The Ides of August

Tomato-phobia continues! OMG that's a lot of tomatoes. You can see why canning was self-defense!

I'm also busily drying the cherries and Tumbling Tigers.

Last week I tried walking with my hand weights. It ups the workout some. I also got a new pedometer so I can track my steps. The walk sure makes a difference! I do a lot each day, but I don't log that many steps when I don't actually take a walk.

The freeway wall gets higher and higher. This looks to be almost road level.

Karen and Ed came to the farm to visit, and also to check out our irrigation system. We had fun hanging out with them.

We played a little croquet last weekend and we got to see Bill and Laura.

The melon patch is sure exuberent... we may have planted a few too many flowers "in between the rows"...

This was on one of the Chinese pistache at our house. I think it might literally be a clusterf#*k.

Nancy came to town and invited us to head to Siphos for Jamaican Independence Day. It was a rockin party. Pat and Anna were there too with Devin.

We were glad they had beat us there and saved a spot, because it was packed. The guy in front was playing some sort of odd instrument that had a unbelievably beautiful sound, very liquid and metallic.

********************************************

Weather Note

Last Monday, there were some pretty clouds. But yeah... clouds in mid August. It's been humid as well, and the temps, while in the high 80s most of last week, are edging back to the 90s this week.

*****************************************

This beauty is a Gold Medal tomato, one of the yellow ones we trialed.

These are the pizza peppers. I only planted one, and they turned out to be great. I'll plant more next year. They grow like a jalapeno (meaning they don't whine about a little heat like bells do), but taste mild and  fruity, like a bell, but better.

Finally, this is my job for this afternoon: Row 6b is ready to plant with more broccoli.