First!

OK, now that I got to claim "firsties" - congratulations on your garden! Hey, you got Monster Zukes and marjoram to grow - you are doing better than I am! The last time I tried herbs we had a basil plant that struggled to grow and never made it past the seedling stage - all summer.

Worrying about things that haven't happened yet and may not is, I think, an August thing. August is no-man's-land. There are no major holidays or even minor ones, half the office is on vacation, everything slows to a crawl and it's hot and humid and oppressive. It'll be better in September.

jealous! yup, i was pretty good at killing nearly everything in the garden except the bell pepper, which may grow too huge for the pot soon. i haven't gotten any peppers yet, but they're loving being inside the house out of the 106 Houston heat. the marigolds only lasted 3 days, but the cilantro and basil make astonishing comebacks. i think i need to try cucumbers next, by your account they're damn near indestructable!

Jessi, I couldn't get my cucumbers to grow at all, but try zucchini! They are literally taking over the back-backyard.

Hey there! If you find out what those little icky mini-fly things are (and more importantly, how to get rid of them!), please pass that info on. Since killing your stuff, I do believe they have flown on up to Portland to attack mine! (bastards!!!!)

Thanks in advance! :)

Use marjoram wherever a recipe calls for oregano, they are quite similar. Or just rub the plant and enjoy the smell (recipe for the lazy cooks - like me).

Sorry about the bugs. Because rosemary is usually so hearty. Oregano at times. But everything else is looking great. Congrats!

Dagny, I took your advice and just cast on five more stitches for my square, now it's perfect! Wanted to say thanks :)

My grandmother would call worrying about things that haven't happened "borrowing trouble." This sounds like a Southern expression to me (but she was a Michigan Yankee).

Is there a recipe that calls for both marjoram AND zukes?

I have one sad little basil plant that I try to water consistently but I think plants hate me. Living on a boat makes it difficult to have much more than one sad little plant which is prolly a good thing as I'd just murderalize them anyway. Good job on your veritable jungle!

BTW, we call worrying about stuff that hasn't happened yet "future tripping". I'm a pro!

Funny, I was recently having a conversation with someone about what the heck you use marjoram for. Mine came with my spice rack and I don't believe it's ever been opened.

But, through the magic of Google:

http://recipes.epicurean.com/asc_results.jsp?ingredients=Marjoram

hats off to Ms. CAP Green Gene!.

have you made super duper yummy zuchinni bread with your massive amounts of alien squash plants? You can give them to all your friends!

Lovely garden - I thought the dressed up zucchini you posted the other day was cute, but would be more suitable (pun intended) in my mom's famous recipe:

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. shredded zucchini
3 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 c. crushed (drained) pineapple
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add oil, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well, add zucchini, pineapple and nuts. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

I misread and thought they were "penguin" peppers instead of "pequin" peppers, and I was like, yeah, they look like little green penguins. I'm maybe crazy too. But it could have been the earthquake that rattled my brain last night (Northern California area).

My bell peppers were rocking the Christmas colors too.... Until the squirrels started eating hunks out of them! It could be worse than zucchini - someone brought a bag of big scary Cucumbers into the office. I know how to fry up some yummy zucchini but cucumbers; well, I have no idea what to do with 6 monsters from that family!

Wow, what an amazing looking bell pepper! I would love to try and grow something on our balcony. We have alot of space there for some of those containers. And yes, I am so sure that your yard is not missing Francisco in the least.

Congrats on the live plants in your garden. I have one cucumber plant on my deck which is producing small cukes every few days. I also have a couple of tomato plants that are doing OK that are also in containers. I plant all my containers with a marigold as this stinky flower is supposed to chase the bugs away. It works for me.

Oh, I gotta tell you this. I had some beautiful flowers in pots but out dog has been so hot outside when it gets 90 plus that he lays in the plants in the pots to get cool and so squashes them flat/dead (sigh). He doesn't seem to like the veggie pots, though.

If you really need some rosemary let me know, my two bushes are huge. I think yours whould have done better if you had planted them directly into the ground rather than a pot. I never use my rosemary I just like it for the greenish blue color and have no idea how to use marjoram.

I am proud to say my grape vines are still alive but no fruit, the cherry tomatoes on the other hand are starting to ripen and there is gonna be plenty. Want some?

Those might have been fungus gnats. They look like fruit flies and are a symptom of overwatering. So if they were fungus gnats, you can be happy that by not watering the plants (thereby killing them), you also managed to wipe out the fungus gnats!

Oh, and when you figure how to stop the chattering in your head, please let me know. I was up until around 1:00 this morning trying to get my brain to stop and sleeep.

I have a monster rosemary bush. To use some of it, I take cuttings, wrap them with string and hang them off the shower head. Every so often, I douse them and squeeze a little. It's a pretty refreshing, pre-coffee pick-me-up! I bet you could do the same thing with marjoram...

As a child..... my older brother told me those peppers were candy. I think I tried them about twenty ca-jillion times..... he was older.

The end.

Psychomom: The only thing that helps me is my white noise machine. The brain whirlygig doesn't stand a chance -- future tripping, indeed. It sucks!

Someone once told my Nonnie: "the things you worry about never happen"... so she used to worry about a lot of stuff, so it would never happen.

I'm not so sure that was how the advice was intended to be interpreted.

Are the black bugs flea beetles? They are nasty.

Nice marjoram! I remember a Jamie Oliver show where he used it liberally in a delicious spinach and ricotta cannelloni dish he made for his mates.

psychomom -- I call it "chatterbrain." It is so annoying, keeping me up half the night. Also, and I hate this part, if I have to get up and pee in the middle of the night I have to avoid saying a word or having any talking at all or even THINKING words, because ol' chatterbrain starts up and I can forget falling back to sleep.

I'm so glad your grapes are alive!

I'm not giving up on rosemary and oregano (I like to grow herbs more than anything else at all) I'm just going to put new plants in bigger pots (now that all the tomatoes and cucumbers are dead I have plenty of big pots, ahem) and place them near the sprinklers. Nothing over there has the gnat-bugs, which are SO GROSS!!!

And I have not made zucchini bread, alas.

Oh, sweetie. Try not to worry. All the worrying in the world can't change anything, past, present or future. Take a lot of deep breaths, refill your prescription for valium and dream about peppers!!

I may have a lot of advice for you but I rarely use it on myself!

You have a beautiful garden! When does it start to cool down in L.A.?

Liz "Worry Wart" R

Liz, I don't think it will cool down until November, usually October is one of the hottest months. (But it's almost always cool at night and in the very early morning, which I love.)

The worrying thing is a challenge. It's all about controlling my thoughts, which I'm working on, but something in my nature makes me such a worrywart. Like it's my way of "planning" for future bad events or something. I am such a DORK.

I am sooo like that. I even loose sleep some nights worrying about stuff that probably will never happen. You're not alone. And I probably would kill plastic plants.

That marjoram plant looks like it could take over your home.

One of my favorite super simple recipes involves lots and lots of marjoram- it's a Jamie Oliver recipe called "Funky Spaghetti". He made it on Oprah and she still has the recipe on her site:

http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/food/recipes/food_20030718_spaghetti.jhtml

darcidoodle - very good idea with the rosemary on the shower head! Along with the pretty foilage it does smell wonderful and those air fresheners thingys don't really work that great so I'm gonna try this in my (three boy) bathroom.

Ok, Luc is gone and now it is only two :(
(I am not crying, stop looking at me)

Laurie, you are NOT a dork. You are completely normal. Most people don't admit the amount of neurotic activity that goes on in their heads. We all have it, believe me. Hang in there, okay?? I'll do some of the worrying for you. I have a PhD in neurosis! ;o) <3

Clara,
I'm so sorry and very happy for you!! Being a parent SUCKS sometimes. We have waaaay too many opposing emotions all at the same time. I'm so happy that Luc is going off to college but so sad for you who's going to miss him so terribly. My son will be doing the same thing as yours exactly 2 years from now. I'm hoarding tranquilizers now just for that moment.

And Laurie? We Cancers are the worst when it comes to adjusting to CHANGE. (it's actually a four-letter word for me!) I'm trying to go with it now but boy oh boy it's so hard!

Laurie,
I think your herbs probably have "white fly." Are there kind of sticky little white things on the underside of the remaining leaves? I had it all over some lemon mint and the first thing I tried was garlic juice (my grandma recommended it), but that didn't work so I bought some neem oil insecticidal soap (recommended by yougrowgirl.com). It worked. My nemesis of other herbs is Japanese Beetles. Yucky. Basil was all eaten to bits!

Oh, and I went to Fabric Place today b/c I was inspired by your post yesterday and they had all kinds of fun yarn on sale. I'm making a pink and green scarf for my friends little girl....and an orange and yellow one for my nephew. I love knitting flat stuff just like you!

Love ya babe.

Laura

Didn't someone say, Never Trouble Trouble until Trouble Troubles you?

I haven't done a THING to my tomatoes [not staked either] and I'm starting to be overrun with them. Good thing I like them raw!

In my family we cut cukes and onions into thin slices and let them soak in vinegar till they are thoroughly chilled and eat them. One of my sisters does a vinegar and cream thing to hers, which is good, too.

When my daughter was home and cukes were plentiful I always kept some peeled and cut in the fridge for fast snacking for her and her friends.

Oh! And adding tomatoes to the cukes and onions and vinegar only makes it that much better! Season as you like!
.

I am a CHAMPION worrier, really completely brilliant at it. And nighttime is of course the worst...what strange turns the mind will take in the wee hours. It is nice to know that I am not the only one who does this, though I wish I could offer a solution. I find the wine helps me get to sleep but about 3 or 4 AM and ZING I am awake fretting about all sorts of things. Sigh.

laurie: heh, i meant zucchini *shifty eyes* they didn't hear that right? i don't want them coming to get me. eh, zuke, cuke, they're all long, green, and squashy.

i worrying isn't usually my biggest hang-up, it's OBSESSING over saying something stupid... like the time i told one of my friends how much i disliked her baby's name, and felt like an utter ASS afterwards. did i mention that was 7 years ago, and i'm still not over the embarrassment?

The little black bugs could be any of several candidates, but are most likely fungus gnats. There's a page on them here:

http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/uc/uc-028.html

--but the bottom line is that they overwatered, poorly drained plants and young compost. They're annoying and mostly harmless, but if you really must, there are nematodes you can lay down, or a specific strain of beneficial bacteria that will spell D-O-O-M for their larvae.

However, I think that the overall issue here is overwatering, and that the plants really died of root rot, which was then eaten by the fungus gnats.

-- Lorrie

Wow - The marjoram and pequin's look great! And your little piece of earth seems to be absolutely THRIVING in the absence of Francisco!

Which reminds me - what ever happened to Francisco's would-be rival from last year? I wonder if maybe they didn't do away with each other like some modern-day Romeo/Juliette or Sharks/Jets saga from rival landscaping clans??

Laurie,

I'm always worrying about things that haven't happened yet, and probably won't happen. But I think if I worry enough, I can really truly prevent them from happening! July was bad for me also. My Dad had a heart attack and had open heart surgery (4 bypasses). He was in the hospital for two weeks. Then two days after he comes home, my Mom falls - on the carpet - and breaks her wrist. Breaks it so badly, she has to have surgery. So there is my one handed Mom, who is supposed to help my Dad who shouldn't be over exerting himself for awhile. Talk about gobsmacked! They are doing better now. Dad spent his 81st birthday in the hospital this year, but is doing much better now. Mom will soon have a soft velcro wrist guard on (they put metal plates in her wrist). And Dad can drive again - which is good, since Mom can't!!

Linda in VA

Delurking to tell you that I often turn my worrying into prayer. I'm not religious but I do have hope for a higher power watching over us. Prayer gives me the feeling that I may be helping in a way especially when there is nothing else you can do. For Evan I'm praying. I have a little girl the same age and I'm thinking of Evan often right now. I can't imagine.

I have had severe chatterbrain lately.
RIP, Oregano & Rosemary.

Since you are going to give rosemary another try, I would suggest getting one in a 5 gallon pot. That's what I did. The last time I saw it (It's at my mom's house.), it was about 3 feet tall.

Your yard does look fabulous sans Fransico.

I must have missed that - when did Francisco get the heave-ho? Or did he leave for greener pastures to turn his "talents" to?

Ah, those gnats, I know them well....not well enough to know what to do about them, but enough to declare them enemy. If the cats aren't destroying whatever planted things happen to be lurking around the windowsills, it's the gnats.

Tami, I feel the same way. I go to this place where they have focused meditation for 30 minutes and since meditating is challenging for me, I pray the whole time. It's non-denominational prayer :)

My worry is this other weird thing, it's like I'm trying to have conversations before they even happen you know? I am diligently trying to redirect those thoughts when they come but dang, I sure seem awfully committed to it LOL.

Dagny, I am definitely trying rosemary again even though I have never had any luck at all with it. Maybe throwing more money at it and buying a bigger plant will help!

Linda, gosh I am so sorry about that conflagration of family events! I had a July that was eerily similar, one thing right after another after another.

August has been better but now I am worrying about next month. GEEZ LOUISE.

Oh! and the gnats are definitely not from overwatering, hee. They're white bugs and they fly, they're very tiny and did I mention GROSS?

You are so not alone with the worrying thing. I worry about all kinds of crap. And I'd rather not think about how much sleep I've lost b/c of it.

My thyme and most of my marigolds went belly-up in the last two days. And a small bit of rosemary. Not sure what the deal is on that. But the basil, oregano, Cuban oregano and tomatoes are all doing really well.

So, are you going to make hot sauce?

By the way, there is a delicious looking recipe for slow-cooked zucchini in the LA Times Food Section.

Andree, I might try making hot sauce. I don't know yet. These peppers are also great chopped up and put in all kinds of food. HOT but yummy.

Oh, and Francisco got the boot a few months ago. He had practically killed all the trees, now everything is green and happy.

Laurie, I was going to be the 8th person to diagnose your problem as "fungus gnats" (which attacked a spider plant of mine) but if they're white, then that's definitely not what they are! And I have no idea what they could be.

Marjoram... excellent in meatloaf and in spaghetti sauce. Zuchini... cut into skinny french fry size, do the whole flour/egg/flour breading thing and deep fry. Better than potato chips!

There isn't much fungus or mold growing in the valley in summer. It's very hot and incredibly dry -- most days are 10% humidity or less. Also I am inclined to be very lax about watering ;)

I don't think the bugs will be much of a problem anymore though since they seem to have left once their herb house died. I'm not taking any chances and I'm going to let the twigs get really combustible and then throw them out. Bugs are gross.

*waves* Another champion worry wart over here.

Well, since the topic has apparently strayed from zukes to cukes, here's a yummy family recipe from my Dad's side. He's from the island of Guam.

Hot Cucumbers (all ingredients are approximate and to your own taste)

Peeled and sliced cucumbers
sliced onion or chopped green onion
sliced hot yellow peppers
vinegar
Kikkoman Soy Sauce
Dried crushed red peppers

Place cukes, onions and peppers in a bowl. Cover liberally with equal amounts of vinegar and soy sauce or a measurement you prefer. Sprinkle with crushed red peppers.

Cover and let sit overnight in fridge.

They last almost forever as they become pickled. So good as a condiment with meats!

Sheez, you made me feel so much better. I have sort-of dead looking things in my yard too and feel an enormous guilt. BUT the damned temps and the damned mosquitos keep me insidel. Maybe too much.
But like you I have success photos too and you showing yours made me feel less of a geek for taking pics of mine.
You're a peach!
Look at MY pepper...
http://arknitknut.typepad.com/photos/around_the_house/pepper.html

My experience with Rosemary is that you have to be careful not to keep it too wet, but watch it carefully that it doesn't dry out completely. Once it starts to go--it's gone. So--don't let it sit in a saucer of water and when it is mostly dry to the touch--top 1/2 inch--water thoroughly. I grew a couple of rosemary topiaries inside that I loved--they don't like heavy soils either. My outside, in the ground rosemary always was happiest, but couldn't take the winter--that would probably not be a problem for you!

Just took another gander at the dead plants--my two cents--too wet!

Marjoram an potato goes very well together...it's got a mild thyme taste. This is my mama's Marjoram Potatoes that we learned from a neighbor in Germany: Fry up some thinly sliced bacon, remove from pan and drain, leaving as much grease in the pan as possible. Add some butter to the grease and throw in a cubed potato (dry the cubes off a little on paper towels) slowly fry these until the taters are soft. Throw in some cubed bread (good bread!) and fry this all up on medium until the bread is barely golden. Throw in a good amount of chopped marjoram and the reserved bacon. Add salt & lots of ground black pepper. Then pour a bit of half & half (or cream) in there. YUM! The bread kind of soaks up the cream and it is just fabulous. Great with lamb chops or steak...not low-cal but this ain't the kind of thing you're gonna make every day.

By the way I just absolutely love you and have lurked for way too long.

Make your own non-toxic (to humans) bug spray: one spray bottle, a squirt or two of dishsoap, and (optional) a tablespoon of sugar. Shake it all up and spray onto the leaves, especially the undersides, and stalks.

One of my favorite books, Kitchen Table Wisdom, has a quote that I try to remember when I'm worrying.

A man had a persistent medical condition and his friend asked him how many times he had gone thru a particular operation, he said something like "200 times."

His friend was stunned, until the man said, "Actually, I've gone thru it 198 times in my head, but I've only had the surgery twice."

Love that lesson!

I live in CO and the lack of air, intense sun, and low rain have KILLED EVERYTHING that I used to grow in DC. Bugger.

Your many faithful readers have already beat me to the marjoram=oregano suggestion. You can also strip the leaves from the stems and mash them up in some butter. Freeze the butter (it'll keep around 6 months in the freezer) in small portions and pull some out anytime you just have to have a lovely piece of good, warm bread and butter with your salad. MMMMMM.

Regarding bugs, some yellow sticky traps help with that. You can also use your vaccuum on them. Seriously. You have to be brave for this one though... Turn on the vaccuum (hopefully one with a hose), agitate the plant so the bugs fly up, suck em up. Discard the bag after you do this as some of the bastards are tenacious enough to survive the hoovering.

I am very impressed with the pre-coffee photos. Mine would look completely pre-caffeinated (like my finger would be on the lens.) But yours are lovely even with the camera strap represented-- as are those darling pequins. Strong work!

In San Antonio, chilis pequin likes to grow next to the back door. I used to think people planted it there just so they would be handy, but I think it's really because it's shady and a little bit damper than out in the yard.

And I might have to go buy some marjoram so I can make that potato recipe....

Recipe for all that marjoram:

PESTO!

Basil hogs all the pesto glory, but you can make a smashing pesto substituting marjoram, oregano, or cilantro too. Here's a good, basic pesto recipe -- but don't forget to sub all that marjoram instead o' the basil!

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001329fresh_basil_pesto.php

Oooh, I love that big bushy basil plant. Time for some pesto! I grow basil every summer and make pesto 5 or 6 times...plus it goes into everything I cook that is even remotely Italian. ("Tossed salad could be Italian! Throw some basil leaves in there!")

The marjoram is gorgeous! I've never grown it, but I may have to next year, now that my fellow commenters have given us all these great suggestions. :)

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

1 lb. lean ground beef [more if desired]
1 small white onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced OR 2 tsp. garlic powder
[NOTE: You may add freshly minced basil, oregano thyme, and/or marjoram to the sauce. I use
I also add 1 tsp. ground cumin.]
1 small can tomato sauce
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 c. Italian seasoned croutons, optional
4 – 5 c. zucchini, thinly sliced [circles]
1-1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach [optional]
2 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1-1/2 c. small curd cottage cheese, well drained
¼ c. parmesan cheese

In medium skillet, brown ground beef. Drain. Stir tomato sauce and
seasonings into cooked beef; simmer mixture for about 15 minutes.

Using non-stick vegetable spray, prepare 9 x 13 glass baking dish.
Spread all croutons on bottom of dish. Using one-half to one-third
portion of each remaining ingredient [except parmesan cheese]:
Spread part of beef mixture and cover with zucchini slices. Top with
a layer of cottage cheese, then a layer of Mozzarella cheese; add a
layer of chopped spinach. Make additional layer[s] of beef
mixture, zucchini, cottage cheese, spinach and zucchini, finishing
with mozzarella. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake at 325-degrees for 40 minutes. Enjoy!

The croutons absorb some of the juice from the high moisture content
zucchini, along with adding a complimentary texture and taste. You
may omit the beef and croutons for a lower calorie, lower
carbohydrate version of this recipe. Be sure to slice the zucchini
very thin, otherwise it stays on the crunchy side and it's not quite
as good that way.

Glad that you have a green yard and plants that are living now that the Grim Reaper of gardening/lawn care is gone.

These bugs sound just like what is on my hibiscus. Scary! I love marjoram, it's one of my favorite herbs. Good in salads, on chicken, scrambled eggs and anything the least bit Italian. Your peppers are lovely!

Hooray for green things and freedom from Francisco (and alliteration)!

My eyes read pequin, but my wonky brain sees penguin! Little baby penguin peppers! I bet they'd be adorable!

Oh geez, your Rosemary and Oregano look alot like my poor little Cilantro plants - deader than a doornail, bless their little hearts :)

Laurie, you have (or maybe had?) whiteflies. And, Pamela, they love, love, love hibiscus. We had a horrible invasion of them three years ago and my neighbor dug up and threw out 40 hibiscus!
You must try rosemary again, laurie. My herb garden book tells me that "where rosemary flourishes, the woman rules". My whole front yard is rosemary. Hee.

Idea about the zucchini...take them to a soup kitchen!

ok so what are you planning to do with all those ripe peppers? do you share them? make salsa? freeze them for salsa later on? i have a frillion jalapenos (stole someone else's fun word, now it's my new word, thankyouverymuch) and only DH and I eat salsa - thoughts?

Be careful of the "worrying about events that have not even happened yet" - it can turn into anxiety and panic, and next thing you know you are on meds...

Hey from TN Laurie! It's scorching hot here too, the lawn is crunchy and even the TVA won't keep our electric bill down this month. Regarding good old southern remedies for plants, my grandma used to use snuff (not even really sure if you can buy SNUFF anymore but, hey) to treat plants with aphids. Maybe that would work for your thing... dunno. Love your blog, so proud of your success, can't wait to read the book!

Hi, Laurie. My mom, a knitter, is a HUGE fan of your blog and told me to stop by sometime. In fact, I have a bone to pick with you because I think she reads your blog way more than mine! :)
I am so glad she recommended it though because I love it! Can't wait to buy your book!

I, too, am a complete worrywart. I worry about everything -- things in the past, the present, and especially the future. I have made myself sick worrying so much. Everyone acts like I'm a paranoid nut for worrying so much, but the things I worry about usually end up happening! Then they're like, "Wow, I guess you had a good reason to worry" and I'm all, "SEE!? I'm NOT crazy!"

Well, it is nice to know I'm not alone so thank you.

P.S. I have three cats, too.

marjoram is good with any sort of tomato recipe

One of my favorite quotes: He who foresees calamities, suffers them twice over.
~Beilby Porteus
Yup...that's me.

Someone else has probably said this, but tonight I made a big batch of pasta/pizza sauce to freeze and I throw in a couple of zukes and a handful of marjoram which I think tastes the same as oregano. You could also toss in that pepper, cook it all down with a bunch of chopped onions and garlic sauted in olive oil (don't forget the tomatoes), then splash in whatever leftover red wine you have, add some salt and pepper, and voila, dinners for a long time.

You can also dry the marjoram, using the same "tie a bunch together" method as noted above for a shower freshener. Just let it hang somewhere out of the sun (you can even hang it inside a paper bag) until dried. Then you do the same with all the other herbs you have, chop them all up after drying, make lovely little herb bags out of cheesecloth, and you have bouquet garni for use in soups and such like. Also makes nice presents for those folks you think well of but don't know well enough to knit a scarf for!

I haven't had much luck with rosemary in pots - but the little teeny 2" pot of culinary rosemary that I planted by the rosebushes a few years ago, now has them surrounded - this thing has grown to gargantuan proportions - I love it! It makes me feel all green-thumby. We get even hotter temps further inland here, plus winter frosts that you don't get as often in LA, and it's survived (and thrived) for about five years now.

The oregano and marjoram seem to like the ground better than pots here, too. As for what to put them in - I throw them in everything, omelettes, soups, stew - anything that isn't sweet, is fair game for herbs in my book.

This internet thingy is my middle of the night cure for worry-caused insomnia. Thank you!

Hi Laurie, I just read your post, and I think when you have gone through a tragedy, like you recently have, you realize how fragile life is and you DO start to worry about things that haven't happened or that could happen. It's ok, that will get better. One day at a time. Thinking of you......

First of all, I am just impressed you do anything (like picture taking) pre-coffee. WOW.

Secondly, my high school yearbook quote (in 1982!): "What's the use of worrying? It never was worthwhile. So pack up your worries in your old kit bag, and smile smile smile."

Now, if that's not dorky I don't what is!

So love the pots that your dead stuff is in. Is that like admiring the casket? eww. Anyway, they look artfully patina-ed. Like you are the ultimate gardener or something. At least, the pots look like that, the plants however....but that's ok, we all have dead plant tales. Like this year when I decided to plant cosmos seeds in tiny pots all over the fringes of the yard. Man, those things got so tall that the pots fell over. And maybe they bloomed 6 little flowers from the whole packet of seeds. Must have been bad seeds, right? But I didn't have the guts needed to post about it on my own blog, unlike you. Once again, your transparency is a role-model for the rest of us.
Marjoram? Yikes!

Dont forget, you also have enormous zucchini coming out the ass. Of course not *actually* out the ass because in the case of your zucchini that would really hurt.

not to self-promote or anything, but i just recently put a recipe for a fresh herb fritatta with grape tomato salsa on my blog. it uses fresh marjoram and basil. and you could also use thinly sliced zukes instead of spinach and it would still be really good :-)

When I visited Bulgaria, I got hooked on cold cucumber soup. It's just garlic, cukes and yogurt. I see the internet has several variations - some including mint! It's very cool and refreshing. I'm growing basil and cilantro this summer. Got the basil plant at a farm market; the cilantro was part of a dime store "kit" I received a couple Christmases ago (instead of a Chia pet it's a Chia herb growing kit). Just seeds. But the little teeny cilantro shoots are coming up - kinda fun. And I love cilantro; I hope it survives.

Have you considered growing your own catnip? I just started mine a couple of weeks ago from some seeds ordered on ebay and already Cat is very interested in what's going on in the little pots. I've read that when it's a bit larger I should put it in a birdcage so that she an get at the leaves but the rest of the plant won't be in danger. I'm just trying to figure out how to work a plant in a birdcage into my decor... of course you can grow it outside as well, but it might attract strays.

You could put that marjoram in a bottle of extra virgin olive oil to marinate, and use it on salads and for dipping bread. Alone or with other herbs. An herbal cocktail !

About that worrying. Just stop it! I joined a gym recently and now I go to sleep right away out of exhaustion. I'm so out of shape!

Plant that rosemary on a south west corner and it will thrive happily there. I planted my in my rose bed in the back yard, it is a third generation plant from my Dad's plant. I kept making cuttings of the original and I have generation number 3. I left one of the plants at my old house and let the new owner know all about the plant. She was amazed by it. I hardly ever water my plant and it is fine!