Incidentally, the previous entry was supposed to look like a stigmatum. But I was so subtle, and obv none of you think I'm likely to be the second coming. Boo to you all.

I have just spent a tinily happy 3 minutes extracting basil seeds from some of the last remaining seed pods (they're not really pods, but I can't think of a better word) of my basil plant. I'm sad my plant is dying now - it's an annual, so that's it - but pleased to have collected over 100 little hard black seeds which I can plant at some unspecified time next spring and hope they grow into lovely, big, strong basil plants.

in January or so, I bought several pots of supermarket basil to make a pesto. I used it all up, apart from 4 tiny, runty stems which weren't even worth bothering with. So I deceided to leave them on my windowsill and see what would happen. Somehow, they grew! And grew, and grew, and grew - they ended up over two foot high and with TRUNKS. The gave me loads of leaves for my Italian dishes, and as much pleasure as I could get without actually spawning.

And now the cycle of life is complteing itself. I shall be sad to see an empty space on top of my coffee maker. But excited at the thought of new life, and all thanks to me!