Hello Rosemary!

It gives me a significant amount of JOY to think that something (anything!) could be alive and growing on my kitchen counter-top in January.  It's Rosemary!  In past years, I've brought Rosemary into the house when it got cold, and she quickly shriveled up and dried died!  Last year, she was totally forgotten outside -- in the mildness of our 2012 NEOhio winter.  She survived.

This year, I gathered up my Gram's old speckle-ware soup kettle that holds that same surviving Rosemary plant, and brought it in the house before the chill of winter could get to her.  She has been perched in several spots around the kitchen, and watered, but not really evaluated -- until one day, my hubby said, "There's all kinds of new growth on this Rosemary!"  Huh, wha...?

I moved her over to the counter to get a better look -- and it's true!

The normal tough, spikey leaves have (in their newest growth) kind of gone out of control in tender, wispy, crazy curls!  Then it occurred to me that before Christmas I gave her a hair-cut.  You know -- just a little trim that I hoped would have her looking miniature Christmas-tree-ish.  It was kind of a fail.  But -- I'm thinking that's what encouraged the new growth.

Actually, I just gave it another "haircut," and made Honey-Lemon Chicken with Rosemary -- one of our favorites!

I'm lovin' having the Rosemary around! It's great to have it up on the counter where it gets brushed up against as we cook and do dishes!  Oh the fragrance!

Rosemary.  The fragrance of JANUARY.  Who knew?