Thoughts on the evening and basil

There is just something about the evening, yeah? At this exact moment, Pop and I are sitting on the carport listening to the sounds of the insects and enjoying the breeze. The sun is down and all that is left is the murky blue sky and a few spots of pink.

About an hour ago, I watered the garden. I usually do so in the evening because I read somewhere that if you water--even in the morning--when it is so hot outside that the water dissipates and isn't very beneficial for the plants. It also just seems like a soothing kind of chore, ya know? I'm breathing in the fresh country air, listening and watching the water leisurely soak all the plants. I also take the time to check to see how things are going during this time of the day. Today, I noticed that a few of the flowers I planted are starting to pop their little heads up and I imagine that in August sometime I might see some pretty flowers. In the vegetable part, I'm happy to report that I see some green little beings sprouting up in the Summer Squash and Okra and Cucumber section of the garden. So far, the tomato and green onion rows aren't as exciting because they were already "alive" when I planted them. They're just getting bigger--a tiny, tiny bit--every day. I really love watching these things grow. It is very calming--this particular 'chore.' If I were a wagering gal, I might even bet that my blood pressure has dropped since I began this little project. (yep! I just checked it and it is 110/78. That isn't bad for someone who is 40.11.31, is it? and yes, if you're wondering, i actually stopped to do that math on that age thingie. 11.31 is the month and its fraction of a person who'll change their age in 3 weeks!)

I also really enjoy the mornings in the garden. That is the time that I go out and do some thinning. If I'm planning to make tea that day, I'll go out and cut out a handful of mint to add to it. I also cut whichever herb I'll be using in the eggs so that they'll be washed and ready when Pop awakens. Thinning is supposed to be good for growing plants because it allows whatever is leftover to grow more abundantly. I noticed this morning that one section of my basil container has REALLY big leaves. I also noticed that it has very few basil buddies living around it. The other sections of the basil container have several other "buddies" and the leaves are all smaller in general in those areas. So, today, I decided to do an experiment on the basil. I'm going to leave the big basil alone to see how large it'll grow and I'm going to thin--just a bit every day--the other areas to see if what is leftover will begin to grow larger now that I have thinned the area. They have mostly stayed small so far--for a month or so. I'm interested to see how the thinning process affects the basil that is left behind. Have I kept them small for too long a period? or is there something in them genetically which will allow them to grow larger once their competition is gone? It'll be fun to see what happens!

anyway, how funny. this started to be a blog about evenings and it turned into a blog about one of my favorite new subjects--the garden. Figures, yeah? So, in order to bring it back around to evening, I should tell you something silly about me. Evening has always been one of my favorite times of day--especially the time when the sun has gone down but it is still light outside. It has been my favorite since I was about 13 or 14 because I used to imagine that when I was in college--years in the future at that point--a guy would be at my dorm door to pick me up for a date. I imagined going on double dates to a play at the theatre or to dinner. I remember thinking that surely it was all going to be so much fun. The funny part is this: I never lived in the dorms during college. I don't think I was ever picked up at my home--wherever it was--for a date. (I think most of my dates were friendships which slowly morphed into something more than friendship) Even so, it is still my favorite time of day. There always seems to be something pure and hopeful about that time of day. I've never been able to figure out why it is so, but it is so. Could be that it'll always be my favorite time of day. :)

I gotta go. It is almost Pop's bedtime. Hope y'all are having as much fun reading and I am writing. :)

Loralee Fabulous