If the Morning Glories are blooming everywhere,

and if there’s plenty of fresh basil waiting to be picked and made into pesto….

AND if that pesto is getting put into homemade ravioli….

then that must mean my birthday is just around the corner!

It’s well and truly closing in on my favorite time of year.  Late summer and into fall is a glorious time, and even though I am a proper grown-up now I still do love my birthday.

Thankfully the basil came through the wet summer alright, if far less plentiful than normal.  But there’s enough for pesto to fill little pockets of ravioli, and there’s enough to make some lovely of the cocktails that my friend Lisa introduced me to:

She muddled a good bunch of fresh basil with some simple syrup and fresh lime juice and shook it up with some lovely gin.

Best late summer cocktail ever, and perfect for an early September birthday!