Scented Hands

I love caressing the herbs in my high rise herb garden of sorts.

I just turned my rosemary pot so that the entire plant gets under the sun at some time. The plant does not get much sun and I do what I can to keep the plant from looking etiolated. And as I turned the pot, I check the shoots and notice that I am getting new branches! New growth. That makes me very happy. And then I notice my hands are scented with the oils left behind by the plant when I spread the branches. So heavenly.

The same happened when I turned my basil pot recently. My hands are scented with sweet basil fragrance. In fact, my pot of mint does the same to my hands when I pick up the stalks that have fallen over when I water the plant. And the curry leaves do the same too!

Little joys from what you grow can raise your spirits and make you happy. Sure, I could get a burner of rosemary essential oil and let the whole house smell like the oven baking a slab of meat seasoned with rosemary salt but it just feels different when it's just over your hands. I think the intimacy of it all makes all the difference.

Small wonder then that my housemate is also trying to green his fingers by caressing the herbs. They've held up well; I guess they'll be fine, as long as he doesn't try to re-pot them. The latest I've learnt is to spend a little more money and get the organic vegetables farm folks to re-pot your herbs before you bring them home. Success and growth guaranteed.