The dill grew when I stopped looking

And: a recipe for baked beer fries with lemon-dill dipping sauce

We’ve had so much rain here this week, I’ve hardly been out to check on our garden’s progress and can’t remember the last time we had to water it. But I found some pleasant surprises when I went out between raindrops today: The carrots and beets that I almost gave up on are just about ready to harvest; the peas that I predicted wouldn’t grow anymore kept growing and now have plump little peas inside their shells; and the dill that I called “sad” now seems quite happy, with fresh sprigs abounding.

I’m trying to take it as a lesson to be more patient (like Teri told me to in the first place) and let things grow at their own pace. When Jagger first started climbing up and down the stairs in our home, I loved holding his hand while he showed me what he could do. I got so accustomed to holding his hand on the stairs that I didn’t notice that now he can do it himself. I think in this metaphor Jagger is the dill, and I want them both to grow, to climb, and to be endlessly happy.

Alas, Jagger ate no dill this week. But he did eat pancakes with melted gummy bears while wearing Baby Shark PJs.

I used some of the dill for a cooking class I led this week for my work colleagues. We made Baked Beer Fries with Lemon-Herb Dipping Sauce, and homegrown dill was my herb of choice for the creamy Greek yogurt-based sauce and for a garnish to the fries. (Beer of choice: Delco Lager from 2SP Brewing in Aston, Pa.)

It’s a favorite recipe of ours, and making it this week reminded us just how much we love it and how easy it is to put together. Let me know if you give it a try. Until next time — happy growing, and happy Halloween!