Friday, July 19, 2013

Simple Pleasures: Baby Basil and Blue Chicory

It's been blazingly hot and humid all week.

How hot and humid? Well, I planted some basil seed and it sprouted in TWO DAYS:


(I already have 6 full-grown basil plants, but they are Not Enough.)

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Spotted on yesterday morning's (hot and humid) ride:


Wild chicory - the essence of summer. What other flower has such elegantly nautical-looking stamens, striped in cool blue and white? Just looking at them makes me happy.

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What's making you happy today?

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Posted by Mrs. Micawber
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27 comments:

  1. SandraJuly 19, 2013 at 10:49 PM

    I love the basil seeds coming up in record time! I love wild chicory too, though ours don't look quite the same as yours, the blue is different or maybe you've processed this one?
    The flowers in my balcony garden make me happy everyday, except when I get black bugs in my gorgeous Nasturtiums and I had to pull all the beautiful plants out. Wish I knew how to control those black bugs. Have a great weekend.

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:40 PM

      Thank you, Sandra. I did process the chicory photo - cranked up the "Boost" which make the colours more intense. In reality it's more of a periwinkle, or lavender-blue shade.

      Good luck with the black bugs - they sound dreadful.

      Delete
  2. PalkóJuly 19, 2013 at 11:29 PM

    Hallo,
    this beautiful blue flower on your photo makes my happy too ... :)))
    Thanks! :)
    Palkó

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:40 PM

      So glad you enjoyed it! I hope you are having a good summer. :)

      Delete
  3. AstriJuly 20, 2013 at 2:04 AM

    There is nothing that makes me much happier than a blue flower! Is this the flower for the root that the folks in New Orleans use in their coffee? Mmmmmm...chicory coffee is good stuff...probably the reason I am up and blogging at 1:00 AM!

    Oh and basil, I envision a future pesto, perhaps? But, wait - you are nutmeg...can you grow nutmeg?

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:42 PM

      It is the very same flower ... but I have never dug any of the roots as I am too busy admiring the blossoms. :)

      I don't know if I can grow nutmeg - I believe it comes from a tropical tree and we are NOT tropical here. But pesto - of course! Why do you think I need more than 6 basil plants? ;)

      Delete
  4. BabajezaJuly 20, 2013 at 5:07 AM

    Whatever the day will bring me, it's good. :-) Have a nice weekend. Regula (My basil takes a vacation at the neighbours as long as I am gone .... )

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:42 PM

      I hope they don't eat it all while you are gone.... :)

      Thanks Regula!

      Delete
  5. MeredithJuly 20, 2013 at 7:59 AM

    The sky is cloudy and looks like rain, and I have much to do outside today, so at this very moment looking at your blog is making me happy as looking at the sky is not.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:43 PM

      Thanks Mere - I hope those cloudy skies have cleared up now. :)

      Delete
  6. LindaJuly 20, 2013 at 8:27 AM

    Don't know if my new camera and I will ever be able to take such beautiful photos as this blue flower! Wish I could send you my basil plants. They are blooming!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:43 PM

      Oh no - pinch them back! (Unless you like the blooms of course.) Once they bloom they stop producing leaves, which means no more pesto. :)

      Delete
  7. JenniferJuly 20, 2013 at 9:40 AM

    I bought Basil plants, planted them and they died. What's up with that? I love Basil but will be buying it at the market. Have a lovely weekend.

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:45 PM

      Condolences on your Basil - I don't know what killed them but I am sorry to hear of it. They like being in the ground, so if you potted them perhaps they just weren't happy?

      I hope you have a lovely weekend too! :)

      Delete
  8. andamentoJuly 20, 2013 at 4:29 PM

    The wild chicory flower looks very pretty. It's hot (for us!) here too though I expect it's not actually as hot as it is with you. We are enjoying the warm sunny weather, such a novelty for us.
    I apologise for my lack of comments recently. I've taken to reading many blogs on my phone and don't find it so easy to comment using that (I need to log-in somewhere/somehow, seems different to what I use on the computer!) Please know that I do read every one of your posts and always enjoy them. Congratulations on your recent published crochet pattern, and of course for your achievement in your Colorado sportives. Well done!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:49 PM

      Thanks Anne - I am way behind on blog-reading and commenting myself. But it is always good to hear from you, and I'm glad to hear you're enjoying a warm summer. :)

      Delete
  9. kathy bJuly 20, 2013 at 5:21 PM

    IM happy our weather is cooler. I even went for a walk. Happy my son had another interview for a teaching job.

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:50 PM

      Such a relief when the heat wave broke, wasn't it? Today (Tuesday) is actually in the 70s! :)

      Delete
  10. sueh617July 20, 2013 at 8:25 PM

    Thinking about big taco salad dinner tomorrow with kids and grandkids makes me happy. This heat (which is supposed to break soon) does not make me happy - too much indoor time! I've never seen blue chickory so I am also happy about seeing your photo. Thank you Sue.

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:51 PM

      Well, I did enhance the photo a bit - it's really more of a lavender-blue. Every so often I like to play with the photo editor.

      Hope you've cooled off now as we have! :)

      Delete
  11. Annie CholewaJuly 21, 2013 at 8:33 AM

    I am just returned from am indigo dyeing workshop ... and indigo is exactly what that chicory flower looks to have been dipped in!

    Hope it's cooler for you today :D

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:52 PM

      Thanks, Annie, it's wonderfully mild today. Indigo dyeing sounds like fun. :)

      Delete
  12. ellenJuly 21, 2013 at 3:06 PM

    What a beautiful flower. The color is magnificent.
    I just harvested a whole bag of basil the other day. The scent....heavenly.

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:52 PM

      I love the smell of basil - when I pick it I spend a few minutes sniffing it before doing anything else....

      Hope your weather is fine and your summer going well. :)

      Delete
  13. SnowcatcherJuly 22, 2013 at 1:06 PM

    I just planted more basil, too. I have some purple basil seeds, and some natural dyers use that kind of basil; but I don't know if I can bring myself to NOT use it in the kitchen menu!!!

    I keep seeing chicory all over along the highways, but still none in my yard yet, darn it! Love the post-processing on yours!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:53 PM

      Thanks Deb - the blossom itself was less than perfect so I felt justified in boosting the photo a bit to make it more interesting. :)

      I can't wait to hear if yours blooms!

      Delete
  14. Mrs. MicawberJuly 23, 2013 at 8:46 PM

    Thanks so much Lolly - I feel the same about your blog. Hope you're having a good summer in SoCal. :)

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