These are California bay leaves from a small container tree on my patio. For years, my husband’s grandmother, who lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, kept me well supplied. Between visits, she’d mail me small envelopes of them from her large bay tree which provided ample front yard shade.

In our mild climate we can grow many herbs year round. A few like basil prefer the warm months, but I usually have thyme, rosemary and sage steps from the kitchen. Parsley, dill and oregano come and go with the seasons. Other shrubby favorites are lemon verbena and culinary lavender.

This is a day’s harvest of Emerite pole beans from the four foot row. I plant them thickly.

What we didn’t eat or share, I froze for the winter. Last year’s frozen green beans held well—almost like freshly cooked. With such abundance I’m always willing to try new recipes to use them.

We pick several zucchini every day and usually can find takers. Cucumbers are just coming in. Our son, Tim was in San Diego today for a short visit so we met up and handed over veggies, a few nectaplums, jam and frozen fruit.

We await the corn, tomatoes and bell peppers. Sunny days would help us out but unfortunately, overcast and humidity from tropical storms off Mexico slow these crops.

Today’s bouquet says summer for me—rudbeckia, alstroemeria, abutilon and yarrow. Greens are from a neighbor’s olive tree and westringia.

Check the What I’m Planting Now page as I begin soon to sow seeds for the cool season garden. Head today to Harvest Monday, hosted by Dave at Happy Acres blog and see what garden bloggers around the world harvested last week.

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