Buds and Blooms

This morning started with a tummy ache and thankfully it was solved by crushing some of my dried basil. Its smells filled the air so beautifully and wonderful that I was solved of my stomach ache and went outside to tend my plants between the football plays. Upon going out there, I did two things! First checked for my mantis, and to see if she's chosen her place to make an egg case (she's very good at hiding mind you), and then checked the plants for buds. I was pleased to find!

Emma's marigolds have produced buds and are ready to make flowers. These flowers started in a Vacation Bible School in Sycamore, where they were teaching the kids what plants grow in. If they could plant in sand, dirt, or rocks. Very interesting. Anyway they planted several plants inside paper cups, marigolds, basil, and carrots, as well as pole bean in a plastic bottle. The bean didn't come up, but everything else did and the marigolds are ready to sprout after 2 and a half months. Exciting!

Also after some thinking about it, I let one of my basil plants make its flowers so that I can harvest it again next year and make a bushier plant by only harvesting from the plants that are bushy. They look very nice and smells better. I have a full jar of dry basil now. I am flattening a branch it as well between the pages of my heaviest book. I would love to make some shampoo however. That would be really nice. I just really love basil. I used the microwave to make them as crispy as I could. First time using that method!

On top of that! Our strawberry plants are getting much heartier and I'm glad to say their stems are very strong now! They look extremely good. I'm very proud of them.