Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Interesting things that happened yesterday:

1. I was sitting outside talking to Teresa on the phone when a flustered young woman stopped at the head of my driveway and gesticulated toward my garden. I asked Teresa to hold on while I tried to figure out what was up. The young woman struggled to find words, apologized for her lack of English, pointed at a tomato plant. I asked if she wanted a tomato; she nodded, and I invited her to come into the garden and pick one. She did come into the garden, but instead of picking a tomato she carefully collected a handful of tomato leaves. Then she thanked me and continued on her way.

What will she use them for??

2. I fetched the mail and found a small package addressed to Mr. Ruckus Birtwistle. With much amusement, Paul opened the cat's mail and discovered that our friend Donna had sent him this fine gift:


Because Ruckus can't wear it himself, Paul has decided to wear it for him.

3. For dinner I made a spicy fish stew packed with garden bounty: green peppers, hot peppers, green beans, tomatoes, garlic, basil, homemade chicken stock, plus local hake. Potatoes were the only vegetable I had to buy; here's hoping that next year I can fix that problem. Salad was cucumbers, yogurt, dill, and baby spinach; cheddar and black pepper biscuits on the side; homemade blueberry ice cream for dessert.

5 comments:

Ruth said...

I've heard of tomato leaves being used medicinally for cancer cures and they can also be used in cooking by adding them to sauces or using in pesto.
Love the pin...Kardia would not wear it either, but I would, though I try not to use the name...preferring to say president it or president virus
( lower case intentional ).

Carlene Gadapee said...

Tomato leaves/stems make me itch, so I wonder just what she was going to do with them? hmm! I love the pin, too--I'm with Ruth, and I won't use the name--I prefer Squatter in the White House.

I am very curious about your fish stew recipe!! Meg has been dabbling in soup making (she came over yesterday to beg two bags of chopped/frozen tomatoes, and then she returned later with a rich and lovely tomato/basil/cheese soup). And she made a lovely garden veg/sausage Tuscan stew, too. I well taken care of. But a fish stew!! That sounds wonderful.

Take care...

David (n of 49) said...

"And the house you live in will never fall down / If you pity the stranger who stands at your gate." - G. Lightfoot

Nancy said...

I envision an entire book of poem entitled "Strangers at My Gate."

Dawn Potter said...

Carlene: happy to share my "recipe," such as it is, whenever you want it!