Eggplant, Chicken, Goat Cheese & Tomato Frittata with Crispy Chicken Skins

Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...
Today we got the remnants of Laura...  it rained and blew a bit in the early part of the day but by 3:00pm the sun emerged from behind thick clouds...  drops glistened like diamonds on the plants, deck rail and greenhouse roof.

I spent the day in the kitchen prepping for Mom’s 90th birthday bbq Sunday...  it will be her first trip out of the apartment in five months.  We are so excited to be able to have her here with a very small group of family...  just ten of us socially distanced on the deck with a breeze at Mom’s back.  I spent the day chopping...  mixing...  marinating...  baking and cooking...

The hubs made Mom a small table for her personal use outside on our deck...  came out lovely...  so creative...  extra pieces of oak floor slats glued together to form a table top and attached to a stand from another table not being used...  brilliant...

Chocolate chocolate chip brownie cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting...  a nod to Mom’s little chocoholic heart (that’s where I get it from 😂) will be our dessert so each person can have their own little cake and she can blow out her candle...

The menu...  chicken kebabs...  sausage rings...  chicken wings...  NYTimes black bean corn salad...  veggie skewers... mango peach plum blueberry fruit salad...  it’s going to be a delightful day with perfect weather...  high just below 80°F...  low humidity...  can’t wait...

Hoping she has such fun...  we will have the big bash she deserves next year...  post COVID...

Supper was an eggplant, chicken, goat cheese & tomato frittata...  quick easy and delicious...  crisped up the skins from the thighs in the oven while the frittata baked...  a crunchy delight...
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Sausages, Onion bread and Garden Salad

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...
Today was another one for the books...  Laura consumed the gulf coast overnight...   we gasped at the complete destruction left in her path...  seeing the devastation on the news our hearts are heavy...  we NYers remember Sandy vividly...  the days and weeks without power...  the overwhelming loss of property and too many lives...  days and sometimes weeks when folks couldn’t purchase gasoline or food...  not having the funds needed to rebuild their shattered lives...  We mourn with you 😓

Just prior to supper the monsoon arrived...  skies turned black...  angry winds howled...  soaking sheets of rain poured down...  trees flailed wildly in the wind... our supper was quietly slipped into the oven as we ogled nature’s wrath...  the storm raged for about 30 minutes and then as suddenly as it  arrived...  it was gone...  skies cleared and the stars peeked out from behind the clouds...  night had fallen...

A salad of greenhouse tomatoes, red onion, olives, fresh basil harvested before the storm, a bit of fennel, radicchio and romaine dressed with vinegar and olive oil cut through the fattiness of the sausages...  onion bread made a delicious accompaniment along with a glass of wine...  a pinot noir for the hubs...  sauvignon blanc for me...
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Mark Bittman’s Pasta with Corn Zucchini & Tomatoes... subbed Eggplant

Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...
Today was sunny...  bright...  high of just below 80°F accompanied by low humidity giving the feel of late summer into autumn...  delightful...  energizing...  uplifting...  joyful day...  

Pasta with corn zucchini and tomatoes by Mark Bittman...  the recipe said it was a framework for a dish...  subbed out the corn and zucchini for eggplant and chicken thigh meat from yesterday’s roasted chicken  (it was supposed to be grilled chicken but the weather gods gave us a downpour just at cooking time)  pívot...  into the oven it went...  still delicious last night and again as a protein for tonite’s pasta...  also added a huge dose of Parmesan to the hot pasta then once again on the plate...  simple... delicious and a terrific fridge clean out dish...  something I always appreciate... following supper the hubs enjoyed homemade mango sorbet with his evening coffee...

Laura has become a life threatening hurricane...  winds topping 150 mph...  15’ storm surge and at least a foot of rain...  catastrophic damage and flooding expected...  we are holding the residents of the gulf coast in our hearts tonight...  please stay safe and evacuate if you are in the path of this monster storm...
How was your day?    What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

London Broil, Elote and Greenhouse Salad

Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...
...and so it begins...  the heat and humidity ramped up today in the Big  Sweaty Apple...  the air feeling like a wet blanket under a broiler...  even with an 8 mph breeze the slightest bit of work created overheating and exhaustion...   91°F with 70% humidity...  triple H...

By early evening it was time for the hubs to grill corn, peppers and london broil...  trying to enjoy a glass of wine on the deck while he cooked left us both with mosquito bites...  so inside we fled.  This is the summer of corn and we are enjoying Mexican street corn (Elote) again and again...  alongside a crisp garden salad with tomatoes, radishes, radish greens, spinach leaves and basil...  a greenhouse salad.

As Marco loses strength, Laura seems to be winding up for a throat punch to the gulf coast of Louisiana and Texas...  amidst the COVID crisis this is the last thing the shore needs.

Fires raging in California displace thousands of residents...  burning millions of acres...  our hearts grieve for the magnitude of loses in both areas...
Please keep all these folks in your hearts...  frightening times...
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Carrot Muffins

Quarantine activities of the day...  Live from NYC...
Today was the last day of gentle weather before the onslaught of heat and humidity for the beginning of the week...  tomorrow begins the pain...  heat...  mugginess and sweat (ooops...  perspiration...  ladies don’t sweat 😂)

Earlier in the week the hubs requested red cabbage slaw with his supper...  unsure of exactly how much carrot might be needed purchased an extra bag of shredded carrot...  tonite they became carrot muffins...  big muffins...  mini muffins cause, why not?

What is it about nighttime baking?  Is it becoming a thing lately?  Great stress reliever...  instant gratification (eating the results)...  this particular recipe has healthy stuff in it so feeling better about that too...

Supper was leftovers from last nights seared pork tenderloin with a small side of brown rice and a crisp green salad... followed our weekly visit to Mom...  she is doing well, looking alert...  happy to see us both...  reading her way through another big pile of books...  walking two sets of 8 laps around her apartment daily...

Watching the weather as two tropical storms aim for the Louisiana gulf shores...  fingers crossed that the area makes it through intact...  so concerned for folks dealing with COVID and now double barrel storms...
How was your day?   What’s did you do today?   Thoughts?

Seared Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Potatoes, Orange fennel Salad, Rice Pudding

Quarantine activities of the day...  Live from NYC...

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC... 

Today was the last of the coolish temps here in the Big Apple...  tomorrow the heat and humidity return... with pop up thunderstorms to boot...

The hubs helped the kids install a new front door this morning... so pretty... a beautiful teal color...  love it! Makes the front of their home look polished...   and with their refinished stoop and walkway, the place is beautifully refreshed!  Proud mama moment 💞 

While the hubs napped this afternoon the food foray got completed...  it is so much less stressful than the initial phase when NYC was the hotspot and we were all terrified...  everyone is masked up...  plenty of hand sanitizer everywhere...  stores are spotless...  major improvements...

Prior to leaving for the market the pork tenderloin was placed in a zipper bag with salt, pepper, garlic flake, onion flake, turmeric, paprika, Cajun spice blend and olive oil...  a massage and into containment in the fridge to marinate...  

After the groceries were put away and all the clean up done... the pork got a good sear in the cast iron while the potatoes roasted and the salad was chopped...  30 minutes later supper was served...  rice pudding was made at 2am last night when I couldn’t find a dessert I liked...  luckily there was plenty left...  late night desserts 🍨 rock!

Register to VOTE!! 

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Enchiladas

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...
Enchilada night here in the Big Apple... time to clean out the fridge...  use up all those bits and bobs of meals hanging around in continainers...  make something new and delicious...  and thus supper was born...

Now that the painting is finished, today was a chance to relax...   complete necessary paperwork...  make a few phone calls...  spend time in the garden fussing over the babies.  Cucumbers are beginning to appear...  currently about 1” long...  second tomato plantings beginning to show tiny fruit...   turnip greens growing large...  it’s thrilling to watch all the babies grow and flourish...

The Democratic Convention has finished...  the message...  rebuilding and reuniting well received...  Monday begins the Republican Convention...  curious to hear the platform and plans for America...  listening with an open mind to all points of view...  so important at this time of crisis to decide which party truly reflects the values and beliefs we feel will benefit our nation...
Hearing both sides...  not living in an echo chamber of sameness...
Something every voter should do for their own peace of mind...
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

Steak, Salad, Elote & Roasted Onions and Tomatoes

Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...
ITS FINISHED!!  Came back from a visit to the dentist (yuck!) and 💥POW💥
there it was...  our 1927 original clapboard and cedar shake house looking all fresh and new again (before and after photos attached) Time to celebrate!
Busted out the steaks for the grill...  let them sit on a sheet pan to thaw while  circling the house in amazement.

Weather was a dream today...  temps in the high 70’s...  low humidity...  tonight’s low will be 66°F...  feels like fall...  but don’t be fooled...  Sunday the heat and humidity will be roaring back and 90°F is forecasted...  

Our salad was capped off by delicious tomatoes from the greenhouse and basil tips from our monster plant...  trying to keep it sweet by pruning...
the hubs made elote on the grill...  swear I could eat just corn for supper when it’s made this way, right?  Medium rare steaks... caramelized onion and roasted tomato slices atop the steaks...  leftover tomato goat cheese tart...  and a glass of Pinot noir to round out the meal.

Watching President Obama last night brought back so many feelings...  America hasn’t had a statesman in the White House for over three years...
surprised at how much tone and words of leadership soothe the raw nerves...  so much to grieve now...  so many lives lost to COVID...  we have missed the kindness and gentleness of leadership at a time when it is badly needed...  Bush after 9/11...  Obama after Sandy...
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

IT’S FINISHED

Quarantien activities of the day...   Live from NYC...
ITS FINISHED!!  Looks so much better...  from hovel (after pressure washing) to home!  Came back from a visit to the dentist (yuck!) to find the painters had cleaned up and finished.  What a joy!  We cannot recommend R&R Painting enough...  profesional...  courteous...  high quality...  reliable and honest...  what else could anyone want in a contractor?

For interior and exterior painting...  Richie Ruscillo...  here’s a link...

https://www.angieslist.com/companylist/us/ny/carle-pl/r-and-r-painting-reviews-6515119.htm

Ina Garten’s Tomato & Goat Cheese Tart and Marián Burros Orange and Fennel Salad

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...
We are nearing the finish line here in the Big Painted Apple...  today was stunning...  temps in the low 80’s... low humidity and blue skies above.  We are having a much deserved moment here in NYC...  delightful weather through the next couple of days...  enjoying it while it lasts...  weekend portends heat and humidity once again...

The painting crew are almost finished...  house looks amazing (photos tomorrow) dark grey shakes pop against bright white planks...  the garage and a few last windows on the house remain...

The deck plants and greenhouse have come through the paint job without a hitch...  crew was super careful and considerate...  so important to this budding farm gal...

greenhouse update:  cucumber plants climbing high on their frame...  turnip greens almost 6” tall...  second tomato plantings showing flowers and third plantings almost 8” tall...  arugula will be ready for snipping in another week or so...  it’s time to pull the radishes and replant for round two...  snap peas second planting are just beginning to hold their stake...  eggplants are beginning new fruits...  did you know that eggplants are technically a berry???

Supper tonite was Ina Garten’s tomato and goat cheese tart served alongside Marián Burros orange and fennel salad...  the only change I made to Ina’s recipe was to roast the tomato slices with olive oil salt and pepper prior to building the tart...  the sweet jamminess of the tomatoes was a perfect counterpoint to the fresh acidity of the salad...

Got an alert today that the post office saga is coming to a close...  yay... no further actions against mail delivery through the election...  what about undoing all the equipment removals?  A few hundred sorting machines removed?  Many mailboxes removed?  Hoping this too will be righted...  hunting for a mailbox isn’t my favorite pastime...  ~sigh~  Hoping the post office can clear the backlog before the months end...  don’t want to receive my bills late...

NYC schools may re-open after Labor Day 1-3 days per week for the first months...  parents can opt for all home schooling as well...   such confusion and fear...  it’s overwhelming...  what is your area doing?
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Cold Fish Supper & Black Swallowtail Butterfies

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...
Friday night we were going to have a cold fish supper...  then chili happened...  thought we’d have it Sunday after our visit with Mom...  however Saturday night our neighbor had a bbq and celebrated his name day...   delicious Greek food gifted to us made for a simple Sunday night supper...  still hadn’t had our cold fish supper...  sooooo....

Tonite we finally enjoyed...  Italian tuna in olive oil, sardines, red cabbage slaw, potato salad with peas and corn (thanks Danicha  )boiled eggs with mayo and anchovies, garden tomatoes and radishes, cucumber, endive leaves, romaine and basil...  the hubs and I shared a toasted whole wheat bagel and the last of a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc...

The weather was delightful through the day...  temps in the low 80’s...  humidity at comfortable levels...  all the greenhouse babies healthy & growing...  we had a magnificent visitor in the garden today...  a black swallowtail butterfly...  I’m glad I got to see her since she ate ALL my parsley...   drying her wings on the lavender stems...  she rested for a while then flew off...  probably to visit another garden...  did you know butterflies taste with their feet?

By 8:30pm the skies opened up and a deluge arrived complete with thunder and lightening...  spectacular!  Don’t you just love rainstorms?

The painters have completed phase 4...  the shakes are stained and painted a lovely dark grey...  the roof line moldings are painted white...  tomorrow begins the painting of the planks bright white in an eggshell finish...  I must say their work quality is top notch...  so very pleased thus far...

Florida...  Georgia...  Arizona...  Texas...  California...  North Carolina...   Tennessee...  Illinois...  Ohio...  we feel your pain here in the Big Apple...  we were a COVID hot spot just 90 days ago...  Indiana...  Missouri...  South Carolina...  Michigan...  Wisconsin...  170,000 lost souls...  170,000 devastated families...   PLEASE wear a mask...  WASH those hands...  quarantine fatigue wears us down... makes us overconfident... stay safe💞😷
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Friday Night Chili

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...
They’re baaaaack...  today the crew stained the cedar shakes on the upper part of the house...  what a difference...  looks much more like a home and less like a hovel...   of course, the lower part of the house...  the wooden planks...  still looking very sad... one job at a time...  each part has to dry thoroughly before we can proceed to the next...  it’s a work in progress...

The hubs came home exhausted from the days travails once again...  the heat takes a toll...  although we had planned to have a cold fish supper ( tuna, sardines, anchovies and raw veggies) he looked so tired it was time for a pick me up supper...  one of his favorites...  chili.

This version with 85/15 ground sirloin & dark red kidney beans was enhanced by the addition of spices that graced our Lebanese eggplant  boats yesterday...  and the result was resoundingly delightful...  the warmth of the cinnamon and cumin against the fruitiness of the allspice worked especially well alongside the fresh onion and garlic inside the chili.  The hubs finished up the Pinot Noir...  I opted for the Sauvignon Blanc.  It was a quick simple dish that worked well for a tired guy needing to relax after a tough week.

Just before supper we were able to connect with the family of the marine who recently married and is moving south.  Hoping our two huuuge bags of linens and curtains help them in their new life together...  it was an honor to acknowledge his service...
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Lebanese Eggplant Boats & Mango Lime Sorbet

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...
🎵 Rain rain go away...  come again another day...  painting house will have to wait...  so rain rain go away... 🎶

Today was dreary and rainy...  humid but cooler than the past few days.  After the days office work...  filing...  paperwork...  yawn...  there was no playing in the garden since everyone was still damp from yesterday...  so off to the kitchen to experiment...

Bought a big bag of overripe mangos at the market on Tuesday...  after last nights supper we still had mucho mangos...  so today it became sorbet.  So simple...  four ingredients...  mangoes, sugar, lime juice, salt...  I couldn’t help but taste the purée as it loaded it into the ice cream machine...  soooo yummy.  Haven’t had any frozen yet...  tomorrow for sure.

Special thanks to Linda Kiger Smith for the Lebanese eggplant recipe...  it was beyond delicious...  fabulous flavors made the best possible use of our first two eggplants from the greenhouse....  today’s cooler temperatures allowed the oven to do the work without heating up the kitchen...  Served it alongside some toasted bread gifted to us by our lovely neighbor and accompanied by a delicious Pinot Noir...  the hubs eyes lit up when he tasted it...  this will be made again...  the spice combination is already rattling around in my head for more applications....  wonderful 💞😷

Tomorrow we are donating two lawn and leaf bags of linens and curtains to a local family who’s son just returned from deployment...  is getting married and moving out of state.  We are so pleased to be able to help this marine veteran get on his feet with his new wife.  👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨
How was your day?  What on your plate?  Thoughts?

Turkey Kefta, Cucumber Onion Salad, Chili Lime Corn & Lemon Mousse

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...
And so it begins...  the house painters arrived this morning at 8AM with their ladders and scrapers and their pressure washer to assail our home from the exterior...  so they can seal it up again.  After the scraping and pressure washing it now looks like a hovel...  large areas of raw wood exposed...  gaps with no stain on the cedar shakes...  our home looks sad and dilapidated.   This step is (as the painter explained to me) necessary to remove all the dirt, mold and grime so the new stain and paint will adhere...

For those of you who read my posts you are aware that I am a night owl...  8AM is not a cheery time for me...  so today I was a bit off until about noon when my body finally said... “ok, you can wake up now...  coffee time”

Following appointments it was time to hustle into the kitchen for some well deserved play time...  supervising painting crews isn’t usually my strong suit...

Supper was a melange of dishes created out of the necessity to use up items left languishing in the fridge...  cucumber onion salad made with a yogurt sour cream dill sauce perched atop ground turkey Kefta (forgot the photo...  we were hungry 😂)  with grilled chili lime corn and fresh mango slices...  the hubs enjoyed his lemon mousse (which wasn’t firm enough last night before he was off to bed) with vanilla coffee...

I saw a piece today that explained my feelings about school re-openings perfectly...  I am the daughter of two teachers...  my DIL’s Mom ( a close friend) is a retired teacher...  many of our friends & family are teachers...

“We are asking one of the most underpaid educated groups of people in the nation to go back into their classrooms during a pandemic while we are releasing convicts so they won’t get COVID”
How was your day?  What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

Parsley Cheese Sausages & Orange Fennel Salad

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...
Today was triple H... hazy, hot and humid...  the air felt like pea soup against the skin...  the breeze barely noticeable...  the babies in the greenhouse all enjoyed the breeze from the fan as they guzzled their afternoon drink and rain shower.  

The hubs came home hot and exhausted from the days adventures...  showered and took a nap while supper was prepped.  By cooking time he was up and ready to grill.  Parsley and cheese sausages with red pepper and  the NYTimes Orange and Fennel salad by Marián Burros...  sausage and peppers go together like peanut butter and jelly...  this salad was a refreshing bite of salty sweet acidic deliciousness between each mouthful of dinner.  Can’t recommend it enough...

Had to have dessert tonite...  lemon mousse with whipped cream and a chocolate covered almond topped off supper with a light citrusy finish...

Biden picked his running mate today...  the tickets are now Biden/Harris vs Trump/Pence... and it’s off to the races...  eighty three days until the election but likely we won’t have a clear winner on Election Day due to mail in ballots.   Such vast differences between the platforms...  be sure to do your civic duty...  be informed...  do your due diligence to read reliable sources... and most importantly VOTE!!
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

Chili Lime Chicken Thighs & Watermelon Feta Salad

Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...
Today was busy...  laundry all morning...  work all afternoon...  4:30pm escaped outside to play in the garden...  it was still very warm...  90°F today...  Mr Sam joined in when the hubs arrived from work...  getting a good rub in the process.

All the babies are growing...  cucumber and squash bursting forth while the root vegetables growing underground give up few secrets.  The herb garden is doing well as always...  herbs need little care and grow well even in the poorest of soils...  I am encouraged by the results in the greenhouse...   though we started in late July growth is steady at the three week mark...

We sat on the deck with Mr Sam sharing the days events and before we realized it was time for supper.  Chili lime chicken thighs quick marinated and grilled to perfection crisp skin...  moist juicy meat...  alongside a refreshing watermelon feta salad...  our lovely neighbor gifted us a delicious loaf of fresh bread from her restaurant which we enjoyed with supper along with a grilled red pepper...  a crisp Sauvignon Blanc rounded out the meal.

Our country has reached a very grim milestone...  5 million plus cases of COVID...  the virus wins as too many of us experience quarantine fatigue.  We cannot allow ourselves to become complacent as regards our health and the necessary protocols required to keep us safe until we have either an effective remedy or a vaccine...  of the 20 million COVID cases worldwide 733,000 died while another 12 million recovered making the pandemics mortality rate just under 4%...  for comparison the seasonal flu has a mortality rate of .1% making COVID 40 times more contagious and deadly than the flu.  Please wear a mask...   stay safe...  💞😷
How was your day?  What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

PIZZA & School Re-openings

Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...
Pizza...  what deliciousness is conjured up in the mind when that magical word is uttered...  it is the perfect in between meal snack...   it is portable...   a slice fits neatly in the palm of the hand folded just right to accommodate the bite...  it has all the requisite flavors...  salt (sauce and cheese) fat (also  sauce and cheese) acid (tomatoes) and heat (red pepper flake added to the sauce and sprinkled liberally atop)

So many of you fellow foodies here on the NYTCC  made pizza this past week...  it motivated me to do the same as I drooled over your creations each day...  thanks for that... the results were sooo worth the effort 💞😷

This pizza (courtesy of King Arthur Flour) cooked in the 14” cast iron... 450°F for 20 - 25 minutes...  sported toppings of shredded chicken...  ricotta...  kalamata olives...  and a hefty dose of Parmesan...  it was spectacular.  Served alongside a crisp green salad and a bright Sauvignon Blanc made for a wonderful supper following our weekly visit to Mom.

She is doing well...  healthy...  cheery...  walking 16 laps each day in two sets of 8...  glad to have a visit with us and a video chat with her grandson and grandDIL on her iPhone via WhatsApp.  We brought her a new stack of books to read...  she has finished all the novels available and so we move on to non-fiction this month.

Governor Cuomo has authorized schools to re-open in the fall so long as the COVID new case rate stays below 5% in the state and 3% within NYC.  He has given parents the flexibility to choose either home schooling, classroom schooling or a mixture of both and set up red flags which will close a school if the virus begins to spread either among staff or children for a period of time to clean the school and track & trace...

There are mixed opinions regarding this announcement...  although many agree that kids learn better in class there is much concern that kids, teachers and staff will be at high risk in this environment.  Early school openings in other countries have shown poor results with many developing new outbreaks...  summer camp results here in the US have shown the same kind of spread...  we are concerned for the health and well being of all students, teachers and staff and welcome your opinions...
How was your day?  What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

Porterhouse, Elote, Grilled Mini Pizzas, Baba Ghanouj & Seared Red Pepper

Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...
Tonite’s supper is brought to you by the numbers 5, 3 & 1...
Five photos of all the different parts of supper...
Five ears of elote corn broken into easy to eat size pieces...
Three mini pizzas covered with melty cheese...
One rare porterhouse steak cooked to perfection...
One bowl of baba ghanouj smokey from the grill...
And one red pepper seared on the grill ready to peel...

Today was a bit dull... spent it doing necessary paperwork (yuck) paying  bills (double yuck)  making phone calls (yawn) about bills and paperwork...  and doing the grind that keeps homes and businesses moving forward...

I had planned to do some laundry as well (excitement?) but finally gave it all up and went outside to play in the garden.  It was warm with a soft breeze by late afternoon and the babies were all snuggled in their pots and grow bags...  happy after a long drink and daily dose of sunshine.

On the deck the cucumbers are tall, twirling their tendrils around the piece of chicken wire tied to the railing encouraging their climb.  The basil now tops two feet and after today’s second haircut...  8” off the top...  is getting bushier and bushier.  The four eggplants hidden under downy leaves in the greenhouse are almost ready to harvest and the second planting of snap peas are beginning to show their first sets of leaves.

The radishes will all be harvested in about a week thereby freeing up space for a second planting.  Root veggies (carrots, beets, turnips) are busy growing underground sending up a few leaves to show their progress.  Arugula seedlings are filling out (now I know why it’s called rocket lettuce) and will be ready for their first haircut in another week or so.

Our tomato plants have produced a bumper crop of cherrys and romas...  glad they’re ripening at intervals...  our second planting of tomatoes are beginning to show flowers and our third planting are now just a few inches tall.  We are hoping to harvest through the fall months inside the greenhouse.
How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?