Tomato, tomahto, zucchini

Tomato plants in mid-August

Somewhat predictably, the tomato plants are looking a little scraggly. A technical term only some of you will understand. Smile. However, we got a decent harvest this weekend. . .the cherry tomatoes coming in more abundantly than our Early Girls. We are getting terrific sun today, and it's expected to continue through next Friday, so we should get some good ripening and drying weather.

Food. Love this stuff. . .

Oh, and yes. There are a couple of redskin potatoes in the bottom of the bowl. A couple of our potato plants were beaten down by the rain, so G.S. and I were forced to harvest them a little early. Tasty, but not maximally tasty. I'm looking forward to the real harvest in the fall.

Zucchini plants and flowers

In contrast to the tomatoes, the zucchini plants are lush and gorgeous. They are proving to be mostly hat and little cow, though. We've only gotten 3 medium sized zucchini from these 2 enormous plants so far. One of my daughters said that I had finally managed to plant the right number of plants, after all of these years of over-abundance. I'm not convinced, but will see what the rest of the season holds. It is, I should point out, hardly over. It's only mid-August, but it's been such a strange summer for us. And the powdery mildew on those lower leaves is ominous.

The eggplant I seeded in mid-May is also looking great insofar as leaves are concerned. But we need to get some flowers soon or they'll be strictly ornamental. Not terrible, since they are attractive plants, but note to self: Plant these indoors in March, rather than waiting to direct seed!

Direct seeded Eggplant plants

The most exciting news, though is from the raspberries that I planted just last year. I was not impressed with what I thought was a slow start, but they have really taken off. I let the fall-bearers bear in the spring this year (not cutting them back to the ground in winter) because I thought it unlikely that the fall crop would amount to much this year. I was wrong. We've got a strong fall crop coming along, which is also bring a ton of bees. . .bumble and honey!

 

 

Below is our view from our bathroom window. I went out this morning with my cereal bowl, and picked about a dozen to eat immediately. Yum. How could I ever leave this place now?

Raspberries

OK. Not a great shot, but you can see the green developing fruit. Getting this much in the second year portents great things for subsequent years! Now. If I can just stop having body parts give up on me. . .

Lastly, I wanted to post an image of my G.S.'s ceramic box (and my own and a bowl) in the kiln, awaiting it's first firing. It's amazing how things move forward, if you just keep pushing. Even a little.

Ready to get HOT!