JERSEY TOMATOES

I love tomatoes, especially when they are home grown. They are very tasty and juicy. Heirloom tomatoes are special. They are big. Some people call them "ugly" but there is nothing ugly about them. They are beautifully delicious. They need lots of sun and ripen slowly but they are worth the wait. On the other hand, cherry tomatoes are first to ripen and they are as sweet as their elders the heirlooms. Then there are small round "patio tomatoes" . They grow in a pot on the patio if you don't have a garden to grow them in. They are cute and sweet but in one bite they are gone. Lets not forget about the plum tomatoes they are the mainstays. You cannot go wrong with them, they are fleshy and very good in sauces. The beefstake tomatoe is aptly named-its thick, sweet and juicy. We certainly had our share of tomatoes this summer. Any tomatoe with any name is in my list of best edibles. Tomatoe is a fruit and after many debates in NJ it has been declared as such.

VAN CAT

I remember my great aunt petting a beautiful white cat with silky hair on her lap for hours. The purring was endless. Obviously the joy was mutual. But I felt sorry that this cat had two different colored eyes. Auntie told me that the beauty of this cat was her eyes. There was nothing wrong with her.

She was a special breed called VAN cat. They come from the city of Van in the eastern part of Turkey. Van cats have mostly long white silky hair. They are energetic and playful. They are born with grayish eyes but within a month their eye color starts changing and after forty days the color of their eyes becomes permanent. The colors of the eyes can be both blue/turquoise or both amber or one eye blue/turquoise and the other eye amber.

Aside from being so docile, they love being in a family. The more they are loved the more they retun love.

They are very fond of water. It has been said that this is the only breed of cat who can swim and play with water. Van cats can be easily trained. One other trait they have is to test their food with their paw to see if it is the right temperature.

Van cats are a protected breed. There is a special house built for them in Van University.

Although I am a dog person and will always remain loyal to my Ginger's memory I wouldn't mind owning a beautiful Van cat if I could get one. They are fun, clean and intelligent. I will always remember the rolling purr my aunt's cat made when she was with her.

SUMMER PASTA SAUCE

This simple sauce is a breeze to make and there is no cooking involved. It is very refreshing.

Grate 2 large tomatoes on the large section of the grater in to a bowl (discard the skins), using the garlic press add one large clove of garlic, 2 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar and a few leaves of chopped basil. Stir all together. Pour over your favorite pasta and enjoy. Grating cheese is optional.

SUMMER COOLER SOUP

I enjoy this cold soup in hot summer days. It is easy to put together and there is no cooking involved. Excellent for vegetarians. All the ingredients are coarsely cut up.

4-5 large ripe tomatoes , 1 medium bell pepper, 2 stalks of celery, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 medium cucumber and 4-5 leaves of basil

Put everything in the blender (or use a hand blender in a bowl) and blend until smooth, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Cool in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Hot sauce can be added for extra zest.

END OF SUMMER FLOWERS

A ROSE IS NOT JUST A ROSE

When we cut these roses they had the dew on them, we did not alter their natural state.

MORE SUMMER FLOWERS

SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS EASY

I don't like to labor over the stove in summer. I try to make easy and light meals. This plate is ideal for a summer back-yard picnic. Boiled vegetables and a hard boiled egg goes well with a steak. I chose zucchini, fingerling potatoes, haricot verde (french green beans) and corn on the cob. For dressing I used extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice with finely chopped mint. Tastes good and it is a breeze to make.

I also came up with this dish of eggplant, tomato and pepper on the grill. It tastes better than fried version of it. I thinly slice the eggplant and cut the peppers (cubanel or bell) in quarters, put them in a bowl and drizzle enough olive oil and add salt.. Mix to coat and place them on the grill. Meanwhile grate a large tomato to a bowl and add 1 clove of garlic and 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar. Once the vegetables are done place them on a platter, eggplants first then peppers. Pour the tomato mixture on top. Cover with stretch wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to eat. ENJOY.

THIS AND THAT

You can use white correction liquid from your desk/office to cover-up the scruff marks on your white shoes/sneakers in a cinch. Apply the liquid on the marks and buff with a piece of paper towel your scruff marks are gone.

Re-use the plastic bags you bring home from the supermarket to line your garbage pail. You'll save money on buying trash bags.

Don't throw away the Velcro ties that come tied to the vegetables. They can be used to tie the appliance cords or an unruly plant without damaging them.

Use frozen berries or grapes instead of ice in your wine and other liquor. They keep your beverage cold without diluting them and they'll look very decorative in the glass.

SUMMER FLOWERS

BUTTERFLYS ARE FREE

These two moths look like they are enjoying the sun and the flower.

This beautiful black swallowtail came to our garden and landed on the ground. It wasn't afraid of me. It fluttered around a bit and landed on the ground again. It is hard to imagine that this beauty came from an unsightly caterpillar.