Tomato Update

I have officially picked my first ripe tomatoes--here they are right before picking. I have another cluster on my other tomato plant that is getting closer to being ready.

I wish I had enough ripe tomatoes from my garden to make a yummy gazpacho. I made some gazpacho recently for a family at church and wish that I had made more for freezing. It looked and smelled so delicious! Fresh ingredients make such a huge difference (see the green onions, peppers and garlic) and I added some basil and a little cilantro from my herb garden, which made it perfect.

Tomato Update

My tomatoes are getting bigger...slowly, but surely. I am sure that one day I will have a tomato to eat. I may even have enough of my Roma tomotoes to make a delicious pasta sauce.

Around the house

I am loving my entryway... pretty roses from my backyard, mirror, small chest. Nice and simple and it makes me happy.

I also, with the help of my Dad, framed the piece

of art I bought from the Clothesline Art Show.

It is hanging up in my bathroom now. I LOVE it!

In the front yard- finished with my herb planting and moved my ivy topiary to the front porch. These little steps of progress make me happy.

Manual Labor

I actually did some manual labor on Saturday. I finally got around to buying a container for my lettuces and planted those along with some tomatoes. I felt quite accomplished. While I was at it I thought I would move a huge container herb garden, plant some more herbs and rake up some dead leaves that have been stuck under some bushes since Fall. I actually got a blister. Yes, a blister... this was some actual hard work for me :)

Saturday Fun

I had the best day Saturday... the Crabtree Farms plant sale, Four Bridges Art Festival and Greenlife Grocery.

Crabtree Farms has an annual plant sale and Mom and I decided to see what we could find for our gardens. I have a green thumb, I think. Well, at least what I plant seems to stay alive thankfully. I was hoping for some tomatoes and herbs at the plant sale and I was not disappointed. I also found some lettuces that I'm excited about planting in a container on my deck.

Next, the Four Bridges Art Festival. The art was amazing, but wow it was expensive. I was kind of hoping for something in my price range that I would love. I am going to have to keep looking forward to The Clothesline Art Show, which will be May 9-11. I bought a piece from the show last year that I recently had framed and I love it. I received another piece from last year's show as a gift. The artists are amazing and the work is within a price range that I can afford. Please check out their blog to read the artists' statements, etc.

Even though I was disappointed that I couldn't get any art at the show-I did get to enjoy some yummy food. My Mom and I had lamb gyros. Oh my goodness they were delicious.

Then we were on to Greenlife Grocery- I hadn't been to the new location yet. I LOVE this store! I bought some sushi for dinner and although it was not my fav (crunchy shrimp rolls) it was still good.