What else is going on around here…

Last week I showed a little of what is going on in the back field, not to leave any leaf unturned, here is a glimpse of what is coming up in the front garden.  We have a house full of peppers (up above) that are not quite ready, but there are signs of promise that it should only be a few more weeks.  Just look at this Shishito pepper below.  I am not a fan of spicy foods, but I do love roasted Shishitos.

The basil house is just as fragrant and vibrant as always.  I have a large Mason jar filled with basil on my kitchen counter right now.  Basil can last a long time like this.  Just keep it filled with fresh water, near a little sunlight, and trim the ends every few days and your basil will keep fresh for quite awhile.  Whatever you do, do not put it in the refrigerator.  Basil is not a fan of being too cool and that is the quickest way to turn the leaves black.  And why do that when there is pesto to be made, or caprese salads with a little hand-pulled mozzarella from the Guerilla Gourmet at the Scottsdale market.

We have herbs aplenty in the front garden too.  The smell as good as they look.  Isn’t that sage pretty?

Marsha also has roses in all colors in bloom near the house.  Somehow they find there way into the office from time to time.  We don’t sell roses, but they were too pretty not to share on here.

I love wandering around here with my camera.  There is always something interesting and beautiful to capture, and every now and then, if I’m lucky, I run into this guy.  There are a lot of farm cats around here.  They are our organic solution to keeping rodents and pests away and they do an superb job.  But of all the cats, Mr. May is unlike any of them, in fact, I don’t think he really knows that he is a cat.

Mr. May decided when he was a kitten that Bob and Aidan are his people and that he has no use for the rest of us.  To this day he only comes out hiding only when he hears me pull in with Aidan or when he sees Bob outside.  He loves to hop on the golf carts with Bob or follow Aidan while he is on his bike.  Mr. May refuses to live or be near the other cats, preferring to keep a secret lair somewhere in the citrus orchard that Aidan can not find despite his best efforts. When he does show up, the other cats all defer, although they don’t really have a choice.  Aidan loves Mr. May stories, since there is always something to tell.  He has become a mythical creature of sorts around here.  He is stubborn and ornery and has a propensity to torment the dogs and once went a little too far in teasing a hawk.  He should be completely unlovable, but somehow he has become our favorite.

Although, knowing Mr. May, he would really hate that.