Harvesting Dill

My garden no longer exists.
It is barren.
It has been plumaged by DH.
Nearly everything is pulled up and roots and plants are no longer there.
All the tomato plants are gone, all the squash plants are gone, all the onions are gone, and all the other stuff is gone.
The only thing left was a few scraggly dill plants and some frozen marigolds.
And as of today, I plumaged them, too.

The dill has been laying on my patio table.

However, even that has changed.

I am harvesting the dill today out on my deck.  And while on my deck I have enjoyed rain, breeze, sunshine, heat on my back, wind, clouds, and the temperature dropping.

I need to back up.  I picked some of the dill several days ago.  It has been drying on the patio table.  It is ready to be harvested.  But, I also got more from my garden today.  As the weather is changing and today may be the last day I have to get it done.

So I was sitting outside, enjoying the quiet Halloween morning, and picking all of the dill seeds from the stems.  Also, cutting the dill leaves from the stems.

It is tedious wonderful work.  It smells heavenly dilly.  Or dilly heaven.... or really good.

The dill seeds were collected on a quarter cookie sheet.
So were the dill leaves.

The aroma was so fragrant and fresh.  I wish I could bottle that aroma to use as air freshener.  Then people would think I was cooking....(and by people, I mean, DH....he is a people ).  Then I would be a hero in his mind. Because he would think he would have something good to eat soon.

I collected all the little tiny dill seeds and put them in a spice jar and use them in soups and such all through the year.  They are great in salad dressings, marinates, and dips.  I just love dill.

The dill leaves are just as special.  I use them in the same type of things as I do the dill seeds.  I also use them when I cook fish.  Oh, the aroma and the flavor is mouth watering. And in dips they add beautiful green flecks of flavor.

I just took my fingers and slid them down the stem and the leaves were gathered into my hand.

It is so easy and quick.  All of the leaves were put on a cookie sheet, then I took my hands and rubbed the leaves to crumble them up, and put them in a spice bottle and labeled it "Dill Leaves".

Now, I have two more bottles of fresh herbs on my kitchen shelf.  They are labeled and shinning and fit right into the neighborhood of spices.  They are happy there. 

So, if you have a spare 2 foot spot in your yard, may I suggest you turn it into an herb garden.  You will love it!  And they don't require any work, just water.  It is so easy!

Happy Harvesting!

Love, Me.