Mint

Year after year I have watched our mint explode into growth as summer pushes its way in. Quickly, it grows and spreads its roots over any unclaimed soil it can stretch far enough to reach. I love watching it take over. I love seeing a once rocky portion of the garden slowly becoming wrapped up in green. I love walking by it on the way to the rest of the garden, pulling off a sprig or two, holding it up to my nose and drinking in the sweet smell of mint. Sometimes I find the smallest leaves forming at the top, pluck them off and pop them in my mouth, rolling them around for a bit while I bend down to examine yet another patch of thistle creeping its way around the garden.

Every year I watch these patches of mint come in and then fade away as the cooler weather tightens its grip. This year I thought I might manage to hold on to summer just a little bit longer. And possibly, if I'm lucky, I could be drinking in that wonderful summer goodness all winter long with a stash of mint tea upon my shelf.

Owen and I started our tea harvesting as the weekend began. We snipped it, tied it, and hung it to dry. It is now resting in one of our closets filling the room with its delicious scent. I am so excited to see it filling some glass jars on the shelf all packed up and ready for winter. I hope Owen will be able to enjoy a warm cup too, even though it won't be quite the same as his very favorite Rotbusch tea. I think he could appreciate a little bit of our summer preserved while we sit in front of a fire sipping our tea watching the white snow fall over our once very green patch of mint. I'm certain I will enjoy it.