Preparations

I have been running around my garden, preparing for the less lovely weather that is coming (or has already arrived? Gosh, that was fast).

Everything seems so bountiful and green now, but I know that will not be the case in a few weeks. Work to do. Work to do.

I have invested so much time and energy into my garden that and I want to make the most of it before it withers away.

Here is my rough plan:

I simply cannot keep up with my tomatoes, so I have begun oven-drying them for later use in salads, crostinis, etc. (So easy . . . .slice tomatoes into rings, season with salt and pepper, and bake for about six hours at 200 degrees on a cookies sheet rubbed with a little olive oil).

My basil is beautiful -- but not for long (temperatures are expected to drop into the forties one night this week). So I am plucking leaf after leaf and making pesto to freeze for a "summer" treat in the depths of winter. This process takes about five minutes. Toss two cups of basil leaves, 1/3 cup of olive oil, 3 tablespoons or pine nuts, two small garlic cloves (chopped small) and a big pinch of salt into the food processor and mash it all up. Store each batch in a freezer bag. After I defrost it to use, I will add in about 3/4 cups of grated parmigiano-reggiano and 3 tablespoons on softened butter before serving.

I cut back my lavender and am in the process of drying it to create aromatic eye pillows for Ellie and Brendan (feeling calm, very calm).

I think my carrots have done what they are going to do so we have begun to pull them up as well. And my Swiss chard has about two servings left before it bids us farewell.

When a decent amount of my big boy tomatoes come ripe in a week or two (stay away cold!), I am going to make some simple tomato sauce to freeze.

And I am looking for tips on how to best preserve my other herbs (Italian parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary). Any advice for me? I suppose I could always transplant them into pots to bring indoors for a few weeks longer.

I am not sure that you can really take summer with you -- but I am trying.