Tomatoes, Basil and Lavender

This morning I went out into the vegetable and herb garden to pick some tomatoes and basil. I tried to get outside while it was still cloudy, we all know how that went. It was 9 am and the sun had just came out, very hot and humid but I set out to do what I went out there to do. My favorite, Super Sweet 100’s hybrid cherry tomatoes, have yielded yet another bumper crop, as you can see below. This is the 2nd time we’ve filled a bag and we probably will get two more bags.

For I don’t know how long now, the grocery stores carry only grape tomatoes and if you can find cherry tomatoes, they usually cost more. I much prefer cherry tomatoes and every year we plant this variety, and are never disappointed. I don’t plant my vegetable garden from seed, I buy the plants, usually 5 to 6 inches high. We get them at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Southern States. I used to get them from the Hermitage Tech High School Gardening Dept, which have sales every year. I can’t go anymore because of where they are held. It is difficult to maneuver with a walker or wheelchair.

While outside I picked more Basil, and cut some Lavender to make sachets with, see below, and deadheaded the Marigolds I have around the vegetables. I wanted to do a little more but the heat was killing me. I could feel my legs getting weak and as I moved inside, I faded real fast and that is why I am sitting here and uploading the newest pictures and resizing, and posting in this entry.

I don’t know what to call the small green glass separator???? The tall part has different size holes in it and you take whatever herb, Thyme, Lavender, Parsley, Sage, whatever and put the stem through and pull. It takes the leaves off and puts them in the bowl. There are also marked measurements on the bowl. A useful hint is to put your hand over the bowl as you pull, if you want the leaves or buds in the bowl, otherwise they’ll go all over the place! It’s very cool and I bought it in my favorite store, Cost Plus World Market.

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