It's that time again, January is over and winter is is wrapping up. Outside in my garden exciting things are happening. All of a sudden last year's baby lemons are turning yellow, ripening into 2015's crop. At the same time, next year's fruit is setting: the flowers fall off and leave behind tiny, green swellings which are the beginnings of next winter's lemons.
The very first artichoke is ready to harvest from a plant in my garden. It is the only survivor of an entire packet of seeds that I started three years ago, so a celebration is in order! My daughter has asked to eat the little darling steamed with butter sauce.
We celebrated Father's Day with a trip to the Giant's County Fair, where we rode more rides than we could count, won two fluffy creatures per kid, feasted on fried things and ate too much ice cream. We also made a fine family showing at the Urban Eats cherry spitting contest, put on by CUESA, the folks who run the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market. I just wish they'd made the inside of their tent look as good as all the advertising leading up to the event. Maybe next year.