I'm cooking spaghetti for dinner tonight and I love to make it from scratch.  Among the many spices and herbs I use in my spaghetti sauce is rosemary.  I have an assortment of dried herbs that I also use in my sauce, but I prefer using fresh cut rosemary when I have it growing in my yard.  It's fragrance is almost intoxicating when you cut it, clean it and begin chopping it to add to the sauce.

I have only had fresh growing rosemary here at the Farm since June when I was able to buy two well established nursery plants and they are already beginning to jump with vigorous growth........but let me give you a little background on why I have such adoration for this versatile and historical plant:

My grandmother, Sara, always loved to grow her own culinary herbs in her little backyard garden.  So when I moved into my first house as an adult, I, of course, began growing my own little herb garden as well.  I unknowingly planted my one little "twig" of rosemary on the south side of our house and right under the chimney hamper.  I basically ignored it, never fertilized it, only cut it when cooking and had the need for it.  It was the most magnificent shrub in our yard!  It was huge and the growth was so aggressive, we literally had to prune it like a hedge!

During this time, I purchased a great reference book on herbs: Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs among a few others.  After doing some reading and researching on a few of my favorite herbs, I was enamored with some of the folklore associated with these botanicals as well.  I could not wait to announce to my husband (a.k.a. "the Gladiator") all that I had learned ~ most especially about my beloved evergreen herb rosemary.  It seems that legend tells,

"Where rosemary thrives, the woman rules the roost."

You can only imagine my horror in the days that followed when I discovered that my rosemary bush had somehow been mysteriously "cut back"..........um, to the ground.  I gently inquired of the Gladiator if he knew anything about the present state of my shrub and he replied that he "thought it needed some pruning...."  "Some?!" was my response.  I also supplied some additional opin's, but I'll suffice to say that nature took its course and the rosemary returned its bounty about three-fold!  I couldn't wait to thank my beloved Gladiator for being so kind and helping to ensure the health and bountiful growth of my rosemary.....(tongue in cheek).

Fast forward to our move..............I hated to leave my beautiful rosemary behind but knew that I would plant some more in time.  The Gladiator stated that he was glad to be getting away from "the shrub that would not die"..........

When this past June arrived and we were able to finally buy some shrubs and outdoor plants for landscaping, I was so excited when I happened upon some beautiful pots of well established rosemary.  I have planted them at the corners of my front porch ~ that faces South no less.  The Gladiator made no comment but just glares at my little plants when he passes them.

My new rosemary plants must be happy with the locations where I planted them as they are putting forth new growth and beginning to spread.  Tonight's spaghetti dinner is my first opportunity to cut fresh sprigs to clean and add to my sauce.  I couldn't help but smile while cutting, cleaning and preparing my family's meal all the while hearing that little saying circling in my head, "Where rosemary thrives, the woman rules the roost.  Where rosemary thrives, the woman rules the roost.  Where rosemary thrives.........."

hkj

South of the Gnat Line

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