A most hardy garden perennial

Everybody knows about California's most famous weed, but what about the other kind that is used commonly for cooking and will take over an abandoned garden if left to its own devices?  That's right, I'm talking about oregano, which I am lucky to have growing in ample supply just down the street.  Some of you loyal readers may recall my efforts to plant a garden behind my former apartment in 2005.  Well, that garden has been laying fallow now for 3 or more years with the result that only the most hardly, drought resistant plant survived.  That would be ... oregano!  Now, in 2010, there is a regular weed-patch of oregano growing back there, especially now after the wetter than normal spring we had here in Northern California.  The plant has completely choked off all other growth (sorry, I don't have a picture of it handy).

Last week I walked over to the old garden, scissors in hand, and was able to harvest a whole bunch of the weed without really making a dent in the overall patch.  Below is a picture of my home drying operation:

Note: no electricity was used for this operation.  The drying all occurred in the open air / on top of the oven.

The other night, I made a pork tenderloin (purchased at Mandela Foods Cooperative in West Oakland) in wine sauce according to an online recipe and used some of the above leaves as a substitute for the recommended basil.  It was heavenly.  The oregano that grows here, especially in the un-watered state, appears to be especially pungent and aromatic.  I normally don't go to great efforts to prepare food at home - I'm a lazy cook.  But, this time, the spice made the difference.  Since I ate the entire roast myself, though, nobody else can vouch for it - you'll just have to believe me.

UPDATE (6/6/10): I tried to send some of my finished, dried oregano in plastic baggies in the mail as gifts.  Sensing this might seem suspicious, I talked to the clerk in the post office before trying to send it.  The clerk, who used to work in the mail sorting center, advised me not to do it.  He said that a "post inspector could come knocking on your door asking why you are trying to send this weed."  So I will have to give out my "gifts of spice" the old-fashioned way...