So quickly, things are happening

the first heirloom tomatoes of the season.

Stepping quickly into my old life of 2 years ago this evening has made me all the more grateful for where I am and who I am today. Thank you, to all of you, who have brought, pushed, and guided me here.

here's my life, now.

the medicinal herb spiral bed, growing heartily

German Chamomile

Cayenne Peppers
the first red ones of the season. We'll dry these for use in the winter, and use fresh make spicy pickles, hot sauces, and relishes to can.


The rooftop garden is producing like mad. It's hard to imagine what the garden looked like 3 months, 6 months, or a year ago, (when there was no garden). What a change, what growth. !

Seeing all the food reminds me of how easy it is to grow your own food. It takes dedication, true, especially at the proper times (i.e. seeding early spring, weeding, and watering in dry spells)- but mostly plants take care of themselves. All we humans have to do is nurture the little seedlings until they're large enough to take care of themselves. Then voila! You have tomatoes, carrots, peppers, grains, onions, lettuces, greens, flowers, squash, beets, and more. All for the price of the seed packet (if that) and some of our precious time. In exchange for good quality food, not so bad.

Looking at the prices of food at the grocery stores and farmers markets, the effort put into a garden really isn't exorbitant. Trucking food cross country in refrigerated trucks thousands of miles to huge stores hoping they make it and are purchased in time is a rather large cost to put food in your belly. Especially when it pops up in your own backyard (or rooftop).

Dietrich, with our first two cabbages





In another vein: foraging. We have a friend and a friend who pointed us in the direction of a very large, unpruned pear tree. Owned by Holly and Ben, it's practically dripping with lucious pears.

Alyssa and I with oodles of pears- likely up to 80lbs. whoa, there will be some intense canning in the next couple of weeks when they finish ripening off the tree.



Some of them are just starting to blush, a sign of beginning ripeness. They'll blush and become soft when they are ready. Right now, they're rather hard and rocklike. Beautiful, nonetheless!

Check back for some pear recipes- soon to come!