Thanks DC Blogs

It happens once in awhile and I notice it every time it does. DC Blogs noted my blog entry yesterday about our tomato plant. And today my blog stats increased. It's always nice to attract readers to your blog and this is one of the best ways to do it. I'm never sure what will be of interest, but my blog is all about observations and photos. I really appreciate the boost, and always send a thank you, and mention it in my blog the same day. My parents taught us good manners, and this is certainly a great occasion to send a thank you note. Can't wait for the next notice!

Beware Those Critters on the Patio

We've always had good luck with our vegetable garden - until this year. It's not the plant we have a problem with. It's the critters that found the plant. Because we added some grass to the larger section of the patio garden the space is now quite limited. This year we only have one tomato plant rather than two, tried a pea vine that didn't work out very well, and decided not to have cucumbers. So we put all our eggs in one basket and waited for the first tomato to ripen. It did, and we found the shell of it neatly placed on the top of the fence. I've seen a squirrel or two sneaking around there every once in awhile and I think they think they've hit a gold mine. Not so fast! My husband has been plucking the less ripened tomatoes and sitting them on the kitchen table and staying one step ahead of those critters. It seems to be working. Let's hope the furry creatures find another spot with more to offer. Until that is the case, we'll keep a look out and hope for a bumper crop. It's not so much about the yield but the process. That's why we like it here. We can even have a garden but on a much smaller scale. 

The Early Girl Tomato Plant on the Patio Garden

It was one of the first things we planted this year...Early Girl Tomatoes. Rather than go to American Plant in Bethesda, we decided to try Gingko's in the neighborhood a few weeks back. We usually go to Gingko's because it is close and they usually have what we are looking for, but for some reason, we never noticed their vegetable selection. It started out as nearly a one foot plant with a tomato already on it. Now it sits in the usual space on the patio garden that gets a southern exposure will full sun until about three PM when the building hides us from the brightness and creates a wonderful evening space for chatting and sipping wine. Now the plant is taller than me and has reached the top of the supports. The heat and the monsoons have spurred it on. So it is starting to grow over the supports and back down again. Just this week we noticed a ripening tomato, and many more to come. Unfortunately they will probably all come at the same time. My husband will need to set up a vegetable stand on the corner and sell them because we won't be able to handle them all at one time. I do miss the cucumbers this year though. They had a way of sneaking around and showing up out of nowhere. Our garden in Milwaukee had all the same plants and more. But there is something about having this tiny space to live in and still be able to have everything we used to but on a much smaller scale. And it is so much easier to take care of, and just as delicious!