The geek in review

[pjthompson]

★ I have an herb garden and periodically I gather herbs to hang them from the rafters so they can dry and I can bottle them. I usually hang these in the entryway to the house because that's the lowest part of the ceiling and, well, it does make for some interesting conversations when guests come over. I hung some dill weed quite some time ago and I've been trying to remember to take the durned thing down and bottle it, but yanno: lax.

I felt something brush my hair last night and realized one sprig had detached itself from the bunch and was hanging way down. "I should do something about that," I said, and promptly forgot about it. I had the same experience this morning with the same results. When it happened again as I was rushing to get out of the house, I didn't even bother to look up at it—just hurried out the door.

When I got to work my colleague asked, "What's that in your hair?" Yes, that's right: it was that selfsame piece of a dried dill weed. That last snag had detached it and I wore it like a jaunty beret in my hair. I walked through the corporate lobby like that. ::sigh::

★ And speaking of hopeless geeks crying in the wilderness, I've begun submitting corrections to thinkexist.com's quote collection when I find their errors. Like they're going to pay any attention! At least they have a corrections form. So called brainyquote.com didn't. Nor did the quotationspage.com. I was, however, gratified to see that the quotationspage had gotten the quote I was correcting correct. I don't recommend any of these pages, btw. They all have a tendency towards misquotes and rarely have sources.

★ All week Min has been coming into the bedroom at about 3:30 a.m. to meow loudly and insistently until I wake up. Once she sees I'm conscious, she lays down on top of me and starts purring loudly, ready for sleep. It's as if she's saying, "Hey, did you know that you were asleep? Just wondered." Fortunately, I'm able to go right back to sleep or she would be a deceased kitty by this time.

★ I am not in Montreal this week. I will, however, be going to lovely seaside San Pedro tomorrow evening for a picnic and Shakespeare in the park (Point Fermin). We're going to see As You Like It. Last year when we did this it was great fun. Ann is bringing a wee bit of champagne because all three of us have something to celebrate this year.

★ Since I gave up writing for publication, the writing is going much better.

Comments

[darkspires.livejournal.com]

I am also not in Montreal. I am painting my kitchen, but I do have a herb garden and I would love to know how to dry and bottle stuff for winter.

Do you think that when you have finished writing the books that you have given up writing for publication that you might send them off anyway? I have spaces on my bookshelf that I have reserved for your works.

[purdypiedad.livejournal.com]

I used to have my own medicinal and cooking herb garden, which I dried the same way you do. I never made it to work with the dried herbs stuck in my hair, but I've done a great deal of housework with it there. :-)

[pjthompson]

Drying herbs is easy peasy, that's the cool thing. Just cut a bunch that are really fresh (and not going to seed) with enough stem that you can tie string around the end of the bunch, then hang them upside down (so the oils and whatever concentrate in the leaves) in a dry place out of direct sunlight. Rafters and such in kitchens are good, if you've got them. We don't, hence the entrance hall. They dry out in fairly short order, a few weeks. When the leaves crumble easily away from the stem, I usually crumble them on a paper towel (or whatever) and store them in these little glass herb jars I got at the store (and I reuse jars I bought herbs in, too). I suppose metal would be okay, too, but I tend to shy away from plastic.

As to the other, sure. Not writing for publication means it's not my focus, not that I'm not going to stop sending stuff out. :-) It gives me the psychological edge I need to enjoy writing again.

[pjthompson]

lol--my colleague said, "At first, I thought you had some elaborate braid," so maybe it wasn't as embarrassing as I was visualizing my walk through the lobby.

[darkspires.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I will try that. Although I think I will give a miss to using the product as a hair ornament. Grins. I have rafters in my basement that will do nicely.

I am also glad to hear that I may still anticipate a filling of my book shelves.

[pjthompson]

Is there good air circulation in the basement? The herbs need good air circulation, no place that's likely to get damp.

[darkspires.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, it isn't a glory hole. It is quite dry and I have two windows down there.

Starting to feel confident over this whole project. I have dill, marjoram, time, mint and sage. I dont suppose I could dry chives, could I?

[pjthompson]

Actually, I think I did dry chives one year to good results (but it's been some years now and the mind ain't what she used to be). I'd say it's worth a shot.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that no one mentioned the dill weed to you as you walked past... They must have been whispering, "That's the quote lady. She just... does stuff like that sometimes." ;-)

[pjthompson]

lol--I'm hoping it was because they didn't see it. But there are people who will let your walk around with your dressed tucked up in your pantyhose and not say anything, either...