Garden / Crafty

Grow, Baby, Grow


First of all, today is Dexter’s birthday. Happy Birthday Dexter! He’s either two or three depending on which vet you believe. I started off this morning by giving him a hefty handful of catnip from his own personal stash. Needless to say he was in heaven.

Anyway, it’s been a very long hot few weeks culminating in the reality that we have to move yet again. Yes, after only living in the loft for four months it was sold and we’re up to our eyeballs in boxes, packing tape, and bubble wrap. Thankfully though our new home will have proper cupboards, doors, and glorious central air. I fully intend to keep the house at arctic levels for the foreseeable future.


In the meantime though check out my plants! They’ve been growing like crazy in this East Coast heat wave. The basil is crawling the walls. This image was taken over a week ago. I can’t use it fast enough. What are your favorite recipes that include basil? I fear I’m going to end up drowning in pesto unless someone gives me some killer ideas.


I know I fretted about the tomato plants I purchased but they’ve really (excuse the pun) risen to the occasion. CK and I have harvested dozens and dozens of sweet small ruby red tomatoes. Almost every day there are more waiting to be picked when I arrive home from work. Sometimes I even find them rolling around on the balcony. It’s beyond exciting knowing that I actually grew something edible.


Amusingly enough, the above Cherry tomatoes are actually ripe and ready for your salad bowl. I kept waiting and waiting for them to turn red and then eventually I noticed that they were starting to burst because they were over ripened. Oops… Orange is the new red I guess?

The parsley and cilantro are growing in a great tangled mass more suitable for a scary story than a window box, but they still do their seasoning trick. I do have one additional gardening question though. The cilantro is sprouting small white flowers. Should I just pinch them off? Or is there something else I can do to stop this flowering process?


Poor Watson is still working through his balcony anxieties. He likes to keep his little paws on the most solid areas of the outdoor world. So while Dexter roams at will, Watson tends to sit on the neighbor’s doormat. I suppose that’s a start.

The next container garden update will be from our new home and deck. Wish us luck!