Heirloom Tomato Plants

For the past 2 summers I have tried to grow store bought tomato plants with no success. They always rot on the bottom of the tomato before they are mature. Under my dads advice I have always used cow manure in the potting soil mix. Many years ago I had a store bought hybrid tomato plant that grew over 10 ft tall and I had to lop it off at 10 ft but it produced quite a few tomato's. This year I decided to strike out on my own entirely and get 4 different organic heirloom tomato plants of all different varieties. So far they look strong and like they will produce nicely. Many blossoms so far but I worry about how well they will really do potted instead of in the ground. I spotted some red spider mites on one of them yesterday and have been looking for a natural killer for that. Neighbor say's that I can use ladybugs. May go and get a spray that has garlic in it. I have heard that works. I love salsa and even now I am buying tomato's from the store to make salsa on a weekly basis. Anybody have any tips, suggestions, or advice on growing tomato's?

The one I am looking forward to the most:

Chocolate Stripes: One of the Top 3 tomatoes of the 2007 TomatoFest. Our organic tomato seeds produce very large, indeterminate, regular-leaf tomato plants that yield a plentiful crop of 3-4 inch, mahogany colored with dark, olive green-striping (similar to black zebra). Fruits have delicious, complex, rich, sweet, earthy tomato flavors. Chocolate Stripe, another desirable 'black tomato," is an excellent tomato and a fine choice for your tomato garden. Produces well into the autumn A great sandwich tomato and salad tomato.

San Francisco

April 25-26, 2008

I spent 9 days with Augi and at the end of the trip I decided to rent a car and drive to San Francisco. What a great choice this was for me. It was a 2 hour drive from Monterey to San Francisco. I wanted some great music to drive with so I stopped at Target and bought Melissa Ethridges' ne album "The Awakening". This is a life changing emotionally charged album. I suggest everyone in America buy this album, take a drive and listen to it from the beginning to the end. This is actually what Melissa suggests on the album insert as well. Just listen to the words. There are so many different meanings to be derived from the songs on this album.

My first stop was to drive across the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and take some pictures.

Then I went to find some lunch at a restaraunt where I could have a breeze and some sun. I got the breeze part at the Market Pier but not the sun. I sat at the bar and had oysters on the half shell, a few Margarita's, and Linguine and clam sauce that was to die for. The bartender was a nice gentleman who I ended up going out with to see the city. He took me down to Rodeo Beach where the beach was pebbles instead of sand, it was very cool and stunningly beautiful.

Coming back up from Rodeo Beach you have to drive through a one way tunnel. It is one way with 2 ways of traffic so you have to stay at the light for a good 5 minutes waiting for the other way of traffic to clear or for their light to turn red so yours can turn green.

After Rodeo Beach we drove up to Twin Peaks right after the sun had set. Unfortunately we missed the actual sunset but it was still a stunning view. I tried to take pictures but it was so God awful cold that I shook so bad I could'nt get a good picture. Then we went to dinner at a Thai place that was in an actual residential apt/house, the food was pretty good.

Some random pictures

Monterey Bay Aquarium

April 20, 2008

We spent the latter part of today at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Some of these creatures looked like they were from another planet. We were able to lay on the floor of the outer bay of the aquarium which was the coolest thing ever. From the floor it seemed like you were inside the walls of this aquarium circling around with millions of sardines (or anchovies, I am not sure which). Mmmmmm Yummy. We saw jelly fish that had different color lights on them. How in the world? Think of the energy that these fish must produce..........

The sea otters are the cutest thing ever. Augi tracks sea otters for the aquarium as a volunteer and has done this for 7 years. She certainly loves her aquarium. She was able to be our tour guide for the day.

Todd was able to get some great pictures of the gigantic octopus that I couldn't get with my camera as it just isn't as robust as his Digital SLR. I will post those at a later date after he does what he needs to do with them. He says that they are in raw format and he must pull them into photoshop first.

A cuttle Fish. Pretty neat animal. These fish change colors with their environment and look a little bit like a squid.

A great day in Big Sur California

April 18, 2008

A great day at The River Inn at Pfeiffer Big Sur. We were able to sit in the river on these great wooden chairs and dabble our feet in the water. It was quite chilly and the sun was behind the clouds but we had a great time despite that. The picture includes (closest to farthest) Bonnie, Augi, and Todd, and Arianna in the carrier, with Todd's mom Deb taking the picture. This part of the country is so beautiful. The drive from Monterey through Carmel on Hwy 1 is amazing. You could simply drive off the cliff into the ocean because it is that close. Augi, Deb, and I all had drinks while sitting in the river and enjoying ourselves in the wonderful wilderness. It was nice for Augi to be able to have a drink finally. Arianna is almost 3 months old now and it was time for mom to enjoy her Crown and Coke again if only for one afternoon. She loves her Crown and Coke like you can't even imagine.

Deb treated us all to lunch at the Pheonix Restaurant in Big Sur overlooking the ocean. It was one of the nicest times I have had at lunch with such a beautiful view. Todd's mom is very sweet. A great future mother in law for Augi one day. The day was perfect with all of the great views and family conversation. A wonderful time with my best friend and her significant other and family.