Green Zebra Tomatoes

Green Zebra Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by A.R.C.

Green zebra tomatoes from the farmer's market--well actually, I bought a plant today--this is a flickr photo. I wanted a third tomato plant and a lovely woman who was selling plants at our Wednesday farmer's marked on the green, had Brandywine, green Zebra tomatoes and one other that I'm not recalling right now. I've grown the Brandywine before, and they are so fat and juicy and heavy that they tend to blight before they ripen. But they are delicious and I've gotten a few that have ripened to salad succulence, but these littler guys seemed like the type of tomatoes that would ripen before the rains start again in the fall. So I thought I'd try something different.

It's warm enough now to put everything in. That's the secret to growing seeds--soil has to be warm enough to sprout them, not rot them. There have been no snow warnings lately and I'm actually getting a little tanned on the few sunny days we've had. There was a breeze off the water today, so it was a little chilly over at the green, but mostly, it was paradise. It's lovely here in the PNW. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

Today I also got a little bookwork accomplished--still moving towards the divorce from my husband of 22 years. Is that unbelievable. Let me tell you, I've done everything to make it work--he's just not that in to me. Have you read the book?

Anoher thing I did today was eat a little Italian food at Mambo's on 12th street. They have a delicious wine called Colossi Rosso. I highly recommend it. It'd be delish with sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and balsamic. I love this combo, although I'm dairy intolerant. I'd eat it with goat cheese. Trader Joe's has a nice soft goat cheese for only 3.50. or was it 4.99. Either way, it was a steal.
Ciao!

Peat Moss

Well, I stopped at Fred Meyers, imagining these huge bags of peat moss I could lug to the garden and work in to the hard pan, but they had nothing but bags of potting soil and fertilizer, etc. Nothing I could use, so today I went to Joe's Garden and picked up a head of lettuce--the vegie plugs aren't ready yet-- and two bags of compost.

Monday's and Fridays I keep my grandbaby, so today we went to the garden together. He carried the short bamboo sticks I use to mark rows through the fairly high grass. It rained a little, probably enough to not worry about watering in the tomato plants I got at the food co-op--cherry 100s and beef steak.

Tonight, I feel good I got something done, and overwhelmed--two bags of compost won't be enough--I'm sure of it. I'd still like some peat. I think it will loosen the soil. But getting out in the garden is a good thing to do in the evening. My life is so different now, without a husband. I like it in many ways, and in other ways, it is lonely. Not as much now--but still sometimes I pine for the way it was. Evenings in the garden together, walks at dusk. I just do it myself now. I'm better for it in many ways. Circling myself, instead of a husband.