Flying Colors

Homegrown,

Today is
08 / 2+6 / 08

Eights ?

Well, the # 8
in numerology is for
PROSPERITY!

This year I
planted 3
"Roma Tomato"
plants and 2
"Cherry Tomatoes."

The harvest has
been splendid
over +260
Roma Tomatoes
so far and
more coming
from where
these came from!

I call this
bumber crop,
Abundance!

www.gregmorneauart.com • painting by Greg Morneau • "The Waiting Place"
www.donnarizzo.com • ceramic sugar bowl by Donna Rizzo • "Willow Dancer"

Above containers with Tomato Sauce and below a bowl of refreshing "Gazpacho Soup"

In China, "red" is a lucky color, so it's often used to bring luck into a household.

Keep reading here for a "Gazpacho Soup" recipe!

Uppity up tomatoes!

Within "The Land" pavilion which is part of the EPCOT theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort at Lake Buena Vista, Florida is this amazingly huge “Tomato-Tree”.
It was achieved by using the "vertical growing technique" in which by providing a matrix of structural supports for the entire plant this enabled it to grow much bigger than it ever would under ordinary circumstances where gravity would be weighing it down.

This “Tomato-Tree” produces over 32,000 tomatoes in a 16-month period. It was recognized by Guiness World Records as both the largest and most productive tomato plant in the world.

EPCOT stands for “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow” and was originally intended to be a futuristic model community based on utopian modernist ideas of communal living, no cars and no private ownership.

A Heart Tart...

Rise and Shine! As my niece would say...
Today is Valentines... Wishing you all a wonderful day with your love ones!

And I have made you a "Heart * Tart" to enjoy. Also easy to bake.

Following recipe: Rhubarb / Berry Tart 

With the heart...

Sprinkled among the many folds of the "Puzzle Purse" are words and phrases. Once they are read they uncover an endearing message or maybe a secret. It becomes a puzzle to resolve and to refold.

It is also "A Valentine" you can make and share!

"With the heart" • puzzle purse and digital illustration - Lisa Rivas © 2008
You can also purchase an e-Stamp with this image HERE

The best and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched.
They must be felt with the heart.
Hellen Keller

Following download pdf file for: this Puzzle Purse 

CocoNut Etiquette

The glorious Coco-Nut proves that some "nuts" are truly hard to crack!
But the treat inside is worth the effort and the following technique will make this job easier.

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the coconut on a hard flat surface on top of a pot-holder or dish towel. Test each of the three "eyes" at the stem end to find the two softest ones. Use a small screwdriver or ice pick to pierce these eyes. NOTE: Be very careful when piercing as the ice pick or screwdriver can easily slip and cause injury! Then drain out the liquid into a cup, it is an exquisite nectar!

  2. Place coconut in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes this will loosen the flesh from its shell. Remove the coconut and wrap a dish towel around it. Use a hammer to tap the coconut until it cracks. Continue tapping around the broken edge until the shell begins to break apart. Carefully pry the flesh from the shell.

  3. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the brown skin and  then to slice the coconut flesh into thin strips.

  4. Transfer to a baking sheet and toast in oven shifting the coconut around every 5 minutes until golden.

  5. Your freshly toasted coconut will stay fresh in an airtight container for a week.

Bonus Idea:
For a wonderfully warm and salty treat (great for parties), sprinkle a little bit of salt onto the coconut before toasting.

Enjoy!