Purslane

Today I found out that a weed in my garden is the best plant source of Omega-3 and antioxidants! Super. I was blackberry picking with my book club (feel free to read last years post of this tradition - I learned my lesson though, I avoided stickers and poison ivy!) Anyway, one of the wise women of the group shared the knowledge of purslane. So we all braved a taste. I commented that this was one of the pervasive weeds in my garden. So after a long evening of commitments, I arrived home and immediately (okay, so that is a lie, after a 30 minute crash on the couch) I decided to use my favorite tool - Google- to learn more. I was a bit worried that this would be a plant that had a poisonous copycat plant. Turns out, I am a smart cookie - purslane has an evil twin, spurge. Isn't that a great evil twin name - Spurge. I mean come on say it out loud - SPURGE - it just sounds like a super villain, albeit an amazing lame and trite super villain, but a super villain nonetheless. So back to the actual story. I learn the easiest marker between the two is the evil spurge has a milky white sap if you break the stem. Well, of course I must know immediately - am I blessed with wonder plant, Purslane or the scourge of Spurge (come on, that is some funny stuff). Keep in mind at this point it is 10:20pm and very dark outside. So do I wait for morning? Bah - of course not, I grab my flashlight and head out to the garden (of course, may neighbor happens to walk out with her dog, but she already thinks I am nuts, so...) to search for the "weed" to identify. After much scientific deliberation....(yeah, yeah, I know, get on with it) I am pleased to announce I am the proud cultivator of purslane! Whoop it up, lots of healthy stuff finding its way to a dinner plate near me.

No Grocery Month

So I am going to try a little experiment courtesy of my friend, Erin. She had read about a challenge where you don't buy groceries for a month, as a way to both save some cash and clean out your pantry a bit. (Come on, we all have those boxes that get further and further into the dark recesses of the cupboard than are found years later.) So I am going to give it a whirl. Now, the good thing about trying this now, is my garden is overflowing with lettuce and a few tomatoes are starting to ripen, I should have squash, corn and beans before all is said and done as well. This is good, because I don't know that I could go a month without fresh produce, the temptation might be to much for me.

I am concerned that I am setting the bar to high with the month timeline, but hey we should always aim high, right!I don't have milk right now or eggs so it may be a semi-vegan month unintentionally. Does grocery shopping at Mom's count? Hmmm, that is something to ponder......

Tomato Leaves

So recently a friend of mine mentioned that she had purchased a soy candle that was tomato leaf scent. I told her I don't think I had ever bothered to smell tomato leaves. So I recently decided to take a whiff...oh wonderful. I am reminded of the simple pleasures nature has to offer yet again. This is a photo of my slowly ripening hearty cherry tomato plant. I love the smell. To twist a common adage, take time to stop and smell the tomato leaves today...you won't be disappointed.