Purple TOES, TomaTOES, and Other Assorted PhoTO(E)S

Today was just screaming to be a Photo Blog sort of day. Who am I to argue with fate? Where to begin? Of course, with purple toes!

Cat and I went out yesterday and had lunch, got pedicures, and bought some wine. OK, I bought some wine. Red, even. And it's tasty! But anyway, I like having a color on my toes that surprises me when I look down. And I think I've accomplished that with the dark purple. I've been calling these my "goth toes." Scott asked if I was planning on dying my hair black too, and I said yes and I wanted to find some lipstick to match the polish. My toe nails and underwear are really the only ways for me to "rage" against the "conservative classic look" I have to have for work. (and yes, Milo approves)

Can you see the three tomatoes on this plant? We haven't yet been able to achieve a red tomato. So far, they get to a certain size and then start turning black on the bottom. I'm assuming that it's because the plant is young and can't really afford to support its offspring. Well, I'm hoping. I was really looking forward to that Caprese salad!

And the cilantro bush has almost completely overtaken its pot. The chives are clinging to their little corner bravely attempting to ward off the approach, but I fear they will soon need to be replanted. Who knew cilantro would make such a fabulous hanging basket?

And who could forget the little dill that could? I haven't spotlighted it recently because it's not in a very photo-friendly spot. I bet it will be moving to a top shelf space soon, because it seems to be out-growing its cube in every direction.

Tomato - Day Twelve

Wow! Two little green tomatoes already! This plant is growing like crazy, sporting 2 more blossoms and another bud or two above the little 'maters. I got home from work last night and Scott jumped up from the couch and dragged me out to the balcony to see them before I even put my stuff down. He's pretty excited about it.

By the way, you can see a little of the cilantro in the background of this picture. Scott rescued the little dill that could and potted it in its own container, and since then the cilantro has expanded with weed-like speed.

CHIA Herb Garden - Day 55

Scalzi's Monday Photo Shoot: Take a snap of some of the latest blossoms and blooms near you. If for some reason it's still too chilly where you are, one, you my sympathy, and two, go ahead and use a picture from your archives. But everyone else should go out and take a fresh picture if they can. Let's see what spring looks like here in 2007.

One of the bummers about our balcony herb garden is that it doesn't yield pretty flowers. True, I could have gone 15 minutes from home and captured some truly beautiful professional floral displays (after all, the Flower & Garden Festival is just around the corner - I'm sure there's already a ton at Epcot I could have captured). But I'd rather showcase what's at our own home.

These flowers are on our granddaddy basil plant. This plant has yielded us countless spaghetti dinners, fried eggplant sandwiches, etc. and Scott has even cultivated lots of other basil plants from it, which have been potted and distributed to random people. This particular plant is really past its prime, and has been replaced on the sunny shelf by one of its babies.

While we're out on the balcony, let's check out how our CHIA experiments are doing! I think this might be my last CHIA update, since it seems the crops have stabilized. Obviously, the cilantro is thriving, as are the chives. What shocked me this morning is how well the one single sprout of "don't count me out" dill is doing. I might actually go so far as to say it's a success. Still, it's one sprout. Not a whole lot of culinary possibility there!

CHIA Herb Garden - Day 36

This is really a post about a dramatic cilantro, now fully aromatic and with leaves that look like "real" cilantro. Scott pulled a leaf off a few days ago and stuck it under my nose and it smelled just like salsa! That's good, right?

Of course, the chives keep plugging along. I think it's funny that we're growing this stuff in a pot, considering we had onion grass in our lawn in New Jersey. Is there really any difference?

The marjoram is a complete loss. As for the dill, there's one sprig left. One. And amazingly enough, it's growing outside the original CHIA sponge-dirt (the lighter brown on the left of the photo below). Hopefully they'll all still be alive when we get back from our cruise.

Chia Herb Garden - Day 21

It has been 3 weeks since Scott "planted" his Chia herb seeds. (enough time, according to Scott, to gestate a chicken egg) At the time, I predicted that two of the plants would be still-born, and that only two would see actual sunlight. And I was wrong. Eight days ago, all four plants moved into the fresh air.

Sadly, it seems that those of you who predicted that Scott could grow anything were a little mistaken. Marjoram and dill are all but gone - sad, defeated versions of their former vitality.

Marjoram was, on day five, surprising us with its growth. I guess perhaps slow and steady really does win the race.

On the bright side, we have one plant doing really well, and another that just might survive. In fact, the cilantro seems to be trading in its little sprout leaves for some that are the shape of actual cilantro leaves.
We are a little concerned about the droopiness, but we just can't give up completely. More sun? Less sun? More water? Less water? Time for more space? Who knows?

Found

It looks like we aren't the only ones with a combination bar & greenhouse on the top of the fridge!

I know I've said it before, but I really love Google!

CHIA Herb Garden - Day 13

Can you believe it's been almost two weeks? Let's check out the progress...


Obviously cilantro is our big success story. The others (L-R: chives, marjoram, dill) are holding their own. But the cilantro is actually ready to be transplanted to a real pot.

CHIA Herb Garden - Day Five

also known as the "holy $hit! they're growing!" post


Do you see what I see? Little tiny green sprouts in all four pots. Ok, so the chives only have a tiny bit of growth, but we'll be enjoying marjoram before we know it! Of course, we'll have to figure what exactly one uses marjoram for (the McCormick "EnSpicelopedia" says it's used for practically everything).

This post was a special request from Mr. ParkHopper. He thinks daily updates are in order. I think not. But since we both fully anticipated the "day seven" update to look exactly the same as "day one," I thought I'd snap a photo and make him happy.

...And if that doesn't work, perhaps I'll prepare a coctail from the assorted bottles behind our little greenhouse. I swear, we don't drink that much. We barely drink at all. The plants just happen to be living on top of the fridge, which is also where we store the rum. Really. Stop looking at me like that! Mojito, anyone?

CHIA Herb Garden - Day One

It may not look like much now, but some day we'll be adding fresh cilantro, marjoram, chives, and dill to our dishes.

...or we'll be transplanting other plants into the cute little terracotta pots that the CHIA herb garden came with when we come to the realization that they're never going to grow.

At any rate, they are living in personal greenhouses (sandwich bags) on top of the fridge until they are 2" tall. My bet: at least two will never actually make it outside.

Anyone else want to make a prediction? I'll try to update their progress weekly. Just think - I'm now actually blogging about grass growing. It just doesn't get more exciting than this, does it?