Happy Saturday!

This week, after all but two days, we were told the monsoon was back. This was yesterday afternoon. The sky looked very ominous and there was a forecast of 0.5 inches of rain and what did I get in the end? Nothing but a few drop, none made it into the rain barrel. I am so not a fan of this weather drama. The wind, the dark clouds, and the promise of rain got me stuck inside the house when I should be outside, cleaning up the garden, and transplanting seedlings.

Fortunately, I did get a lot of garden cleaning done this week. I harvested a couple of melons and tossed the vines into the compost. Those vines got severely fried in the heat and got a case of spider mites, which I unfortunately didn’t get to it in time.

I also finally got both of the bush tomatoes upright again. They have been falling onto other plants and sprawling, taking up all the space on the bed. I gave both plants a trim before using strings to create a hammock for each branch and tying the strings to the eyehooks I installed in the trellis.

After trellising the tomato plants, the beds suddenly looked exceptionally empty. It was planting time. For now, I only have kale, cabbage, and brussel sprouts planted as well as some chives divided from a clump.

This must be one of the largest single harvest of roma tomatoes ever. This basket-full of tomatoes is from 3 very productive plants. Afterwards, I roughly chopped up a couple of these tomatoes and cooked them with some noodles. At the very end, prior to serving, I cracked in an egg and whisked it the noodles, which served as the glue for the dish. It was very good and put a smile on my face.

I cannot believe next weekend will be the weekend before the trip to China. I am so not ready to go. The garden feels like it’s just entering its most productive phase. I have cucumbers growing bigger by the minutes and I have melons that are slowly ripening from the inside. This moldy-cheese-looking melon is called Prescott Fond Blanc. It’s a French heirloom and it’s said to taste like a cantalope.

This week, I also found out about the 3C certification for powerbanks, which meant I had to buy one especially for China since I will be boarding a couple of domestic flights in China. Alongside the powerbank, I had to buy a few more neccesities like an insulated water bottle, TSA-approved bottles for my facial cleansers, and a new charger for my phone.

When my mom saw the package at the door, she started screaming at me. “Why are you buying more things?” She seems to have this notion that I’m about to lose my job at any moment.

Then she started lecturing me about how I never listen to her. It was then I turned the table and said, “What about me? When have you listened to me? I said repeatedly I can’t go to China. I don’t want to go to China. I have work.” She denied the whole thing but to be honest, if I wanted to, I could’ve showed her all the blog posts I wrote months before. Instead, I just left the house and went to work on the garden. It is very frustrating how she does that, trying to control all those around her. How about just letting others be?

Anyway, thanks to Natalie for hosting WeekendCoffeeShare and I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.