Reflections on 2016

The year is coming to an end, and it’s a good time to reflect on all the activities and lessons learned in 2016. Here at Eden By The Bay we had a great time delving into plant procreation, learning about the seed-to-seed life cycle processes, and cloning plants through cuttings, division, and runners. We learned more about gardening innovations that followed the Landscape Movement, visited gardens and nature in the San Francisco Bay Area, and enjoyed the rain that brought relief from our drought!

Filoli Garden	Seasonal change
Planting from seed	Japanese Tea Garden

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In our spare time, we read books, went to the movies, had fun with a digital microscope, and enjoyed the blossoms and fall colors of our subtle Bay Area seasons. We took our annual trip to the desert in Southern California to see tenacious blossoms despite the ongoing drought, travelled vicariously to Mediterranean climates of the world with Monty Don, and learned about native plants and the importance of legacy trees. My husband and I made several trips to the Pacific Northwest to visit our son and daughter-in-law, and to experience its gardens and natural places. Looking back, it was a great year in the garden!

Christmas in Seattle

Greetings from the Emerald City, where we are celebrating Christmas with our son and daughter-in-law in their new home, and staying as guests in the Quisenbnb! Their place is modern and sleek and full of promise, just like they are (my husband and I feel invigorated in their presence)! They have worked hard over the past few months to put their unique and artistic stamp on their home, reflecting who they are, and providing both sanctuary and a welcoming atmosphere. Here we pass the torch to the next generation – enjoying family traditions passed down through the years, and starting new ones.

Hand crafted Christmas decoration by EJ

The house is decorated, the tree is trimmed, and the stockings are hung. Sweet and savory aromas waft from the kitchen, and the holiday music collection ranges from sacred to contemporary to jazzy. Gifts are appearing under the tree (more are being wrapped in other rooms—you can hear the crinkling paper and barked orders - “don’t come in”!). Hot chocolate and egg nog are on the menu, as well as pie and molasses cookies. A puzzle, games, and Netflix have been discussed as possible activities, along with outings to Alki Beach Park, the Seattle Museum of Art, and the Space Needle.

Robot sighting in the Snow Village

At the heart of all the activity and traditions is love. Love for family, friends, and Emanuel (God with us); and gratitude for our many blessings. We take a temporary pause from busy lives, work schedules, trials and victories to enjoy the season.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Holiday Cooking – Rosemary

This month I have been exploring several familiar Mediterranean herbs, which are used in savory holiday cuisine. I’m using J.O. Swahn’s The Lore of Spices for information, and today I’m learning about the aromatic herb rosemary.

Rosmarinus officinalis is in the Lamiaceae family (mint family). Rosemary originated in the Mediterranean and Asia, and has a long history of uses from symbolic, to medicinal, to culinary. Per Swahn, rosemary was named by Pliny the historian, to indicate that it grows close to the sea shore (ros for foam, and mare for the sea spray). During ancient times, rosemary had a religious role, and was used to strengthen memory and elicit fertility in the next life.

Caption: Botanical illustration of Rosmarinus officinalis L. from Koehler's Medicinal Plants.
Published before 1923 and in public domain in the United States.

In Medieval and Renaissance times, rosemary was used as a medicine, and possibly to cover up the saltiness of preserved meats. In the 17^th century, rosemary was used to flavor pork, lamb, game, and boiled potatoes. We continue to flavor food with rosemary in modern times; to extract its oils for use in perfumes, candles, and incense; and to include it as a drought tolerant plant in the landscape.

Rosemary grows as an evergreen shrub to 2-4 feet (.6-1.2 meters) high. Stems are woody, and mostly square in cross section; young branches are pubescent, turning to woody with age. Leaves are simple, opposite, leathery, linear, ½-1 ½ inches long, somewhat rounded at the tip (obtuse), generally rounded downward to the underside of the leaf (revolute), and woolly (tomentose) beneath. Flowers grow in tiny clusters (verticillasters) along the stem, and are pale blue, and rarely pink or white. The calyx grows as a bell (campanulate), with the corolla about three times as long as the calyx to 5/16 inches long. Two-lipped, with the upper lip entire, and the lower lip 2-lobed.