My herb garden totally collapsed two years ago.  Last year, it was unusable and I grew some herbs in pots but had less than ever since I moved here.  I begged Woody to build me a new herb garden and he did. It was very difficult and took him close to a month, but it’s now much better, with more room and far easier and more pleasant to work in.  I had to buy many new herbs, as I had lost almost everything when the old bed collapsed and last year, when I had no place to put her herbs. I’m still adding to it – this morning, put in marjoram, tarragon and lemon verbena.  I just have to figure out where to put chervil seeds and the herb bed will be complete.  I’m delighted.

I missed posting a blog last week as we were hosting a Derby Party and I was cooking for it.  I made six dishes and several guests brought dishes also.  We had a great time.  Woody makes great mint julips.  Shaman and Schwartzie had a good time; Willow hid.

I  have been making good progress on what I hope will be the last draft of THE HOUR OF MY DEATH before I show it to my agent.  I want to get done by the end of June.  I have also, of course, been writing a couple of poems each week.

This week I was coughing still, convulsively day and night which made me uncomfortable a lot of the time and sapped energy.  It seems as if last night some kind of miracle occurred around two a.m.  I suddenly stopped the convulsive coughing.  I hope it lasts!  So far, so good.  I’m nervous and when I cough even once, I freeze and worry.  It knocked me out ever since I caught pneumonia and then through the long recovery. 

My garden is producing lettuce for our supper salads.  I put in seeds of arugula, garden cress and red mustard this week and they are up along with a scattering of radishes.  I planted shallots next to the arugula, etc.  The inner two raised beds will hold paste tomatoes I started inside weeks ago.  They are in the greenhouse doing reasonably well.  It remains cool. We had one warm day and one only. 

An overcast has kept us from viewing the Aurora Borealis.  I have seen the lights twice, once as a child and once as an adult on a gig.  Both times, I saw them from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  A lot of people I know use their later years to travel.  I  traveled so much, so constantly for 65 years of my life that I have little zest for it now. It’s a big deal to consider going to Boston, as we used to do regularly.  As the world burns, I take pleasure in small homely things, like being with Woody, my cats, the gardens, friends, books, music, programs I enjoy like Jeopardy in all its forms.  Cooking, occasionally entertaining, going to the Ocean or Bay to contemplate.  I’m beginning to meditate a little more than I could.