Tomato Tasting

I picked out several varieties of tomatoes at the farmers' market  with the idea of a little taste testing.

My daughter came over for dinner, and dinner was a mini tomato tasting.

It was over 100 degrees again today,  and  neither of us were very hungry. So this was dinner. Warm bread sticks, a little wine, and tomatoes.

We tasted  these heirloom tomatoes: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, and  Old German.
I also threw in a beefsteak tomato, not heirloom.

The above Cherokee Purple was our favorite. It was sweet and had the clear tomato flavor one expects. 

Brandywine was our second favorite. It had a stronger, more acid flavor, yet still sweet. 

The first taste of Green Zebra was a surprise. It was kind of sharp and sour. My daughter said it would be good in Mexican food, salsa etc. Then she salted it and tried it again. We had not salted any of the tomatoes. Wow! It really changed the flavor of Green Zebra. Now we described it as tangy and crisp in flavor. We really liked it. 

Neither of us liked the Old German  at all, It had no flavor, but to be fair, it was less ripe than all the others. But I think it still might be too mild for our taste. 

I didn't even take a photo of the beefsteak tomato. By itself it was not that flavorful, but it works great for sandwiches, and with mayo and good old white bread, it is perfect.

The above tomatoes all came in one box, and I don't know what they are. Except, since we liked the plum shaped ones the best (see location at 12 and 6 above). I did some research. They are also an  heirloom Russian black plum tomato. Blackish purple on the inside, they taste a lot like the Cherokee Purple. 

What tomatoes do you like? Do you grow heirloom tomatoes? I would really like to know what ones you think are good.
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Note Card Party: Ghost Town

Joining Vee's Note Card Party today with the theme of ghost town. If you know someone who likes history and old stuff, these would make great notecards!

I took these photos a couple of years ago when my daughter and  I stopped at this old mining town.

It is the town of Ludlow, Colorado. 

The entire post is here, with additional photos and some of the history of the town. 

Be sure to stop by Vee's to see more note cards! There is some great photography.

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Blue Sunflower Vase

On returning from a recent trip to a sunflower farm, I came home to make an arrangement. Those sunflowers look a lot bigger at home than they do out in the field. This is the biggest vase I have!

Actually this vase was perfect. See those blue sunflowers on it?

To see more sun shiny faces in the field, click here to see the actual farm I visited. It is amazing!

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The Sunflower Farm

About 30 minutes away from me, near the wonderful town of Lawrence, Kansas ( Home of the Jawhawks), is a beautiful sunflower farm. Early Sunday morning we went there to take photos and cut some sunflowers.

You just can't capture the beauty of fields of sunflowers, with all their little faces turned toward the sun. I don't think God was in church either, He was here!

There were several cars pulled over with people taking photos. I saw a cute family taking some portraits in the fields. I came prepared with a step ladder, because these are soooo tall I needed the ladder to look over the field. 

This is my view standing in front of them on the ground. I am 5'3 and these were at least two feet taller than me.

Sunflowers really do follow the sun. Here is the backs of all of them. 

The butterfly on the top center sunflower really blends in. 

These sunflowers are grown for bird seed, not florist stock. 

SO, after taking about 80 photos and chasing butterflies and dragonflies to photograph, we finally settled down to cutting some flowers. 

There is a can to put money in for the sunflowers you cut. One dollar a flower, what a bargain. We had so much fun even in the heat. A big breakfast in town, and we headed home. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing the sunflower farm, and I will be back with photos of sunflower arrangements!

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Summer Reads

Books are an escape for me, a vacation, so I like happy, interesting books about people who live somewhere I have never been. Think Under the Tuscan Sun. 

 When I recommend books to read, you must note that I am not picking from the best sellers list. I do not read the disturbing  blood and guts mysteries, nor any vampire or shades of gray types. I don't read biographies of screwed up people. SO, now is the time to quit reading this post if the above are your choices.

Today's books all have a beachy, vacation feel to them. 

Being land locked in Kansas....

(no, it's really not that bad)

I want a fun-filled vacation, get away read. 

I am reading constantly, having 2 books going at once, and maybe an audio book too,  but this last one I read really is staying with me. Do you ever read a book and then keep thinking about the characters, wanting to still be a part of their lives?

Porch Lights takes place on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. Three generations are together in the family home, and little Charlie (10 years) and Glam (Glamorous Grandma) steal the dialogue. Funny, heart wrenching, with lots of descriptions of island life there. I liked all the characters, and although the ending is predictable, it is a good summer read.

In addition, when I travel, I listen to audio books in the car. I picked up Porch Lights, the audio,  at the library for my mom, and I must say the reader is EXCELLENT.  This is the book you want to hear! Let someone tell you this story!

I am also reading The Mermaid Garden by Santa Montefiore.

Set in modern Italy and England, the author provides a lush, tranquil atmosphere and wonderful characters you want to know.  The story is set at a beautiful old estate on the English coast. :You come to know the family who own the hotel, as well as the guests who come and go.  Italy is drawn into the book with a corresponding story that brings all the characters together.

I have read several books by Elin Hilderbrand and Summerland does not disappoint.

Taking place in Nantucket, the author's home, the story follows the lives of three families with teenagers  who all live there year round. In a close-knit island community, a teenage car accident defines and changes the lives of these families. A  more serious summer read, Hilderbrand draws you into each families' dynamics, as she tells the story through several different characters point of view. 

Tell me what you've been reading this summer and if you've read any of these books. 

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