More Tomatoes in the Tomato Series

These little cherry tomatoes are called, 'Black Pearl Hybrid'.  I bought the plant because the photo on the tag showed a very dark burgundy, almost black cherry tomato.  But they have not lived up to their colour promise.  Although they are darker than other cherry tomatoes, they are not as dark as I would have liked them to be.  They are more burgundy at the top.

But what they lack in colour, they make up in flavour.  These are so sweet!  I love them in salads.  They are not as prolific as the tag promised.  Unless we get some nice cool, sunny weather, this plant is just about finished.

This is my smallest tomato plant.  Even though they we supposed to grow to into large sprawling plants, bearing lots of fruit in large clusters, this is what I actually have ended up with.  But if it sounds like I am complaining, I am not.  I love these little tomatoes.  They are the sweetest cherry tomatoes I have ever tasted.  And I love them.

It seems that my resident squirrels also like them.  Here is evidence that someone was snacking on one.  Those squirrels are so cheeky.  And notice, they didn't want to eat the skins.

Mimi is looking very mangy lately.  She does not want to clean herself and she hates me to brush her.  But I still love my baby.

Future Salsa

More tomatoes in my 'Tomato Series'.  These are ordinary red tomatoes - like the kind you find in the stores.  They are a variety called 'Early Girl'.  I always plant one of these because they produce ripe fruit about 2-3 weeks earlier than other varieties.  But this year it has been hot, so everything matured at about the same time.  And many of my Early Girls got cracks in them.  They are good-tasting tomatoes - don't get me wrong, but with all the other varieties, I just can't eat them all.  So these are going into a pot later today, to be made into Salsa.

Another variety that I have lots of is called 'Sweet 100'.  I love these for snacking and salads.  Another way I like to serve them is grilled with a bit of olive oil.  I put them on pasta, rice and salads or mix them with some garlic, basil and little mozzarella cheese cubes and make them into Bruschetta.  Yum!  This photo shows only a fraction of these little tomatoes that I have.  The vines are still loaded with them.  I think I will add them to my Salsa, just to use them up.

The only thing I am out of to make my salsa is some coriander and a hot pepper or two.  I am not sure when I can get out to buy some.  You see, it is raining here today.  Yes!  I said rain!  I took a photo out the front door because I had forgotten what a day of soft rain looks like.  It is cooler too!  My grass is very nice and green again.  And my Black-Eyed-Susans.  Aren't they nice and bright on this dark day?

Well, I think I am off to my sewing room.  I want to work on some UFOs.  But first I have to clean up in there.  You see, I can't find my sewing machine!

Scrappy Star Blocks for August

I completed 2 Scrappy Star Blocks for August.  This quilt along is so easy.  Go on over to Terry's blog and take a look.   You may want to join in.  I'm not kidding.  There is still lots of time.  It only takes 2 blocks per month to stay on top of things.  But I warn you.  They are addictive.

To continue with my 'tomato series', I planted some pear-shaped tomatoes this year.  I thought they were going to be regular sized tomatoes, but they are more like cherry tomatoes - maybe a bit bigger.  The plant I have is very prolific!  I have been snacking on these little, golden delicacies nonstop since they started to ripen and I still have lots, both in a bowl and on the vine.  Last night I grilled them as a side dish to have with our rice and salmon fillets.  Delicious!

I think I will have these in a salad for lunch.

It's Wednesday!

Hard to believe it is already Wednesday.  We had a holiday on Monday (Simcoe Day) so the week seems to have gotten away from me.  Here is the only flower I made this week.  There were just too many other things to do.

I also made a few white hexies for the background, but I still have about a hundred to do, so I will not bore you with those.

Instead I will bore you with my 'tomato series'.  I will be posting the different tomatoes I am growing this year as the summer goes on.  This one is a large, beefsteak type called 'Brandy Wine" and is an heirloom variety and is a pinkish colour. One slice was enough to cover my entire piece of toast.  I love this kind of tomato - lots of meat with only a few seeds.  They are also very sweet.

And from what I heard on Breakfast Television this morning, it's National Cat Day.  So Mimi, here's to you!