Savour . . . a Greek basil tree

While shopping for white iceberg rose trees at Armstrong Nursery a few weeks ago, I discovered Savours, also known as Greek Basil trees.

Have you heard of, or seen, them?

I am in love with mine. In love.

Their bright and beautiful small, tender leaves are a fragrant lemony basil scent . . . and the tree is shaped into a lush ball atop a slender trunk.

 

It's not only beautiful to look at, but it smells amazing, too!

I put one on the table behind the sofa in our family room . . . close to where I sit and watch TV. Oh my goodness, talk about a heavenly scent. My mind runs wild with thoughts of all the amazing light Summer pasta dishes that I plan on making and dressing up with these small, tender, fragrant leaves.

I added to them my Yellow Squash and Parmesan Frittata with garden tomatoes and fresh herbs earlier in the week . . . and they added the perfect finishing touch to this dish.

The Savour website describes them beautifully . . . 

Savour looks like a little tree—a tasty topiary that is green and bountiful all year long.

Unlike ordinary basils, Savour never stops flourishing, 

so you can grow it in the garden or on the patio in the summer, 

and move it inside to the windowsill in winter.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

A Greek-type, gourmet basil, Savour's hardiness and unique shape 

are due to grafting great culinary basil onto the root system of a wild variety. 

Rich and robust, Savour will fill your kitchen with mouth-watering smells 

and your dishes with abundant flavor.

diy ~ aging clay pots with paint

I love unique garden treasures like this one. 

I hope you're lucky enough to find a Greek basil tree at a nursery near you, and treat yourself to one.

Do you have a new or favorite garden treasure?

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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home-made blueberry syrup

I was inspired to make this simple blueberry syrup after watching an episode of one of my new favorite cooking shows on the Food Network, called Farmhouse Rules. Nancy, the show's host, made a Blueberry Maple Syrup, which was even faster and easier to make than mine. 

Her recipe reminded me of one that I've made for several years now, and I thought I would share it with you. It's ingredients and preparation remind me of making jam, like here; except with blueberries instead of strawberries.

I typically make it in the Spring and Summer, and serve it on top of ice cream and home-made buttermilk pancakes & waffles. 

It's a wonderful syrup to have in your fridge for those evenings when friends stop by to relax and enjoy lingering Summer sunsets with you. 

It is during warm Spring and Summer months that keeping a gallon of quality Vanilla Bean ice cream in your freezer is a great idea . . . because serving a scoop of creamy, vanilla ice cream with warm blueberry syrup is a simple, yet delicious, dessert. 

I just love simple desserts, don't you?

Blueberry Syrup also pairs well with

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

butter toasted pound cake

sweet rolls

biscuits

pancakes & waffles

scones

ice cream

a filling for lemon cupcakes 

muffins

lemon bundt cake

blueberry syrup

 .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 .     .     .     .     .     .     .     . 

Wash and crush blueberries. 

Add sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well. 

In a small saucepan, bring blueberry mixture to a boil.

Boil for about 1-2  minutes, or until it slightly thickens. 

Remove from heat and add vanilla. 

Chill or serve warm

Enjoy!

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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diy . . . aging clay pots with paint

I adore the look of aged terra cotta pots.

I have a small collection of them that I've gathered over the years from one of my favorite shoppes that my mom, sister, and I visit every year on our annual trip to Solvang.

I buy them from a charming garden and gift shoppe that's nestled in the beautiful historic town of Los Olivos, California . . . J. Woeste.

design sponge

I bought this lemon cypress (and pots) there last November. If you follow me, then you probably recognize it from my December and January posts. Since buying it, I've transplanted it into a larger, taller aged terra cotta pot . . . and it's doing well. I think it's grown about 3-inches since last November.

I recently discovered (and purchased) a Greek Basil Topiary tree. I'm over-the-top in love with it . . . and knew that I needed to find a beautifully aged pot for it. A large one, that is.

Although I have several aged pots, they're all on the smaller side . . . and I've had a hard time finding larger aged ones, locally. So, I thought I would try 'aging' one myself, using chalkboard paint.

I fell in love with this clay pot for it's curved rim, stepped sides, and tapered bottom. It's quite pretty.

Disclaimer . . . I didn't research, or study, any diy tutorials for this . . . I just looked at my aged pots . . . and then gave it a go myself.

After I decided what colors I wanted to use, I stopped by my local craft store and bought all the supplies I needed for less than $5!

Supplies

.     .     .    .     .

brush

sponge

chalkboard paint
*I bought grey and taupe.

.     .     .    .     .

Ok, here's where I'm not too great on diy tutorials.

Let me explain my thinking here . . . 

Painting is an art. It's free form, and everyone interprets it differently. 

Even if I gave you a step-by-step-by-step-by-step on how to age a clay pot using paint, yours is still going to look different than mine . . . and it should.

So in this 'diy tutorial' I'll share why I chose to use chalkboard paint, and what kinds of finishes using a paint brush and sponge make on clay pots. 

I hope that my photos and diy help you 'age' your clay pots just how YOU envision them.  

And my best advice . . . have fun with it! There's no right or wrong here.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Ok, let's start . . .
I chose to use chalkboard paint for its versatility and matte finish, which I really like.

I mixed equal amounts grey and taupe to make the color seen below.  

If you like a 'mossy' finish, then you might want to add green paint to your mix.

The texture seen in this photo was made by using a paint brush, 

and then I used the sponge to 'feather out' the edges to make it look more smooth and natural.

I used a sponge to create this appearance and texture.

Using a sponge is a great way to add more paint, giving it a more rich, 'calcified' look.

Here is a photo of the paint brush AND sponge technique 'feathered out' and dry.

Using a sponge, I added white paint to create brighter, 'calcified' looking areas to the pot.

'Feather out' the white paint using the sponge for a more natural look.

 

I hope this diy gives you the confidence to try 'aging' your clay pots.

Since painting mine, I've already seen changes in the colors . . . making it look even more natural.

I love simple and fun diy's like this one!

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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peonies in the early morning light

I tip-toe downstairs every morning around 6 o'clock so that I can capture a quiet moment before my little ones wake up.

I take this time to enjoy my favorite time of the day . . . morning.  

I often open the door to our patio to let in the cool morning air . . . and listen to the birds. 

This is when I plan my day, reflect, and often pray.

I don't usually take photos in the morning, but my peonies looked as if they were glowing . . . and I couldn't resist snapping a few photos of them in the early morning light.

They're truly an incredibly feminine and beautiful flower. 

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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pink tulips and celebrating May

It's still Spring, friends!

If you live in Southern California then you might be questioning that statement . . . and I don't blame you.

Our recent temperatures in the high 90s and 100s left me wondering if I somehow missed the first day of Summer. So I looked at my calendar . . . and discovered that Summer doesn't officially begin until Saturday, June 21st!

~ DIY moss wreath ~

Although our temperatures might be reflective of hot Summer days, my heart is still celebrating Spring. 

So when I found these gorgeous hot pink tulips, I fell in love.

Their bright, vibrant hue feels like Spring at its height of beauty. 

I hope you're taking time to enjoy the last few weeks of Spring, too.

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

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