In March, Dominic's family got together and arranged an unbelievable fundraiser for his transplant fund. While we couldn't make the cross-country trek to enjoy everybody's company, I did want to help out in another way. I put up a pet portrait commission as a silent auction item, and finally got the time during summer vacation to finish the piece. What a cute guy! Can't wait to hear what the owners think.

Coming back to LA after a 3 week journey cross-country is bittersweet. Not only because I already miss everyone I just left days ago, but the condition of my garden also fits the description.




On first glance I couldn't believe my eyes; probably 20 tomatoes the size of apples and grapefruits, vine-ripened to a glorious shade of sweet red. 

On closer inspection, many were sun scalded, or overripe to the point of bursting open and infested with tiny black bugs (beetles?)

I will be cutting off those busted areas and enjoying their sweet sweet goodness...

All in all I've harvested 12 edible tomatoes, that were frankly the best I've ever grown, and maybe even eaten. (Although they do rival my brother's Rhode Island crop from several years back). I had to compost at least the same amount of tomatoes that were too burnt, dripping, eaten or just plain crisped by the sun. The sun also dried out my huge crop of zinnias and some marigolds. I deadheaded them for the seeds. By the time the season's over we will have thousands of zinnia seeds! Maybe a seed and art stall at spring farmer's market isn't such a bad idea?