big foot...

big foot..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

when i came home from work this evening...
i noticed there were new flowers in one of the spring bulb pots.

i went out back to photograph it for my potd...
and mrchazman went out back to water the garden.

right as i was focusing...
he walked into the frame.

it's kinda dreamy...
and i like it.

*sooc - except for the watermark of course.

tomato-go-round...

tomato-go-round..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

clockwise...
from the top...

grape
black cherry
gemini
san marzano
paul robeson
super san marzano

bleuphoria...

bleuphoria..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

80 calories per cup.

packed with vitamin C - one serving, you can get 14 mg of Vitamin C – almost 25 percent of your daily requirement. Vitamin C aids the formation of collagen and helps maintain healthy gums and capillaries. It also promotes iron absorption and a healthy immune system1,2.

dietary fiber - Eating foods high in fiber will help keep you regular, your heart healthy and your cholesterol in check. A handful of blueberries can help you meet your daily fiber requirement

an excellent source of manganese - an important role in bone development and in converting the proteins, carbohydrates and fats in food into to energy

leaders in antioxidant activity - According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), blueberries are near the top when it comes to antioxidant activity per serving (ORAC values). Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals — unstable molecules linked to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease and other age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s. Substances in blueberries called polyphenols, specifically the anthocyanins that give the fruit its blue hue, are the major contributors to antioxidant antioxidant activity5.

paul robeson...

paul robeson..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

Tomato seeds for this Russian heirloom were made available by Marina Danilenko, a Moscow seeds woman. This favorite heirloom tomato was named after the operatic artist who won acclaim as an advocate of equal rights for Blacks. His artistry was admired world-wide, especially in the Soviet Union. This "black" beefsteak tomato is slightly flattened, round, and grows to 4-inches. Its deep, rich colors stand it apart from others. Its a dusky, dark-red, with dark-green shoulders, and red flesh in its center. Very flavorful fruits with luscious, earthy, exotic flavors and good acid/sweet balance. Paul Robeson (aka Pol Robeson) won "Best of Show" at Carmel TomatoFest.

As this tomato variety originates from Siberia and sets fruits at lower temps, it is an excellent choice for cooler growing regions.

***

Info obtained from the tomato seed store.

anticipation...

anticipation..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

this is my black cherry tomato plant.

if you grow tomatoes...
this one should be on your list.
they are SWEET!

how sweet?
sugary sweet!!!

last year was my first time growing them...
and i plan to grow them every year.

you don't even need a lot of space.

these are in a container...
and because the yield is so plentiful...
i place a cage around it when i plant it...
to keep it from toppling over.

i've had a few of them in salads...
but mainly...
i just eat them straight...
no chaser.

one for me...

one for me..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

the birds saved one for me!!!

thank you mockingbird family...
that lives in my backyard.

i think...
they think...
i garden for them.

last week...
they started pecking at my tomatoes.

my strawberry jar...
in its third location...
is now hidden in a far corner in my backyard...
behind one of my urn planters.

i may have to get a net.

today's bounty...

today's bounty..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

today i picked a few tomatoes...
but its nothing like last year.

we're expecting warmer weather next week.
i hope it continues.
my garden needs it.

i'm listening...

i'm listening..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

i've had these in my front yard since we moved here.
but today...
they seem to have taken over.

the flowers are over 3 ft tall...
and there are a LOT of them.

when i arrived home this evening...
i was talking with my daughter on the phone...
and as i was describing it to her...
i took the time to REALLY notice them.

when did they get so tall?
and when did so many of them bloom?

i rarely use my front door...
so its not very often that i walk past them.

our weather is a bit cooler now...
with temps in the 60s this week...
and i've noticed quite a few developments in the garden.

all this beauty...
right in my own front yard...
and i've been too busy to notice.

i've been in a 'mood' most of the day...
that started when i was almost hit by a careless driver...
who almost ran me off the road...
changing lanes...
without paying attention to what they were doing...
or noticing i was already IN the lane.

then...
in a staff meeting...
i felt more like a referee.

whenever i have moments like this...
when there's so much going on that i barely have a moment to myself...
a line from 'the color purple' pops into my head...
and i know its time for some well-deserved 'ME' time.

it's ok to 'take a moment'.
stop.
breathe.
catch my breath.

the line?
god's trying to tell you something!

i'm listening!

six flags...

six flags..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

dreary & misty today...
at discovery kingdom.

the last time i was there...
it was called marine world...
i was a chaperone for my daughter's class...
and it was the early 90s!

that tower in the middle is a new addition this year...
and i watched its progress each day on my way to work.

right across the street...
is the county fairground.

so...
next week when the fair is in town...
i'll have to find a new way to commute...
or work virtually.

***

blackberry photo...
process w/100cameras app.

nibbles...

nibbles..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

this morning i went into my garden...
and picked a few items for today's snacks.

tomatoes...
sugar snap peas...
and zucchini.

and from my csa box...
tokyo turnips.

i had my veggies w/a lite ranch dressing.

the cherries were my afternoon dessert.

hymenocallis...

hymenocallis..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

aka...
spider lily.

***

native to the us, mexico and central america.
part of amaryllids.
easy-to-grow, moisture-lover.

i planted the bulbs last year...
and had really forgotten that i'd planted it.
luckily...
i tend to save the packages of the plants i buy...
so i was able to look this up this morning to identify it.

playing with fire...

playing with fire..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

friday night...
i watched the creative live presentation on photographing fireworks...
by john cornicello.

i've photographed them before...
but i'm always in search of additional photography knowledge.

since his talk was in the daytime...
and he couldn't actually demonstrate with fireworks...
he used sparklers.

the actual shoot is here...
and a supplemental blog post is here.

so...
yesterday...
i went in search of some for myself.

and guess what?
no sparklers in my town.

well...
on the way home from church today...
i decided to purchase some...
from some of the towns where fireworks ARE legal.

these are not the sparklers of my childhood.
while i was expected more of a starry effect...
what i got was more of a flame...
with a few sparkles here and there.

so...
i light painted instead.

***

i just wanna say...
people are SERIOUS about their fireworks.
we saw people spending HUNDREDS of dollars.

me...
i spent $7...
and it was bogo...
so i have 80 sparklers...
and tonight i only lit 7.

saucy...

saucy..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

Description:

Saucy Paste Organic Tomato is a heavy yielding, plum-shaped, 2 - 3 oz. red sauce tomato. It makes a great tomato plant for pots or containers. The meaty fruit is borne in clusters of 5 to 10 and concentrated to one picking. The fruit pulls off easily when ripe. Saucy Paste is perfect for a big salsa or ketchup canning session. The flavor is very good, both fresh and processed. The strong plant holds fruit well off the ground, and the solid, meaty tomatoes remain firm and flesh from early summer through frost! Plant out after last frost when the soil is warm, fertile, and well-drained. Be sure to plant tomatoes several inches deeper in ground than they were growing in the pot to give them stability later on. Bred by Dr. James Baggett, Oregon State University, from a cross of Santiam X Roma. Determinate.

Features:

• Heavy yielding, plum-shaped, 2-3 oz. red sauce tomato
• Great tomato plant for pots or containers
• Perfect for big salsa or ketchup canning
• Certified organic seed
• Seed comes 30 seeds per pack

***

info source: iGrow

two firsts...

two firsts..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

the first cherry tomato from my garden...and the first sugar snap pea.

i'm not going to put them IN anything.

i'm going to eat them singly...so that i can taste and enjoy their full flavor.