Garden Tour - Community Garden

This year our city used some extra land for community garden plots.  We only plant tomatoes in our garden at home.  Everything else we've tried hasn't done well.  So I planted zucchini, cucumbers and pumpkins in my community garden.

I've picked a few zucchini and cucumbers.  But I'm most excited about my pumpkins!  We had 3, but a pair of groundhogs munched on one.  So now we're left with 2.  Aren't they cute?

Even the pumpkin blossoms are pretty!

Happy Gardening ♥

Garden Tour - Tomatoes

Like everywhere else, it's been a hot, dry summer.  Keeping the plants watered and happy has been tough.  But we're starting to see lots of red, ripe cherry tomatoes.  We just had some tonight, roasted in the oven with olive oil and garlic, then tossed with angel hair pasta.  Topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese... yum!  Easy and delicious.

I'm anxiously awaiting for the Beefsteaks and Big Boys to ripen.  I can't wait to have a BLT or slice one and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.


Check these roma tomatoes out!  They're a hybrid variety named Big Mama Hybrid.  They look like peppers with their pointy bottom:

Happy Gardening ♥

The past couple of days have been such a treat for us in Northeast Ohio.  70 degrees, blue sky and stunning foliage... perfect for walks and working in the yard.  I felt like we were getting ready to hibernate - putting away the patio furniture, planters and bikes in the shed. 

We got everything out of the vegetable garden.  Doesn't it look empty?  Seems like I was just planting tomatos the other day.  The summer sure did fly by quickly!

Sunday Meal Planning

I try to plan our most of our meals for the week on Sunday.  It makes it easier when I come home from work knowing that I have what I need.   And now I'm planning my meals around tomatoes.  I thought I'd share a few of my favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes ~ nothing too fancy here, just good food with fresh ingredients!  I'd love to hear your favorites too!

1. Pasta with Garlic and Tomato - heat light olive oil in a pan and saute fresh chopped garlic until fragrant (be careful not to let brown).   Add in cherry or grape tomatoes which have been cut in half.  Saute for a few minutes until tomatoes start to wilt a bit.  Add in cooked angel hair pasta.  Toss with your favorite cheese - we like either feta or parmesan.  This is also good with canned artichokes added in too.
2. BLT - I can't resits making a BLT with fresh beefsteak tomato slices.  It reminds me of a diner up in Rogers City, Michigan that we used to go to when visiting my Aunt.  They made the best BLTs and hashbrowns.  Nothing beats comfort food at a diner!
3. Caprese Salad - layer slices of fresh mozzerella and tomato.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle kosher salt and black pepper.  Top with a few sprigs of basil.  Perfect on a hot summer day!  Or, just a big tomato slice sprinkled with salt and pepper.  Yum!

ETSY Finds ~ Tomato Red

I've been seeing tomatoes everywhere - my garden, the markets and at roadside produce stands.  I searched ETSY and found some great items in shades of tomato red.  

  

1. Apron from Poppy's Garden Gate
2. Bowl from Clay Lick Creek Pottery
3. Earrings from Lush Boutique
4. Glycerin Soap from Paintbox Soapworks
5. Neckwarmer Scarf from Albertine's Creations
6. Picture Frame from Art City Frames 

 I hope you enjoy browsing these shops as much as I did!

Garden Bouquet

I've been riding my bike every night.  I love looking at people's gardens as I ride by, especially hydrangeas.  I love the various shades of pink and blue.  My hot pink blooms have been stunning this summer and I love bringing the blooms inside!

Harvest Time

Summer Tomato Salad

Ahhhhh..... fresh tomatoes!  Nothing beats a homegrown tomato!  My grape and cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen.  After work today I went to the garden and picked a basket full of them.  They are so sweet and full of flavor ~ so I like to keep recipes simple when using them.  My favorite is to toss them with cucumber, onion, fresh mozzarella and some basil.  A simple dressing of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar finish the salad. 

This was my main course tonight - paired with a chilled glass of limoncello, it was a perfect summer dinner!

Topsy Turvey Tomato

My garden is coming along nicely.  We've had good amounts of rain, which really soaks the ground.  It's so much better than having to water!  This year I planted a good variety of plants, from the usual "Big Boy" and Romas, to some interesting heirloom varieties. 

My husband bought the Topsy Turvey Tomato planter last weekend.  He bragged and bragged as he planted his tomato, insisting that his sole plant would produce more than my entire garden.  Well, 4 days later it was dead.  Wilted and pathetic looking.  Of course I tried to be supportive, encouraging him to try again since it was early in the season.  So this weekend we're off to get him a new plant. 

A weekend of Gardening!

Well, maybe not an entire weekend since it rained on Saturday!  But we did get a lot done.  We finished mulching several flower beds and only have a few to go.  Everything is so green with the rain we've had!  I have several clematis in the yard and I one is already blooming.  My goal for the week is to get the rest of vegetable garden planted before Memorial Day weekend.

Quailcrest Farm Herb Fair

The girls (my mom, sister-n-law and her mom) and I drove down to Wooster this past Saturday for Quailcrest Farm's Fall Herb Fair. This is an annual tradition for us and one that we look forward to every year. The folks at Quailcrest have amazing gardens displaying herbs, perennials and much more. Their greenhouse is full of beautiful plants to purchase and their staff is knowledgable and eager to answer questions and give gardening advice. Garden accessories and gifts are featured in the gift shop.

Each fall they host an herb fair the Saturday following Labor Day, featuring over 70 artisans set up among the gardens. Admission is $2 per car, which is donated to the local boy scout troup. This year didn't disappoint with artisans displaying items including jewelry, stoneware, ironwork and much much more! After of morning of shopping and browsing the gardens, we enjoyed lunch provided by the local church.

Glorious mums in a rainbow of colors filled their greenhouses!

This year I had the pleasure of meeting Cindy of Simple Elements Design. Cindy is a fellow Cleveland Handmade team member and her display was natural, earthy and a perfect backdrop for her beautiful jewelry.

What a beautiful way to spend the day!