Last weekend, Mr.
Scoakat retired the tomato plants to the compost bin. I would have done it
myself, but the BIGGEST SPIDER ON EARTH was living in a web between the two
plants. So, naturally, I couldn’t go anywhere near that side of the garden! Mr.
Scoakat says he didn’t see the spider. I say the spider saw Mr. Scoakat and
decided it was in his best interest to relocate.
Once I was convinced
the spider was gone, I was able to get close enough to plant garlic, harvest the
carrots and some thyme, and remove the last basil plant (which provided a few
final sprigs before meeting its end).
Between the garlic I
purchased and the head I saved for planting from this year’s harvest, I had
enough to plant two rows of 15 cloves. As you can see in the picture below, the
garlic is covered by one of the awesome garlic/strawberry covers Mr. Scoakat
made a few years ago, and so far, it has not been disturbed.
The carrots ended up
in beef stew. And the beef stew ended up really tasty! The last time I made
beef stew (probably at least 15 years ago) it was not great. The thing is, the
beef stew is beef stew. The recipe I used 15 years ago cannot be that different
than the recipe I used last weekend. Lesson here – I am a much better cook now
than I was 15 years ago! 
Did you notice that small green thing behind right side of the garlic cover? Just in case you didn’t, here it is again.
Yes, that small green
thing behind the garlic is a tomato plant that started growing from seed… all
on its own. Because when I try to grow tomatoes, I get nothing but trouble (and
the BIGGEST SPIDER ON EARTH), and when I’m not even trying, they grow on their
own.
I am being mocked by
a tomato plant.
