Summer is here. That might sound sophomoric, but seasons are quite capable of arriving with no regards to our calendars. When you’re trying to live a lifestyle that is in tune with nature instead of making nature fit our plans, you have to be a little flexible. Here in the Northeast, the heat has been stifling, keeping most humans inside with the air conditioner going non-stop. But the garden thrives in humid heat, so for us gardeners, it’s a mixed blessing.
Every morning in the summer, I walk to my tangled garden and enjoy the early cool of the day. I am not an especially eager morning person, but the outside is so gentle in it’s greeting, that I often like to enjoy a cup of tea amidst the greenery, watching groundhogs scamper around and hearing the birds twitter to each other, before finding a shady tree in the hot afternoon.
I know what some of you are thinking. How easy cottagery must be when you live in the country in a hundred year old farmhouse on twenty acres of wilderness! Well, that’s only partly true. I do live in a rural area, in fact, I was born here. But I don’t have a farmhouse, a country mansion, or even a sweet little cottage deep in the middle of nowhere. I live in a condo community, with no outdoor property except a 6 foot by 3 foot deck. I have one closet I can barely fit a suitcase in. My kitchen and living room are the same room. There is no dining space, save for a little portable table tucked away when the meal is over. This living space has actually been an advantage, because I have learned how to make this tiny condo into a temporary cottage, until I get my real one. If you have a desire or dream that seems far out of reach, just live as if you already have it, and it will come to you, in some way. Otherwise, when it does come, you won’t be ready for it!
One of the basics of cottagery is the garden. I started with one of those little “kitchen garden” kits you see at the home stores (believe it or not, the Chia Herb Garden was the most successful one, if you can block out their annoying “Cha Cha Cha Chia” jingle.) All you need for an indoor herb garden is a sunny window, a surface to put your plants on, and TLC (no, it’s not a chemical additive, it’s Tender Loving Care.) Tend to your plants, and they’ll tend to you. If you can, buy nursery plants to start. Check on them daily, and if they seem wilty or dead, put “help me my basil looks dead” in a search engine, and you’ll find tons of free information. A good book I recently picked up on Amazon.com is Bountiful Container Gardening. (Try Amazon.com used books-cheaper, and you’re recycling!)
Speaking of recycling, you can grow herbs in a variety of containers. Clay pots (unglazed) work best for me, but in the past I’ve even used old plastic ricotta cheese containers (yes, truly ugly, I know.) Your container should be waterproof, but have drainage holes in the bottom (this usually disqualifies glass), and a shallow plate/container to sit on, to catch excess water. At the bottom of the container, put in an inch or two of big stones or broken pottery, to help in drainage. Add some potting soil (organic if you can swing it), mix a handful of perilite (also in the garden department, its light and looks like Styrofoam pebbles, so your soil stays oxygenated) and plant your herb. Water it immediately, not too much, just to mingle things together. Pay it lots of attention, like it’s a puppy. Enjoy. In future blogs, I’ll get into more details, but first, you need to get the garden going! There’s still plenty of growing time for annuals this summer.
Until your garden becomes self-sustaining, it’s possible you may need to buy your herbs and vegetables from others, like I do. In the summer, I highly recommend finding a farmer’s market. No matter where you live, I’m sure that at least once a week you can pay one a visit. I live an hour outside of NYC, and I know of a few good ones. It’ll be worth the trip.
What’s so special about buying from a farmer’s market and not from the supermarket produce section? First of all, it’s locally grown, which means it hasn’t spent a week in a truck getting to you, only to be handled by dozens of workers and shoppers before you even see it.
Secondly, it is locally grown. Yes, I know I already said that, but I mention it again for a different reason; it is wise to eat from your own environment. You know that if you travel to Mexico, you might exact Montezuma’s revenge. The water is different there. Notice in different cultures, the hotter it is, the hotter the food is. You don’t see many spicy hot Norwegian dishes, or creamy New England Clam Chowder in India. An occasional foreign treat is fine, but typically, sticking with the food that grows naturally in your region is a good thing.
Finally, the farmer’s market is fun! Gardeners, bakers, cheese artisans, wine makers are all selling their goods under little tarps. You grab a fresh baguette, a creamy portion of goat’s cheese, a bottle of wine, a bouquet of sunflowers and you can’t help but smile. You’ll enjoy everything so much more when you can meet the people who artfully prepare your purchases for you.
I’ve blabbed on enough for now. I can hear some thunder as I write, and I’m hoping a nice storm breaks the heat a bit. Time to go play in the rain…see you next week!
Sprouts (Little Tips this Week)
- Heat, poor diet, and stress can show on your face, literally, as acne, no matter your age. Take a cotton swab and dab the area with Tea Tree Essential Oil two or three times a day. It won’t dry out the surrounding skin. (Find Tea Tree at the health food store or online. Make sure it’s real Essential Oil!)
- Bugs love to bite me, and since I can’t bite them back, I have to find another solution. Eating lots of garlic will help keep biters at bay, but be warned, if you over do it, bugs and vampires may not be the only ones to stay away! In that case, feed it to the whole family, and they can’t complain! Feed it to your dogs too, to help protect them from fleas and ticks!
- Keeping your shades and drapes drawn in the daytime helps keep cooling costs down. Make sure you change or clean filters on your air conditioning units every month to keep them running efficiently.
Botanical Recipe-Mint Facial Cleanser
This cleanser is nice for summer; cooling, mildly astringent, and makes the skin silky smooth. It will keep for several days in the fridge. Mix up a batch and share with friends!
- 1/4 c of whole milk, 3/4 c of plain, unsweetened yogurt (not low fat), 2 T. of fresh mint, chopped.
- Blend all ingredients in a blender until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
- Strain through cheesecloth into a clean bowl or jar. (Get cheesecloth in the hardware section of your supermarket, near the mops)
- Using a cotton ball, apply the strained cleanser onto your face, avoiding the eyes. Rinse with cool water.
Herb of the Week: Basil
Typically used as a kitchen herb, a necessary ingredient in pesto and bruschetta. Some other lesser known Basil facts:
- The plant itself deters flies.
- Basil tea aids in digestion, but be careful-it is also a mild laxative!
- Add bruised basil leaves to a bath for invigoration.
- Inhale bruised leaves (just pinch and press leaves to release oils) to alleviate fatigue.
- Basil has been used historically in folk magick to remove obstacles to love, bring back wandering lovers, and unhex one’s self.
Parting Thoughts…
“Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” ~Russel Baker
