1. I Brought the Book Back 2. Bay Leaves

On its due date. I just sucked it up and did it. It was a cool, blustery day, but I decided to have a nice time, and I simply gave the book back on the day it was due and that I agreed to when it was checked out. End of story; thanks for the comments.

Something fun happened on the way back to the ferry, though. I had 25 minutes before the ferry was to leave, so when I spotted a sign for a small nursery around a corner I hurried over there, hoping to find a little something to commemorate my trip.

What I hoped to find was a small bay tree (Laurus nobilis). I had seen one about 15 years ago at a nursery that no longer exists at Pike Place Market. I still kick myself for not buying it--it was a small house plant and I have looked for one ever since.

I asked the nursery man out back if he had such a thing, but he didn't. He said he had a huge bay tree even farther out back that he would cut me a few branches from. He said he strips off the nicest leaves and rinses them, pats them dry, and freezes them. I declined, but he pressed me. "I have the clippers right here, let me just go cut you some." I couldn't help but change my mind, and I finished my walk to the ferry the proud owner of 3 small branches full of bay leaves. They smelled really good.

When I got home I stripped the leaves from their branches, discarded the blemished ones, and put them in the freezer. [I used one tonight in our soup, it was the best ever.] Then I had an idea. What if I could make little bay trees like the one at Pike Place out of the branches?? I am having great luck propagating some kiwis, grapes, and red twig dogwood from branches, why not this?

So now, all over the yard, sort of, I have mini bay hopefuls popping out of the ground. All this fun as a result of returning my library book on time!

Thank you desertorganics.com for the photo.