One of my greatest passions

I have a couple of great loves in my life. Food and cooking are two of these. Recently we have started growing an herb garden, and lame as that sounds, there is something uniquely satisfying about using your own herbs on something you cook. We have some Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Chives, Cilantro, and Mint that are all doing well (for some reason my Rosemary plant died and I had to take some cuttings to restart one). Last Sunday we marinated some chicken for kebabs in some olive oil, red wine vinegar, some salt and pepper, and 1/4 cup of freshly cut herbs. Normally this would have been a little expensive to go out and buy these herbs, but now I can go out and just pick some from my back steps. (Clockwise from upper left: Basil, Thyme, Chives, Cilantro)
In addition to the culinary benefits there is something incredibly fulfilling about growing plants. You go out there, you water them, tend them a little, and you get to watch the grow. It's hard to describe, but it's like creating your own oasis, your refuge from the storm of life. Okay, that was a little too "cliche poetry", but it really is close to how I feel. For anyone interested, growing a little herb garden or just a little plant is very rewarding.