THE ART OF JUNE: HANGING MY HERBS AND RUSTY SHELVES

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

HANGING MY HERBS AND RUSTY SHELVES

I finally got all the rest of my herbs cut down yesterday. Good thing too, they were starting to head to the other side of perfection. I've never had such a prolific crop and was thrilled to use the fresh herbs all summer. The lemon basil being the favorite around here...unbelievable aroma! Worked super well with my fresh heirloom tomatoes.

So, I've never dried herbs before and searched the internet for a better understanding of what I needed to do. The best advise I got explained that hanging them in the kitchen wasn't such a good idea because the herbs would take on subtle kitchen smells...that it would take away from the intensity of the herb, and it needed to be darker than lighter, to keep the color. However, I've always loved the look of herbs hanging in the window of a kitchen, and I have this great big window with the antique wood that would have looked so homey with herbs draped...but that would not do....so I was lost as to where to hang my scented bundles.

Then I thought, well, why not in the entry enclosed porch!

We have a window that looks out onto the porch from the kitchen. and I keep the Xmas wreath hanging there all year round...when the season comes again, I just hang a new one. It's amazing how well they keep that terrific scent. During the holidays it's spectacular to walk through the entry and catch a drift of that perfect pine Christmasy smell...it does all kinds of good things for my soul.

So, I went ahead and hung the herbs next to the dried up old wreath. And now the house smells of Oregano, Basil, Lemons and Marjoram, and a magnificent Spearmint that I just can't get enough of. It's truly heart warming! I have some growing wild right outside the kitchen deck and it hits you the minute you step outside. It makes me smile.

Then I took some photos of the odd little iron....well, I don't know what to call it, a shelf thingy...that belonged to my father. At first I had it in the corner near the den, and it just got lost there, then I thought hallway, but no way. Finally I decided, bring it out into the open! It's so unique and it was my fathers, so I wanted to see it daily.

Now it's my shelf holding all of his personal garden books, and part of my bowl collection. (I'm a bowl freak...can't imagine what that could mean, but I simply love them.)
Right above it I hung a weathered old wire rack and put in colorful little pots of succulents....it's all perfect!

Walking in from the small front door foyer
to enclosed porch off of kitchen

Looking up from kitchen through window
out to porch and hanging herbs

Amazing crop this year,
and this is what's left!
(Not counting the parsley
and a pile more oregano,
and spearmint.)

Last year's Xmas wreath and new herbs
looking out opposite windows into front courtyard.
I LOVE this porch
It would be even better slightly bigger so
I could fit a cozy teak daybed to sit and stare outside,
but no complaints here.

How cool is this thing!

It's rusty and worn and has
different color shelves...I'm mad for it!
(and that's my father's little mirrored elephant
for good fortune as well, that he kept in his room,
so it's a whole little homage to him).