Rain, Rain and More Rain Here in NY

It's been raining in NY for the past three days and the weather report says three more days to come. We are all feeling rather soggy right about now. The sun seems a distant memory.

To brighten up dreary days we can use fresh herbs in our homes. The lemon balm is already fifteen inches high outside in the garden and makes a delicious bouquet tied up with raffia and placed in a vase in the kitchen. It scents the air reminding me of why I love spring each time I walk by.

The chives and garlic ramen are terrific now is soups... yes, soup is the favorite dinner along with some crusty whole grain bread when it's raining and chilly. We can dig up some chives and garlic ramen, because there's always plenty more from whence they came.

Spring flowers are in full bloom here in NY. The azaleas are stunning along with the rhododendrons and mountain laurel. Our ground cover of periwinkle looks so pretty against the green backdrop of leaves. It's chilly out and the ground is wet, but a walk in the rain rejuvenates the soul. It's quiet. We can hear the birds chirp in the morning air calling to their mates. The steady dripping sounds of the rain mixed with the splashes of children on their way to school. It's certainly a spring morning in NY!!

Spring Is In the Air

Spring is arriving a little more each day. The trees here are covered with bulging buds ready to pop. Magnolias are almost in bloom. Today I spent time in the sun enjoying the work of readying my herb garden for this years growth. I trimmed the oregano and lemon balm -both of which love to spread and take over my garden. I cut back the marjoram - that one seems to try to escape the herb bed by growing over my edging stones. The chives are already over a foot tall and will be ready for my soup this week. Sage and lavender grace the back of the garden making a beautiful wall along the bricks.

The squirrels have graced my garden with flowering bulbs I never planted, and again this year I have purple and blue bells sprouting between the herbs. They are lovely, so I leave them. At the edges of my herb garden I have daffodills blossoming and enjoyed the snow drops last month. The New York weather is too harsh for the rosemary to survive winter so I will replant again this year along with two types of basil for salads.

Since New York is crowded, there are no open areas nearby for me to safely harvest dandelion greens which are delicious now when they are small. I buy them at the local green grocers to add to salads. They are great for cleansing the toxins left from winters gloomy days. Soon I will be able to pick blackberries from the trees nearby along the bay. I look forward to getting a few, usually the birds beat me to most of them. The days are longer now and with daylight savings time in effect it is light out until almost 7:30pm. The neighbors bar-b-ques are going in the evening and the sweet scent of the herbs mixes with the heady odors from the grilles. This is my favorite time of the year. Happy spring everyone!!!