I Love To Go A Gardening
Growing Our Life in Northern Michigan
My Father’s Day Gifts
Danny sheds a lot, so many times I throw his hair outside so the birds can use it for their nests. But late last week I read–probably at FB and maybe on the Birds & Bloom page–that a person can provide nesting material for birds by putting pet hair and dryer lint in a suet feeder. I don’t have an extra suet feeder (yet) but EJ suggested I use the wire basket that held our onions. I thought that was a good idea so I dumped out the onions and hung the basket on a sturdy branch of the lilac bush. I keep adding Danny hair and dryer lint to it. The basket is not where I can see it so I don’t know if the birds are using it, but it’s there if they want it.
Yesterday was Shabbat so we rested and studied all morning. Before EJ woke up, I went out on the front porch and I read a book while Danny sat at my feet and the outside cats sat on my lap or near me and purred. I watched and listened to all the birds swooping and chirpy in my yard. It was very pleasant. EJ had to work, so after he left, I continued to rest and study.
Yesterday I discovered a live-streaming storm chaser website. The site shows a map with various storm chasers on it. A person–like me–can click on one of many storm chasers and watch a live stream from the cameras on his or her vehicle. I had fun watching the storms. I love storms. I really love my life now, but in another reality I might have been a storm chasing meteorologist.
This morning EJ and I had a relaxing morning. I made him a really nice breakfast. We relaxed a little bit more, and then we drove to the farm market-type store. We took our time, enjoying the beautiful day, and stopped at a couple of yard sales. We didn’t buy much, but we did enjoy petting a very wonderful, gentle Great Dane at one of the yard sales. We enjoy giving lovings to animals wherever we find them.
At the store, we tasted a sample of a cheese called Beemster Graskaas Gouda. The lady handing out the samples said the cheese is from the Netherlands and is made only one time a year from only the first milking of the cows. The cheese was absolutely delicious and so we bought a small chunk. One thing we love about this store is that in addition to the produce we are familiar with, they sell strange and unusual fruits and vegetables from all over the world. We enjoy sometimes buying items we have never had before, just to try them. Some foods we like and some we don’t, but it’s fun to try. We loved the Beemster Graskaas Gouda cheese.
The other day I realized with horror that my basil had died over the winter so we bought some basil to replace it. There were lots of different kinds–I never realized there were so many different kinds–and I had trouble deciding which to buy. Since they were very inexpensive, I bought four different kinds at this store:
Holy Basil which is very aromatic, with clove-scented leaves. Best used as a salad garnish or in herbal teas.
Cinnamon Basil, which has purple stems and flowers and a distinctive cinnamon taste and scent. Best in fruit salads, herbal teas and Mediterranean dishes. (I love anything and everything cinnamon.)
Red Rubin Basil, which is fragrant and flavorful. Its purple-bronze leaves make a unique-colored pesto and a pretty vinegar.
Thai Basil. The tag was missing from this one–either it didn’t have a tag or it fell out–so I don’t know exactly what it is or tastes like. I don’t know if it was just “Thai Basil” or a particular kind of basil from Thailand.
I suppose I should have also gotten Sweet Basil because I know how to cook with it, but in the thrill of learning about the other types, I didn’t think to get just regular basil. I expect some culinary adventures as I experiment with my unique basil plants. When we got home, I planted all the basils in pots so I can bring them in during the winter.
For Father’s Day, EJ also bought me a little wren house with a hole small enough that the sparrows can’t fit through and kick the wrens out. As soon as I get something to hang the wren house on, I will put it up…I think I will put it in the Peony Garden so we can see it from the living room window. I am trying to put all the bird houses, feeders, and baths where we can see them from the windows.
Oh, I got EJ a pepper plant for Father’s Day. And also a book. And a really good breakfast this morning. And a wonderful day together. We don’t really bother much about Father’s or Mother’s Days. Mostly we just enjoy hanging out together.
I Love To Go A Gardening 
What a really lovely day you had and I love the part about the Beemster graskaas .Kaas=cheese. I love to eat Beemster cheese to young, medium and old……Really lovely. And I never ever have seen different Basil plants I just have one and never have seen those different ones. So I’m going to look for them specially the cinnamon one because I love cinnamon too.And how sweet that EJ bought you a present for Father’s day that touched me . I can’t even imagine that you had such a bad winter with so much snow and ice and so cold not when I see you garden right now. How are the mosquitos already scared away or still around ???? Love you all ❤
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