STIMULATING THE SENSES

Mostly sunny with temperatures steady near 67F. Winds NNW at 15 to 20 mph.

I gave in today. I bought one of those topsy turvy tomato plant hanging things. We don't dabble too much in vegetable gardening but we have in the past planted a few tomato plants. Butsix plants grow a lot of tomatoes and they usually go to waste and last year we had such a problem with slugs we didn't get any tomatoes off our plants. We really only needed one plant and we thought about getting one patio plant and putting it in a pot and growing it on the patio but instead we got a Topsy Turvey.

I hope my grandfather isn't looking down at me from above and shaking his head and thinking my god what has my granddaughter done. I come from a neighborhood and family that were always very picky about their tomato plants. Fussing with them every day, tying them up when they got too big. My grandfather was very particular with what he used to tie up the plants so they wouldn't bend over and hit the ground. Usually he used women's nylon stockings.

My husband and I usually do our grocery shopping early on Sunday morning. All of the fresh produce is getting put out at that time along with the fresh bakery stuff like bagels. I love going to the market at that time. And generally I love going to the market. The sights and sounds and fragrances of the fresh produce are so stimulating to the senses. Even if I didn't have anything to shop for it is my favorite place on a Sunday morning. This morning it was bagels, fresh fruit already cut up and put in a nice container, you got to love that. We love Boars Head cold cuts and our local big chain supermarket just got the franchise to offer Boars Head in their deli. Use to be we could only get Boars Head at the Italian deli we shop at frequently. That's another senses stimulator the Italian Deli. So this morning we got fresh Peasant bread and sliced to order hams (I say hams because my husband picked three different kinds to try). I bought every kind of vegetable I thought would steam good and decided to have steamed vegetables over pasta for dinner. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, pea pods, greens beans and asparagus. The asparagus I will roast with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

So basically a lazy day of going from the front porch and sitting and the back patio and sitting with at least two large glasses of fresh made iced coffee.