Summer Tomatoes

 

Hi everyone! Today we have silly post abut tomatoes and green tomato vine scent. LOL, I've been saving tomato stuff all summer. It all started with Trader Joe's Tomato Leaf scented candles last spring. My friend and I went crazy stocking up, discovering our shared love of  the weirdly evocative, enchanting ''summer in Daddy's garden'' scent.

Even Mrs Meyer's did a special edition scent. [That has no scent but cleans nicely!]. I ordered a bottle for each of us.

We reminisced fondly about the lovely first time we ever smelled a vine candle. www.afinefarmhouse.com used to make them. Love the label. HERE

Bath and Body Works has the scent this year--but hate the jar, eeew.

So I made a candle, my first ever handmade candle.

A kit I found online. You guys know how I love trying new crafts and esp love a fun kit.  I'll add a link later.

This craft is esp cool bec it lets the maker use their own jar or crock. Great way to reuse those endless too pretty to toss candle jars.

90 seconds in the microwave and there ya go, a handmade green tomato vine candle.

*********************

I've also been enjoying the heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market and local grocery.

One made it into my nature journal! [not finished or quit while I'm ahead?]

Inspired by the beautiful work of @laragastinger on IG

*****************

I love these tomatoes on a simple ''rustic tart":

Store bought crusts always in the freezer. Any brand, Iusually get Pillsbury. They come in a roll, you need to defrost and use your own baking tray. Sautee a very large sweet onion until it starts to caramelize.

Meanwhile slice your tomatoes and lay out on paper towels to soak up some of their wetness.

Layer t onions, sprinkles of goat cheese the tomatoes  with a few pinches of sugar, lots of fresh black pepper,  lots of herbs fresh if poss. More goat cheese on top. If you hate goat cheese use mozzarella or ricotta, or feta, or?

I'm very partial to tarragon and and a little basil, put what you like. Fold in crust edges for that handmade casual look. Bake 375*F about 25min, until crust browns and tomatoes are softened. Near end you can sprinkle on some crumbled bacon, if desired; and a dash of fresh grated parm give a good nutty nuance.

I like the tart served warm with a big green salad and/or buttered corn on/off the cob. Good next day at ''cocktail time'' just bring to room temp.

...........................

And of course, sewing tomatoes! I have missed out recently twice on tomato sales by @inwiththeold. Shop here And these are from another favorite IG person:

A few of mine below

....................................

Do you grow tomatoes? I wish  could . Here the wind and salt air make the skins tough as old shoe leather My dad grew them in masses. He'd always pick and save green unripe beefsteaks for me, and wrap them in newspaper to  put in my suitcase to fly home after an August visit home to Illinois. Cannot imagine what the travel security folks would think of that nowadays.

It's a beautiful day! A Ten Best Day. Mo and I are headed out to sew bindings on quilts. Back soon.

                                     

ps sorry I didn't answer comments last week, I love comments. Was a bit frazzled after IV treatment and real life....

love

lizzy

gone to the  beach....

clouds for Nancy and you all.

I don't  know what these are called. Just regular old Cirrus?

H Erin pic from a friend. A one point all access to beaches was closed even for walking, due to very high surf and flooding.

August Miscellany

Hi everyone! It is hot--and oh so sunny. We could really use a nice big thunderstorm.

It was too windy to sit out on the deck today. Temp was 84*. I need the shade of my umbrella, and despite bungees and caution, I decided it was a no. Mo had his ice cream, I sewed one Ark animal, a horse--- and we came in. And--Hurricane Erin. Oh the updates from now til December are so nerve-wracking. 

********************

August miscellany: Blue Baskets is finished.

Named Old Blue Baskets [by me], in my heart I call it Remembering Homer, the kind and generous quilt dealer friend who gave me the blocks years ago.

Every summer weekend at the Wellfleet Flea/ Cape Cod, he'd sit in the shade of his gypsy van, this Harvard PhD who morphed into an itinerant quilt seller, carefully taking apart old tattered tied quilts, saving the blocks that were still beautiful.

I'm so glad I washed this little cutie. The rumpled effect of the cottons and batting shrinking create a unifying texture that brings a quilt to life.

Lori C's quilting is softened slightly but still outstanding, I think.

Giant polka dots for the binding because---why not?

Quilt related, this screen shot of an antique quilt. A new to me pattern, I love the Spools.

The spools are HSTs and a Bowtie pair. Fun.

.....

Nature Journal.

Reminding myself just how small these books and my drawings are. [excuses, excuses...].

Somewhat neglected since book 2 began in July. Lots of distractions in real life. I did the pencil sketches then the other day did the complete drawings. Not my best work, my focus is so elsewhere right now.

....................................

Cooking:

I'm a huge fan of Martha Stewart, since her very first issue of Living--but her recipes are so complicated for everyday life. I loved the idea of what she calls a vegetable ''tian''. This is Martha's, via IG: 

So I used up farmers market summer squash and onions in a my way version.

Pretty!

I had the crushed tomatoes jar open, so drizzled on top. Not needed. And it should have baked another 20+ minutes to caramelize. Yummy anyway, love fresh summer veg. Lots of fresh grated parm sprinkled on at the end bec I dislike browned parm.

********************

Mo is doing well so far. If you missed my mini post, he did get the small tablets to replace the giant caps. Swallows them no prob.

This is maybe not a real cure but it is giving him respite from pain for a few days. I have my IV treatment Monday with its long sleep aftermath, I'm still worried about his care, would I really sleep through his seizures? It is a huge worry. He had a fill-in dogwalker this week. He loved her! And had some pleasant evening strolls with his new friend. [this is my new photo app that removes all background junk. He was standing in front of someone's construction discards, lol.] Doesn't he look great!?

More soon.

love

 lizzy

love the stripey little shell...

and much treasured Tiny Tumblers quilt from blog friend Penny. It got a gentle bath and just is glowing.

PS I'll prob comeback tomorrow after clinic hours and add the photo prompts for the rest of the drawings. In case you want to see them.