Lazy is my middle name

So ...last night there was a frost warning.
I could have done many things....but I chose to do the easiest available thing.
On tuesday we had a snow warning, so on tuesday I threw the g'kids plastic circle form swimming pool thing over the herbs, and lids of three plastic storage tubs were leaned against the beets that are planted against the garage.  For some reason I didn't think to drape a plastic sheet up against the same garage to protect the scarlet runners...duhhhhh
So Tuesday's snow warning actually materialized, hahaha if you can call it a snow warning. I figured when I peeked under the swimming pool and saw all my basil stilll healthy and the beets and the uncovered beans still standing up.  I thought, "cool" whew that was close. And promptly forgot (or didn't head the actual frost warning the next night). So this morning I had places to go, things to do ....and as I uncovered stuff to water them, I noticed the "death of all living things"...and cried a little tear for all the lost basil that was destined for pesto.  (and I had many plants that were just amazing covered with leaves, large leaf or leaf lettuce variety). I  knew I should have picked it, ohhhhh the pain. The heart...stopping....pain of no fresh pesto for the freezer or jars. Curses to the lazy.

Isn't that just the most heart breaking thing to have to look at? I didn't even bother to look at the lettuce leaf variety, it would have killed me for sure. This is just one plant. There are six others that look worse.

My only salvation is that the tarragon and italian parsley, dill and mint survived. And are currently soaking in the sink waiting to go through the salad spinner and then the oven on real low for drying.  But why ohhhh why just the basil. Everything else in the bunch survived.

I promised beet tops to my step daughter for some beet top-stuffed-with-guinoa-concoction for her contribution for ths'giving dinner this weekend. And the tops, even though they were covered - didn't survive either.

So I called my mother....cause she plants both. And lives in B.C., and is coming this way for thanksgiving. But she had frost tooooo. But because she isn't "lazy" and she is "on-the-ball" when it comes to frost warnings. She ripped out all the basil plants and they are currently all over her house in vases (why didn't I think of that......stupid, stupid...lazy) and she threw plastic and blankets over the beets...hmmm apparently plastic isn't so great as a cover for frost...who knew. 

So crisis averted and now there will be beet tops and lots of basil for this weekend.  I don't really know why she even plants basil. She always turns her nose up as pesto. I think she just plants the multiple varieties just to bug the crap out of me and my sister, cause she ALWAYS has a bumper crop and supplies us with bags and bags and bags of leaves. Cause she can plant ANYTHING and it grows with profusion. 

But alas....my scarlet runners beans didn't make it either....

Every year I plant them up against the garage on an old trellis, that I have no idea what it was ever used for originally, but scarlet runners seem to like it there up against the garage.  There isn't much sunlight, but the garage wall prob incubates the heat somewhat.  I planted only one envelope of them, cause at the time - they just were too pricey for what you got. Thinking back on that day, I'm somewhat stupid, and cheap, cause they just produced and produced and produced.  Towards the end of the season I would get a handful everyday and within three days there was enough for a meal for two bean lovers to enjoy. But just before the....end. I was watching a Lydia Bastianich segment on pvr and she was cooking a linguine and pesto and bean dish that I thought....hmm "i have spaghettinni (hate linguine) and I have pesto and a handful of beans. So off to the kitchen I went and we both slurped up the dish and couldn't wait for the next offering of beans.......
well so much for that.
Well my break is over...I have relatives coming.  So I am cleaning, scrubbing, rearranging stuff. And I even toke the paint I bought eons ago - to touch up that stupid ass wall - to home depot to get them to shake the shit out of it. Thanks god the actual dinner isn't at my house.  Just the turkey and stuffing and beet top thing willl be cooked and transported.  But It seems I have the most available room for actual BODIES and their luggage and their spouses and boyfriends and my mother. I hope everyone brings enough booze for the prep.
Oh dear....I should start the cranberries .........to get that out of the way

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...ONE AND ALL