Surprise!

What a surprise the dove had when he/she landed on my balcony railing and came face-to-face with me! I was definitely surprised but recovered more quickly. The dove immediately flew back to its mate in the tree and they both hastily departed. Too bad, I like doves. I’ve heard somewhere that doves mate for life. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology says, “When taking off, their wings make a sharp whistling or whinnying.” http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Dove/id All this time I had wondered if the sound came from the exotic throat of a misplaced tropical bird!

The honeysuckle fragrance surrounded me like a romantic novel as I planted new additions in the garden. The air had a peaceful feel, that is, until it suddenly swarmed with white-winged black insects! They liked my hair, my clothes, everything—except the buckets of plant water. I nearly swatted myself silly but they finally diminished and gave up. The empty pot among the herbs (2nd picture) awaits basil. I wish I had it today for my open-faced avocado sandwich but I do have golden oregano.

Begin Again

My oregano plants used to winter-over outdoors well and sprout new growth from the roots as long as I kept them watered. The last two years have been an exception; this year I found that the roots were as dead as the stems. So if I wanted fresh oregano (I enjoy it on open-faced avocado sandwiches and it’s my husband’s favorite herb for cooking), I’d have to buy a new one.


I enjoyed the yellow-green color of last year’s Golden Oregano so I bought another one this year. I brought it indoors during last week’s cold snap since it was newly planted and the garden center had it in a sheltered space. Oregano can dry out quickly indoors but it’s fine. I’m looking forward to lots of oregano-seasoned avocado sandwiches this summer!

Double Blessing

On the rare occasion that I find one of my favorite herbs--Pineapple Sage, I buy it quick; what a treat! The leaves really do smell like pineapple and give a hint of pineapple flavor to fish and chicken. The pointed leaves also add flair to salads.

I also enjoy their magenta stems but their red flowers are what I seek. Though small, these bright red jewels are rare among herbs and stand out. Red flowers aren’t usually my favorites, though you can probably tell that I’m smitten by red hibiscus (the attraction to those is a special memory), but Pineapple Sage flowers make my favorites list. The plant was blooming when I bought it but not since; I missed photographing it then and hoped it would bloom again so I could share it here. I was delighted to discover that it had indeed bloomed again.

Sometimes the herb can last two seasons outdoors, dying back and sprouting again in the spring, if you keep it watered but that can vary with how severe the winter is.

It’s a very cool and cloudy morning in the 50’s with temperatures expected to drop throughout the day as the clouds drop rain. Tonight’s temperatures in the 30’s may be the turning point of bringing in the more fragile plants that can be overwintered. The window areas are beginning to get crowded but once the pear leaves outside drop I can place plants farther away from the windows since there will be more sunlight.

Amazingly, the pear leaves are still green; they usually turn red and yellow but I only see a tinge of red. The autumn foliage in the mountains is reported to be the best in years; hopefully our hills will be dressed in similar finery!

Pressed Down, Shaken Together & Overflowing

A friend asked if I grow herbs. Always. They’re easy enough and I enjoy them on my avocado sandwiches. I grow basil, chives, pineapple sage (this year I found some!) and oregano. When I mentioned oregano, my friend exclaimed, “Oh, that can sure take over!” The picture here of my Golden Oregano confirms its abundance. In a pot, however, that exuberance is “contained”.

Mexican Petunias can also turn up most anywhere if planted in a flowerbed. I don’t know if it spreads underground or by prolific seeding. My potted one has better manners--yet another benefit of container gardening.