The first local strawberries of the year, bought at today’s farmer’s market.
I had a craving for chocolate covered strawberries, so we made chocolate fondue and enjoyed every bite.
I’ve been busy potting and transplanting plants on my balcony, where finally there is some growth. My own strawberries will be carrying fruit soon:
These are conventional strawberries but just today my mom gave me some wild strawberry plants from her garden. I love the special taste of wild strawberries and it will be interesting to see how well they do in a container compaired to the ordinary ones.
There’s also mint, which I love…I cannot wait to have fresh mint tea and alongside my trusty and aromatic italian mint I bought some chocolate and orange mint this year. I’m also trying out some new (to me) plants like Anise Hyssop and Monarda this year.
In addition to the peppers and tomatoes, who are being hardened off this weekend, I’m growning some regional veggies like kohlrabi and broccoli this year.
Aside from having homegrown food to eat, getting my hands dirty planting and growing things in the fresh wind is just the kind of work that keeps me healthy and happy, when too much computer work has made me antsy.
Not that I don’t like my computer work…I’m happy with my photo editing and blogreading and such, as long as I can balance it with physical work.
And to change the topic completely onto something computer related: Now that I own a camera that can do video and after being involved in some video projects at work and with friends, I’m completely excited to try making and editing videos. I’ve spent a couple of hours trying out the function as well as editing the video in Photoshop (yes, you can actually edit video files in Photoshop!) and researching cutting software. Turns out there’s no freeware out there which works with the kind of files my camera produces (bummer!) so I’ll probably need to buy software for cutting. I’ll keep y’all updated…expect some cat and pony videos as my first tries 🙂
little home by hand
little home by hand 
Yum! We bought our first strawberries of the season recently too. So good. Your plants are all doing so well. I, too, love getting out in the dirt and watching stuff grow. Makes me feel so much better. Can’t wait to see your videos and I had no idea you could edit them in PS. Interesting!
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Thanks Lynda 🙂 Exactly…getting out in the dirt and watching stuff grow – next to animals this is the best therapy. I really believe (and I studied Psychology) that we would have fewer psychological issues if everyone did an hour of gardening or tending animals a day.
Yup, you can edit video files just the same as photos in Photoshop. Just not cut the files. I can’t wait until my cutting program arrives and I can start to play 🙂
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These look absolutely delicious. I have such good memories at growing strawberries in my childhood. And if we were lucky we got some after the bunnies came to take their share 😀
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Aw, I just have the cutest image of bunnies munching away at the strawberries in my head now 😀 Thanks Chaucee 🙂
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Oh, the strawberries look PERFECT! I can almost taste them. I’m also curious about the Anise Hyssop – what is it used for? 🙂
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Thanks Sherrie, I’m curious about the Anise Hyssop too…so far, the seeds haven’t done much 🙂 It’s a plant in the mint family and you can have it just for the flowers and the smell or make tea with it. It’s supposed to have medicinal poperties as well and can be used for coughs and fevers.
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Wow, your balcony must be full of plants 🙂 I love homegrown veggies and herbs. I hope that you will have loads of strawberries, they’re just so delicious!
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they look yummy, and your photos even more. Love every and each.
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Just followed through from your flickr…
I got a chocolate mint plant this year too. If you come up with some great recipes to use it in, let me know!
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Hi Liesl, chocolate mint is great isn’t it? Unfortunately mine has had a rough time lately with aphids, so right now I’m treating it and trying to get rid of the bugs before I do anything with it. I’m thinking mint tea with ginger though and maybe in summer a nice yogurty dessert (we call it quark here in Germany) that I can add it too plus strawberries. I’ll post a recipe when I make it!
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Love the first pic ! So red and so full.. !!
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