Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Ain’t it the truth!!!
As soon as I got up, I called the Finchs (Brian and Jan), who live in London, eight hours ahead of us, and told them they were about to have guests. Robin and Bob plan to visit with them during their current vacation. Jan and Brian are doing well, just getting old like us.
At 8:30 am, I was outside working on the patio. We have a Bay Bush, and it was producing more bay leaves than we could use, so we harvested some and dried them in the air fryer. We will likely give them away to friends who cook.
The true bay leaf (Laurus nobilis) is commonly known as bay laurel, sweet bay, true laurel, or laurel leaves. Bay leaves are aromatic Mediterranean leaves known for enhancing soups and stews. They symbolize victory, historically crowning poets and athletes, and contain compounds like eugenol that offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, while also acting as natural insect repellents.
Then I trimmed our “Root Beer Tree,” known as the sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum). Historically, its roots were used to flavor root beer. Native to eastern North America, it is easily identified by its aromatic bark, three distinct leaf shapes (mitten, oval, and three-lobed) on one branch, and fragrant, rootbeer-scented foliage.
We bought the tree and did not realize that in 1960, the FDA banned sassafras in food/drinks because its natural compound, safrole, was found to cause cancer in rats. Modern root beer uses artificial flavoring.
Today the temperature was in the high 90s, and working on the patio was hot, so I changed into my gardening costume and continued stuffing the rotary-upright planters with strawberries.
When it is so hot, I take breaks and sit in the shade, and I ran across some interesting tidbits which, for the most part, I already follow!
After a short rest, I headed to the vegetable garden and applied Thompson’s Water Sealer to two of the vegetable beds (I ran out). The water sealant is effective, working well on bricks and clay pots. The product is easy to apply, keeps water out, and repels water almost instantly after drying. I have been using this sealer for many years, and it restores the wall caps’ bright red color.
Take a look at the before-and-after in the pictures below. Now the water beads up instantly when we water the beds.
Before: Dry and porous!
After: Shiny and sealed!
Toward the end of the day, I was beginning to fade. I took one last walk through the garden. The corn and artichokes are doing quite well, and the cucumbers are beginning to climb the trellis!
The corn is coming, and the cucumbers are growing fast!
The Swiss chard is quite pretty.
What is a fun fact about Swiss chard?
Despite the common “Swiss” reference, chard is not Swiss in origin. In fact, it is a native of the Mediterranean. It is believed that the name “chard” is derived from the French word for “cardoon,” carde, which further confuses matters because a cardoon is a thistle and hardly a leafy green.
Who needs spinach when we have Swiss chard?
Very berry berry!
I found the recent book that we share with people who ask about our garden!
I put together this 50-page book from the photos taken before, during, and after the garden was constructed. It sure brings back memories.
Mary stayed inside and worked in the kitchen, drying the bay leaves and making a wonderful salad for dinner. She also made some fresh blueberry muffins, which we took over to Pam and Marc (Jeff’s kids) while they were going through the house, cleaning it out before it goes on the market.
We sat and talked to them for half an hour, remembering the good times we had with their Dad before his passing. Marc gave me a box of ham radio technical books, which I will review over the next few weeks. I offered to buy his ham radio equipment, but had NO idea what it was worth, so I suggested Greg get some numbers at the local radio store, and I would match them. This probably means I will go back and renew my ham radio license. Maybe I can get my old call sign back, K6CXI!
We got a message from Bob and Robin as they sailed out of Florida toward London on their seven-day cruise. They are looking good!
Sailing sailing over the bounding main!
Then another message popped up from Bob Z; they arrived in Palm Springs for the next week. We will be missing them tomorrow at the Elks Easter celebration.
It was in the high 90s there, so I am sure they are inside dancing away!
Mary and I had dinner and then proceeded to the TV room, where we watched the boob-tube until about 10:00 pm. I had decided 10:00 pm is my new bedtime.
Before crashing, I took pictures of the front of the house decorated for Easter; we love our Govee lights!
The lights change color and run around the front of the house.
The fence always displays the current holiday banner with the appropriate lighting.
Good night, everyone. See you on Easter Sunday!
