Monday 27 August 2012

Home and Garden

Today marks six months of home ownership! And I just signed my first proxy vote on a condo board homeowners decision. The board has voted to replace all windows, doors and fences. I could either pay out of pocket, or vote for an extra $50 a month, towards a loan. I voted for the monthly increase, I don't have an approximate $16K laying around.

The new windows will be more energy-efficient and won't let so much heat in. And they will be more secure than what we have now.

I bought tomato plants because I figured they'd be easy to grow. People are always talking about growing tomatoes. Some of you said that they're actually quite hard to grow.

Saturday's harvest of cherry and green zebra tomatoes:

Tomato harvest

I swear I just remembered to water the plants. :-) Okay, a third tomato plant has been struggling. It's hanging upside down from a planter and hasn't been getting full water. But the other two plants are thriving and producing. I had to harvest the green zebras to give smaller ones a chance to grow.

The truth is I don't actually like raw tomatoes. I don't like the taste or texture. I like my tomatoes chopped up and as part of sauces or salsa with herbs to cover the taste.

And it's true of the cherry tomatoes I've grown. But the green zebra ones - so far I've tried them not fully ripe, and I like them, Nice firm texture and the taste is nice.

I made a garden salsa, including chives from my garden, and it was so freakin' good!

Garden salsa

One lesson learned this summer: herbs in plants against the north wall get easily baked unless constantly watered. Next summer, I'll put something hardier in those pots.

Trellis

This morning glory is the first plant grown from seed that has flowered for me so far. Yes! The morning glories love the north wall.

Morning glory

Rather than pay $$ for a new couch or loveseat, I bought a slipcover. It covers ten years of life with cats. And it is cat approved.

Miss Chloe