Christmas smells great!!

You know what I realized? Pine is an amazing smell. I mean I just got home from Florida and let me tell you something, I love that warm weather, but something about walking through the pine tree section at Menard's just makes my heart flutter. Its all the right time of year for pine trees and know what? All the more right time for Basil! Yes I know its been ages, but well to be perfectly honest, it doesn't matter. All my plants have passed on by now, I had to allow them to take their last breathes before leaving on vacation, but that didn't stop me from drying the final plants and guess what this happy camper got to bring home with her for Christmas?

A MORTAR and PESTLE!

That's right! My dad bought me that gorgeous little stone there that says very sweetly, 'Bless this Garden.' I was very wobbly eyed when I received it because as we all know this little hobby of mine really matters to me and it makes my heart light up to see that others notice that as well. The mortar and pestle were a gift from my grandma Judy. Who let me get it while we discovered a quaint little cooking store at the mall in Bradenton. Its small and perfectly fits in my hands. And that's right you know what I made with it? I made Christmas presents!

Sure I can't buy things since we all know that aside from being rather frugal I am also about to lose my job and can't really afford gifts, but! I can make gifts. I took that little pestle and ground up that basil and mixed it with my mom's favorite generic tea blend and repackaged it for gifting to whomever it fits best. As we are playing secret santa this year I have to be careful who I gift to because I don't want to seem unfair. I think my person will enjoy them though... I hope. Speaking of gifts though!

I am sending Dad the basil oil. I made it and now it has someone who will appreciate it. He was very excited when I mentioned it because he likes to cook. One of the best cooks I've known actually, so I am gifting him a bottle. Bottle two went to friend Josh, as he now eats only organic foods and thought it was super cool. At least I hope he thought so... Bottle three is going to my sister. We all knew that was coming though right? The culinary queen should certainly have a bottle. So that covers that.

Now as for this tea, I'm hoping that I did it right, but I'm pretty certain that I did. I first, slowly took apart a tea bag and emptied it's contents. Afterward I used a teaspoon scooper to figure out how much was in there and replaced it 2/3 with basil and 1/3 with the original blend, so its still tea like of course. The next kind of basil I grow (hopefully a bigger variety), I'll try mixing with chamomile and that might give it a nice blend. All I know is it smells amazing!

That's it for now on the gardening end of things,
I'll update you all later with the outcome!

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The Gardening Bunny.