Promptly Parsley

Poetry prompts are a great way to get into a poem, by either taking a line that inspires you from someone else, or using their line as the first line in your poem as a jumping off point.  Here’s some prompts from Robert Service’s work:

The sky is like an envelope…

That cow-juice seemed to oppyrate a most amazin' change…

…when a lusty lass I see / I whinny like a stallion…

Parsley is another annual herb that grows well in a container. There are several varieties, curled leaf, flat leaf, etc. The herb not only looks pretty on the plate, but aids with kidney complaints and works great as diuretic for weight-loss. You can also use a large handful of chopped parsley steeped in a cup of boiling water and cooled to room temperature to help with clogged pores. Strain the liquid and apply to face as a compress for 15 minutes daily. For a parsley tea, take 2 cups parsley to one quart boiling water. Let sit until cool, strain, and reheat as needed. This helps settle the stomach and acts as a diuretic for the kidneys.

Now, how to grow the stuff. Parsley thrives in a deep pot, as it has a long taproot and grows to about 12-18 inches high. The seeds germinate slowly so soak them in warm water overnight before you plant them. (There’s a tip I wish I’d had a few weeks ago.) If you sow them directly, thin plants to six inches apart. Parsley likes loam and needs at least five hours of sunlight a day to thrive. It also like nitrogen and can handle full sun or part shade. A soil pH between 6 and 7 is best.

Or, if you’re like me, throw the damn seeds in a peet pot and see what happens. :)

Dad and I are spinning like crazy as we get ready to leave for California tonight. It’s my great-uncle’s 90^th birthday party this weekend and this will be my first real vacation in something like eight years. So the past few days I’ve been running around with my head cut off and worked a double yesterday. So expect intermittent blogs unless my nights are very boring and I’ll try to get some pics of sunny So-Cal. :) Happy Days.