NH born and NH bred

Michael and I are just back from a trip to NH; we're both from there. There was plenty of family visiting on both sides, but the highlight was seeing Greg (my cousin Peter's son), back from his second tour of duty in Iraq. He's decided not to re-enlist and we're all so, so happy about that. He's got a few more months before his enlistment is up but at least now he's out of harms' way.

When you're from NH, there are some nice ways to eat locally. Saturday night the MacDonald clan (Mike's side of the family) gathered in Rye to feast on steamers and lobster. I laughed out loud when Don (the chef) said we could each have two! Seriously fresh off the boat, plentiful, and delicious.

My mother's birthday is next month. Every year I agonize: what does she not have that she really wants? This year she was explicit: she wanted a window box herb garden, like I described in my book. So I ordered a self-watering container from Gardeners Supply and hung it over the back fence, just outside the kitchen door. As we planted I convinced Mum to pose for me. And now she'll have basil, thyme, fennel, rosemary, parsley, and dill all sumer long.