Basil

So when you have a garden, you have to weed and water it all summer - which is actually enjoyable. But then comes the harvesting season -- Fall. Why is everything ready at once?!  The tomatoes have gone wild this years as has the basil.  We already have picked the plants clean twice and there is still basil out there, begging to be picked and eaten.  And the green peppers... we have never had so many. 

The weather has turned damn cold and the kale, carrots and radishes are catching up to the hot weather veggies.  It is a cornucopia out there.  Anika and I  pick a few carrots and cherry tomatoes for dinner each night, but the tomatoes usually don't make it back to the kitchen.

At 22 months, Anika is old enough to help out processing some garden veggies. Wow that happened fast! She used to cry when I used the food processor, but if she is the one to push the button it is a different story. She helped put handfuls of basil into the food processor and watched in glee while they became basil mash.  She does not like to eat pesto, which we had later that night, but she likes to be a part of the household.

Ani helps out with dinner most nights, she points to her apron and then to mine and then lets me know exactly where she wants the step stool to be placed.  Usually in front of the sink so she can wash her hands 4-5 times and then over to the works space so she can take tops off of tomatoes or put the cut up grapes in a bowl or mix some other veg.  We practice counting grapes or tomatoes as she puts them in the bowl.  4 is a favorite number as is the 5, 6 combo.  I did not know how much joy she would bring to our lives.