Breath before the end

Allow me to explain my MIA status - I have been teaching summer school. This has made me a tad busier, especially with the onset of Z cutting his baby molars. So far the bottom two are in, and the top two are mercilessly trying to break through as well. Whoever said being a baby is easy hasn't dealt with a baby going through some serious teething. It's been interesting going back to work. I like to think that I fell back into the swing of things fairly naturally. There are parts that I had missed, and parts that I think no teacher misses. Regardless, it's been a good way to see what it'll be like in the fall when I go back, potentially full time, and Z starts daycare full time. For now, it's one more week and then back to normal time at home with Z for the month of August.

But, enough about work, I want to focus instead on what I always seem to come back to in this blog - my garden! Allow me to present my tomato plants! They're HUGE!

I look out my living room window and they're there, more than halfway up! The hubby and I like to think of them as our tomato hedges.

cutesie little cherry tomatoes... this plant is called Sweet Million

As you can see, there are lots of green beauties on the vine, and a ton of little yellow flowers still in production. I actually pruned a couple of the plants today, as per a suggestion from my father that it may help the plant focus its energy on fruit production rather than growth. It makes me happy to see the plants so happy! I think this really is the perfect place for them.

Funny thing is, I've never been a big tomato eater. My husband loves them, but I always order my burgers and sandwiches sans tomatoes, and I don't like them in salads. I think this may be a good opportunity to change that. I have canning plans (I'm practically giddy about using my own canned tomatoes during the year), and may try my hand at making salsa. Aside from that, and making many tomato-based recipes once they're ripe, friends and family will probably be recipients as well!