Jonathan "Has Got To Fatten Up"

Clearly, I am being driven to distraction by Caitlyn and Ursula's new crusade. Jonathan has got to fatten up. I don't know if Jonathan knows what is store for him...should I tell him or remain silent?

Baseball, Sunshine, Brats, Popcorn

Sunday past was the day for the Johnston Meir Insurance employee picnic. The forecast for the day was rain. We lucked out and had a beautiful sunny day.

Baseball does not have the mythology associated with it in Canada as it does in the US. In the US, the game is taught father to son...the stats, the great players and the strategy. Baseball is more then hitting the ball and running around the bases. The game is based in strategy and statistics.

The pitcher to the left is a 20 year old from Venezuela. His fastball was measured at 97 mph on Sunday. The speed of his pitch places him in the major leagues with the exception of his control. It seemed that every pitch was wild with heat. He was pulled after an inning and a half. Knowing his track record, helps you gauge his impact on the game.

The fun of baseball is you can sit back enjoy the game have a conversation with your neighbor and not worry about missing a big play in the game.

I want to thank the kind folks at Johnston Meir for setting up the day. Ursula enjoyed the game and I think we will be back to watch the Canadians again.

Rich Ripe Red Tomatoes

I don't usually grow tomatoes in my container garden. My daughter, Caitlyn, had claimed that territory for her own.

She would plant one beef steak tomato plant in a pot and nurture it. Beef steaks don't lend themselves to container gardening very well.

The plant and the fruit require massive supports to keep the plant healthy and the fruit off the ground. The top heavy fruit can also cause the plant to spill out of the pot. Even with the obstacles she faced, she was usually able to produce a few delicious tomatoes by the end of the season.

Unfortunately our daughter abandoned us this year (more on this in later posts), and I was left to fill the void.

I choose a mix of smaller varieties. and planted them with the intent to re-pot the plants at a later date.  Later became never and the plants grew like wildfire. They became entangled and fell over. It was at this point my wife became involved.

My wife is a lover of tomatoes. Her lust for fresh ripe tomatoes knows no bounds. Seeing that my neglect had placed her beloved plants in jeopardy, she clearly stated the potential implications of my thoughtlessness.

We were able to recover the plants and as I took this picture this morning I had one thought...Pasta Caprese