Plant!

Anonymous said...

DARN!!!! Well, for a funny guess, mine was going to be...Vidalia Onions......not normally grown in New England, but if anyone could find a way to grow one there, it would be Melissa (does is show how little I know about plants?) :)

Anonymous said...

I am not at all sure of how to do this. I emailed my guess and then I found this...

I am not guessing. I am making an educated formulation....BASIL

Nancy said...

It does look like Basil to me,, as my mouth is starting to water,, wanting some good home-made pesto, right about now!

Hmmm I've got some nice green yarn,,, sock weight,, I should make pesto socks out of them!