China Mom / Web 2012 / Spring shopping

Apr 20, 201204:45 PMChina Mom

Spring shopping

Last weekend, my sweet husband wanted to make a “quick trip” to the Brookside Herb Festival. All he wanted to do was pick up a particular kind of tomato plant our daughter loves and we can grow in our garden and actually eat before the birds and squirrels do.

But our daughter had other plans. She wanted to “shop and maybe get something to eat.” I guess she thought the Herb Festival was Utica Square.

I really can’t blame her. Since she was a tiny baby in a stroller we’ve made an annual pilgrimage to the various herb festivals in the area. We shop for new plants and herbs for our garden. And yes, we often get something to eat.

And our favorite – the Sand Springs Herbal Affair – is tomorrow, April 21. We can’t wait. We’re such gardening nerds that I actually mark my calendar so we don’t miss it. In fact, I’ve been sick this week and am kinda worried that I might not feel up to going tomorrow. Around our house, that would be like missing a big holiday. The good news is, there’s always the Jenks Herb & Plant Festival next weekend on April 28 with plenty of plants, herbs and opportunities to shop and eat.

We have a pretty good herb garden going - I like to call it a garden for the senses. Of course there's smell and taste, but we have lamb's ears which are velvety soft to the touch. And did you know that you can break them open and taste them? They taste like apple! You should try it sometime. And of course, the herb garden is great to look at. That is...it was great to look at. The Summer of 2011 claimed several plants so now it's lacking in the "sight" department.

This year, Piper wants to attract more butterflies to our backyard, so in addition to "replacement parts," we'll be on the lookout for herbs - and plants - that look pretty, smell nice and bring in the butterflies. Between those and the tomatoes, it's really going to be a garden paradise, right?

That is...until July. Or maybe June if this summer is like last summer. My spring optimism wilts quicker than my garden once the temperatures rise.

My attitude - like our tomatoes and the local herb festivals - are truly an annual family tradition.