Well, it's time again. I looked at all of the basil plants in the yard and realized the time had come... more pesto making!
So before the hottest rays of the sun could get to the leaves, I carefully sheared off about the top ⅔ of all of the plants, making sure always to leave a few bunched leaves intact on every stem I cut. That way, there's a good chance of there being a Crop #3 before the nights get below 50 (Kryptonite for basil).
So, as of this moment, the plants are NOT pretty, but in about 3 days, new leaves will have begun to hide the damage I've done. AND later this morning, my freezer will be even fuller with containers of emerald lusciousness... and the knowledge that some frigid winter day, when the promise of summer seems not only remote but impossible, I can go into the freezer and haul one of those containers out, make a batch of fresh pasta and "TA DA..." Summer... at least inside, at the table...