Garden 2011

This summer, just as the past two, I planted a garden. I made sure to wait until the nightly frosts had passed before putting the plants in the ground and for several weeks now we have been enjoying the fruits of my labor.

I have been pretty consistent in my plot arrangement, which I shared last year, and this year I didn't change much again. Some newbies that joined the ranks are cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and soybeans. Sadly, the grape tomatoes have been underwhelming and to make matters worse, the soybeans didn't even sprout. (I think a few Peter Cottontails nibbled-up the seeds before they even had a chance—poor little guys.)

On the flip side everything else is flourishing including the green beans (I bought the right kind this year!)

jalapenos (by the dozen)

basil (finally learned how to keep it alive!)

aforementioned cherry tomatoes (what can I make with these?)

as well as, roma tomatoes and green and red bell peppers.

On another positive note, our Japanese beetle invasion has nearly left the building. I noticed that the only minor damage they have caused has been to the weeds—haha!

But back to a more pressing point, what can I make with those cherry tomatoes? When I planted them I thought I would be one of these people who, as she leisurely strolls around her yard, grabs a few and eats them right off the vine. Well, that's definitely not the case and these things grow in clusters so when I pick my garden I always come in with dozens more. We have so many that we have been giving them to our cats to roll around as toys (well not really but you get the point). Please, this girl's desperate, if you've got a recipe that calls for cherry tomatoes, send it my way!