Sunday, June 10, 2007

Just in time for summer

I have a tiny little spot next to my garage where I plant a "salsa" garden – tomatoes, hot peppers and cilantro – every spring. I almost gave up on it this year. I just haven't taken the time to go buy plants and soil and, frankly, I could do without the whole tomato worm experience.

But yesterday I stopped on my way to the grocery to see if the little garden place had anything left. It is June, after all, and most good gardeners are eating the results of their labors by now. I was surprised and pleased to find that not only are there lots of healthy plants left to buy, you can buy them cheap! Tomatoes and jalapenos were four for a buck! I got three of each.

They didn't have any of the kind of cilantro I like. What they had looked like a fern and didn't smell very strong. Cilantro is one of those love-it-or-hate-it herbs, and I love it. Wimpy cilantro need not apply. So I'll be buying it; tiny Kroger stocks it in warm weather.

The best find, though, was a little "patio garden" – a large pot already planted with oregano, globe basil and a tomato plant. Looks like spaghetti sauce to me! I also planted a separate pot of another basil variety, the kind that makes good pesto. [My son-in-law sent me home with a grocery bag full of basil, which was quickly transformed into two cups of pesto.]

So after walking in the morning, I spent an hour or so puttering around with a shovel and hoe and worked up quite a grimy good sweat. Two workouts in one day. What's the world coming to?

I haven't had a good, long, solid run in a long time now. I wonder if I can still do it. I'll probably have to take a lot of walk breaks, but I'm going to do eight miles this morning. Walking or running, it'll be a good workout.

Still eating well. Still not journaling. Still feeling energetic. Thanks for your comments yesterday. It really is "just" food, isn't it?

2 comments:

ws said...

Just reading this post about salsa and tomato sauce is making me hungry. Mr SK must get some really tasty meals...

I hope you had a great workout. Getting back into long run mode can be tough, in my opinion, but that makes the accomplishment more rewarding. Walk breaks don't discount the quality of the run.

Mary Gee said...

I have always wanted to grow a salsa garden... maybe I will have to do that. I usually make mass quantities of it in the summer and can it... but it would be fun to make some fresh out of the garden. I love cilantro!