And Rosemary Too

My dear Elodie, I am sorry to trouble you again with another list, but your father asked that I pass along the places where wild rosemary may be gathered. You will know the plant by its look and scent. The leaves are thin and firm like little needles, dark green above and pale beneath, and when rubbed between the fingers they give off a strong, clean fragrance, sharp and comforting both. It grows in small woody bushes, the stems grey and sturdy, and in good light the plant shows a faint silver colour along its leaves. A little of it goes a long way in the pot, and the physicians say it is good for the memory and for clearing the head. You will find rosemary in the open field southwest of Camp Lazaret, where it has grown freely since the farmers abandoned the land. The bushes stand scattered across the field, thicker toward the edges where the ground is dry. If you walk further west from there down toward the Marette River, you will find more of it near the banks, where the soil is stony and the sun reaches the ground for most of the day. Take only what you need, and choose the younger sprigs if you can. They are the most fragrant. -Mother