Garden pictures

Two tomato plants...the cherry tomato plant (to the left) is fruiting and finally ripening.

 I finally got around to breaking off some of the stems yesterday, so it's not QUITE so bushy. Did you know you could put the stems into soil and get them to root? Peel off all of the flowers and most of the leaves first, so the energy goes to rooting at first.

Strawberry plant in gray circle at lower right, iris in brown thingy at lower left.

As you can see, I use all kinds of pots and whatnot, because I'm always sticking something in the dirt to get it to grow. The gray circle around the strawberry plant is the top that broke off a planter...it is great for helping keep the fruit off the ground.

Red multi-bloom amaryllis

Nasturtiums

Collard green trees (and bird of paradise flowers)

sweet potato (or yam, I forget which is which)

Swiss chard

ivy geranium

Little Finger carrots

I'm not a big fan of carrots, but my best friend is, so I tried these out. The first time, I harvested a bit too early, so I pulled up nubs, lol. I have learned to gently dig down around the carrot and feel its diameter and depth. Good to plant in relatively loose soil, so they are able to grow easily.

Bare it All (and gardening adventures)

Bare It All                                


by Lori Foster is part of the ‘Love Undercover’ series and continues where “Run the Risk” leaves off, but changes the focus to the intriguingly eccentric and resourceful neighbor, Alice Appleton. Alice has formed a tentative relationship with Detective Reese Bareden because of the stray dog that he has adopted and named Cash. Reese is fascinated by his reclusive neighbor and his instincts lead him to explore the reasons behind her possession of a surprising number of defense tools. His growing attraction to the skittish woman is complicated by the danger that she seems to attract but fortunately there are plenty of allies to call upon in his quest to keep safe the woman who is becoming increasingly important to him. Of course, he also has to break down some of her defensive walls but he has never shirked a challenge, especially when the stakes have been so high.

This fun romantic suspense tale combined characters from two of this author’s very enjoyable series even as it continued to touch upon a serious underworld which threatens women. It is fun watching the alpha males interact with each other as they struggle to subdue their dominant natures enough to protect the women in their lives. A new perspective of several of the characters, including the intimidating Lieutenant Peterson, gave an entertaining spin and provides fodder for potential stories in the future. I enjoyed the opportunity to get more insight into Rowdy Mullins as he gradually begins to accept that he will have a policeman for a brother-in-law and Alice was a poignant blend of former victim and increasingly secure woman who enchanted the intense detective who constantly demonstrates both his protective instincts and his compassion. It was great to get a brief glimpse of several familiar characters and one can only hope that there will be plenty of additional stories about these deliciously alpha males and the essentially powerful women who capture their hearts. Another delightful read.

© Night Owl Reviews

I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review. 

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 Adventures in gardening...


Ok, last year my hubby had the brilliant idea that he wanted to grow tomatoes so we tried our hand at cherry tomato plants.  We bought the plants and raised one in the high desert where we live (think triple digit temps) and took one down to the more moderate climes where the MIL is.  Both plants were very generous at giving us fruit (until the MIL drowned the one at her house) but hubby wasn't thrilled that the skin was a bit tough (don't ask me, I am not a tomato connoisseur--they tasted like tomatoes to me, lol).  So, this year we decided to try to raise full-sized tomatoes.  

It gets pretty cold here so we started seeds indoors (did I mention I am a procrastinator?) but evidently should have started them earlier in the year.  I, of course, wondered what on earth we were going to do with all of the fruit from the 6 plants that survived my less than assiduous attentions so my best friend very kindly accepted one, we took one down to the MIL's house (with instructions that she NOT water it, lol) and kept the others.  We have been anxiously watching and were thrilled when the blooms started appearing.  

The problem...the blooms came and went...but NO FRUIT!  Uh-oh.  Hmm, perhaps not enough water...after all, I tend to hibernate indoors when the temperature exceeds 98 F because I am heat sensitive and believe me, it has been much hotter than that for the past several weeks.  Ok, I have been slinking outside when it is only high 80's at 9:00 p.m. or so and watering more.  Probably not the ideal time to water but hey, at least they are getting water.   I have a liquid fertilizer that indicates that it is specifically for tomatoes (and yes, I tried using it on the cherry tomato plants) so I tried adding that.  Still sadness...blooms come and go, but no fruit.

Sigh.  Ok, when desperate...research.  Oh, this is a common problem amongst novice tomato farmers.  Hmm...calcium...seaweed extract...ok, trip to home improvement store.  Stern warnings about not getting things too close to the main trunk.  A little difficult since we are growing these things in a pot.  (Yes, I know...but if you saw the sand that is considered the soil in our yard, you would understand why I am not anxious to try to put in enough potting soil to change the ground to an arable bed).  So, I have been adding measly amounts of the new 'food' to the outer circumference of the pots...but I am a coward so it has been a very gradual process.  I still anxiously peer nearsightedly (yes, I still hate my bifocals) at the ugly dead blooms and I was frustrated enough yesterday to start removing some of them...only to discover that one in my hand had a microscopic bud...that was no longer attached to the plant that would have nurtured it.  So...elation and sadness...yes it is POSSIBLE for us to get fruit, if Ms Impatient will leave things to take their course.  (Oh yes, the plant at the MIL's house?  It's THRIVING...beautiful leaves, thick sturdy trunk which is quite crooked since I didn't get it into a support system quickly enough...and...fruit...but it had black spots on it so I picked it off.  We will have to research that as well!)

So...I am hopeful...maybe sometime in September, I will get a tomato before the weather starts getting cold, lol.  Now, if only I can figure out how to make the lettuce survive in this heat...