And so. The thing that has happened.

We went to the garden centre last weekend and picked up some containers, some highly frustrating railing clamps (which were only installed through maximum patience and ingenuity, as well as some rags and tie wraps), potting soil, fertilizer, a potted norfolk pine, and chives, rosemary, lemon thyme, mint, basil, and parsley!  Here is Ben performing almost the inaugeral herb harvesting (I had sneaked a few while doing my dawn back exercises in the preceeding days).

Sarah's superior knowledge of plants is making me freak out: Norfolk pines don't like to be touched (how do they feel about a loud and anxious kitty rubbing and biting them?) basil doesn't like temperature changes, it is easy to overwater rosemary, etc.   Fortunately, accidentally killing herbs through neglect is not punished with jail time in this country.

Bonus: our other child substitute, doing something cute with a bowl of mints: