Hibachi and another Mullein

I was sitting in the lawn chair looking at the field and trees and discovered this lovely little Mullein growing nearthe house. I'll try to harvest it before they come and cut the field. It is perfect as so often Mullein grows by the roadside. There, it picks up car exhaust particles. The purest wild harvested herbs are far from roadside pollution, such as this one.

I bought this little hibachi for the July 4th celebration with Mom. I am stretching it a bit to call it a celebration as to Mom it was just dinner as usual except the burgers were a little tastier. To me it was a big deal though. I haven't barbecued in years, maybe 25. It seems so American a thing to do. It shouts "family gatherings" which have not been a part of my life for years either.

I assembled the hibachi myself, but it wasn't too hard. The last hibachi I had 30 years ago was a lot more solid and sturdy. This seems made of weak tin. I used about 20 matches trying to get the charcoal lit. But finally it began to burn. The burgers smelled so good I ran in and fetched a garlic chicken sausage to cook also. Now I understand why it's good to have two people cooking. I had to be really organized and set up all the inside foods beforehand as for most of the time I needed to stay outside by the hibachi fire.

Homemade barbecue sauce.

I placed the hibachi in the driveway away from grasses and the house so I put out this dohickey I found in the barn so no one would drive over the hibachi. Mom ate her entire burger plus half the sausage so I guess it tasted good.

Note the spatula in the above photo. In the garage I found some barbecue tools left from Dad's barbecuing days. Hot mitts, spatula, tongs, a sauce brush. They seemed so touching in their box. I used them all. So, Dad was there with us too.