Little 'uns

Exactly one month ago  I planted this year's kitchen garden. Yesterday I took advantage of a respite in our bizarre weather (thunder and tornado-like winds one minute, sweltering overcast humidity the next) to go out back, stake my tomato plants, check for slugs, chase off the rabbits, and pull out the lemon balm creepers that are still infesting the entire area.

My disconsolation over my latest gluten-free debacle abated like magic when I discovered that The Stork had left some babies in my brassica patch!

As with any proud parent, I like to show off pics of my offspring:

Cauliflower: it may be a cool-weather vegetable,

but - touch wood - it seems to be doing fine so far.

Romanesco: note the early initiation of its fractal form.

Serrano peppers: I will be pickling in no time.

Butternut: such tiny little flowers! My neighbor's squash blossoms are already rampantly orange and as big as 14-oz coffee mugs, but this isn't a competition, right? Nonetheless, I have given my bebes a rousing hopes-and-dreams speech with the goal of inspiring them to greatness.

Sir's plums: despite the wind's best efforts to blow them all off the trees and into the hurricane fence down the street, there are still several hundred remaining. Speaking of competitions, Sir is thrilled by his fruit's progress and plans to show the six finest specimens at The Great Allentown Fair in September. It is only a matter of time before a big girly purple 'Best In Show' ribbon is hung ceremoniously on his office's vanity wall, to the envy of all his coworkers.

Coming soon: the results of my latest gluten-free experiment, which is baking in the oven even as we speak. Carrot cake!