Old man mumble

　The species grow 1 to 12 metres (3 to 39 ft) tall, scrambling over other plants with their spiky thorns. They are evergreen where rainfall occurs all year, or deciduous if there is a dry season. The leaves are alternate, simple ovate-acuminate, 4–13 cm long and 2–6 cm broad. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colours associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow. Bougainvillea glabra is sometimes called "paper flower" because its bracts are thin and papery. The fruit is a narrow five-lobed achene.　ーWikipedia ー

　When giving too much fertilizer and water, the plant will grow abundant foliage with prominent thorns, and the flowers will hardly bloom. By regulating the amount of fertilizer and watering, you can achieve 2 to 3 blooming cycles in a year.

　Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are renowned for their large, showy flowers and those species are commonly known simply as "hibiscus", or less widely known as rose mallow. Other names include hardy hibiscus, rose of sharon, and tropical hibiscus. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

　It is one of the flowering trees that represents Okinawa, strong and fast growing and sturdy for the strong wind in Okinawa. Its branches stretch out straight, and the tree grows to be about 10 feet tall. For many years it has been frequently used in graveyards and for offerings at family tombs. Therefore, it is sometimes called “After Ages Flower” (Gusohbana). It is also often used as hedges around residences. There apparently was also a time when it was valued for various purposes such as for feeding goats and making shampoo.

　Since the subtitle of my blog is Take it eazy, I pasted a photo of me when I used to smoke pipe tobacco.

　"Take It Easy" is a rich blend of aromatic pipe tobacco in the oriental fragrance category. The catalog describes it as a blend with a robust flavor that carries a fruity sweetness. It features a strong aroma with hints of wild strawberry, passion fruit, and coconut. However, the overall strength of the blend is moderate, making it suitable for casual enjoyment. It offers a balanced product with a certain level of kick and vitality.
　When you actually open the tobacco tin, you're greeted with a fruity, sweet aroma. When packed into the pipe and lit, even for an aromatic pipe tobacco, there's a notably pleasant sweetness and a distinct fruity essence. It's been quite a while since I quit smoking, but every now and then, during those casual moments of idle contemplation, the scent comes to mind.

　In the kitchen garden, the kitchen is small, with only four small pots containing parsley, thyme, basil, and so on.　I trimmed the basil and rosemary plants a little because they had grown too tall. I soaked the pruned leaves in olive oil.

　Herb-infused olive oil is a great finishing touch for dishes. Additionally, preparing garlic oil by soaking peeled garlic cloves in olive oil is a fantastic way to enhance stir-fries and meat dishes. You can use around 7-8 cloves of peeled garlic in 350cc of olive oil, and it will be ready for use after about 10 days of soaking. However, if you leave the garlic in the oil for over a month, it may start to cloud, so it's best to strain it before using.

　From right to left, we have garlic-infused olive oil, two sprigs of rosemary, and basil-infused olive oil. I used pure oil for the garlic and rosemary, and extra virgin for the basil and the other sprig of rosemary. The process is quite simple. I filled separate bottles with about 200cc of olive oil, added 2-3 basil leaves, and about two sprigs of rosemary. After about 10-15 days, the oil takes on the fragrance. It's important to ensure that the leaves are completely submerged in the olive oil to prevent them from sticking out. After a few days with the herbs in, the oil may become slightly cloudy. Filtering it through a coffee filter will yield a clear and beautiful oil.

　Sprinkling basil oil as a finishing touch on a simple pizza toast creates a fragrant and luxurious flavor, elevating the toast to a rich and aromatic delight.