And so the garden project has been on for the past 3 weeks…and the tomato plants were growing spendidly. I checked for flowers and new shoots every morning, like a mother hen looking for worms. Yikes. Very obsessive, this gardening thing.
Our bedroom window opens to the balcony, and my daily routine now has been somewhat pathetic. Instead of heading straight to the washroom when I get out of bed, I flip the blinds to see if the plants in the balcony are errr…ok. I will look and look for a good 5 minutes, squinting my eyes. I am sure DH felt like saying, “Don’t worry, your plants are still there!” repeatedly…but he wouldn’t want to sound like a broken record because I will still peep out of the balcony anyway.
I now know about plants, flowers, container gardening, pinching tomato suckers and deadheading flowers more than I ever did in my entire life. I was beginning to feel like an old lady, until an ex-schoolmate who is now living in the UK – talks abt her obsession with pinching and poking her plants every morning too. We both agreed that gardening has spiralled our cool-factor 2 notches down. Sad state.
Anyway, there is a really gorgeous Siamese twin gerbera daisy growing in one of my pots. Very sweet…as the lower bloom is constantly fighting for sun-exposure with the upper bloom . She is often sad, and her petals droop often. Kesian. I’d really love to help her get as much sun as her older twin…but I don’t know how to do that without having to conduct surgery and break their enjoined hips apart.
Smokey is enjoying the balcony garden very much, and often kepo around the pots and do her smell-check. We grew a small pan of cat-grass for her…and she loves it. The things I do for the cats…sigh.
I really hope my Tomato Project bears fruit (lame, lame pun). Serious. My Singaporean kiasu side decided to have it all – I have 3 varieties of tomatoes planted, Cherry tomatoes, Beefsteak tomatoes (huge, round ones) and Lemon Boy tomatoes (yellow, round tomatoes). I named the Lemon Boy tomato plant ‘Fazimato’ – after Fazi, my oldest friend from childhood. We used to live in the same kampung. I planted the Lemon Boy on her birthday, May 21st. Since I didn’t get her anything for her birthday, I called her in SG and announced I am naming a tomato plant I am planting that day after her. Only childhood friends can get away with weird gifts like that.
I wonder how many more plants I have to name.
All these after an initial strategy to impress Mak and Busu when they are here. Talk about over-doing it !
Hah…
Another stimulating entry from you. I must applaud you my dear for all the deep ‘chim’ comments about gardening, tomatoes and such.
It takes a lot of courage to lose your cool-factor to impress your darling Mum. And it will bring a lot of rewards for you, I’m sure.
Love the pic of Smokey. She is so ADORABLE. I’ll do anything for cats too 😛
Nanti kalau kau datang lagi, please bring samples of the tomatoes. Aku nak campur ngan sambal belacan arrhh..
Samples of tomatoes? Sure! If you do one day (insya’allah) come and visit me – I will name a tomato plant after you babe! Amacam?
eh eh… so exciting.. a tomato named after me!!!! I WANT!!!! ‘Tomato Minah!!’ hehe… obviously takde idea lagi… but I WANT!!
wei, me leh? i happen to think that MatoMomok or Tomajoyah make kewl names for a fruit.. and bom, your cool-factor ni, let’s just say, u kinda lost it wayyyyyy back when already lor… cuma hanging out with me ada redeem it sikit gitu… wuahahahah.. ok, chill… Momok#1
Suzanne: Ah for you my friend…I shall name one after you. I have one cherry tomato yang baru berbuah – very jolly-looking fella. Like you. So that will be Tomato Minah Zanne…will post photos on FB soon.
Momok#1: Tomajoyah is indeed YOU. Let’s make it a little exotic. How about Tomajoyah Momok? Buay sai? Ok set. I say you fit the Beefsteak variety…yang besar-besar tu..so I shall name my Beefsteak tomato plant Tomajoyah Momok. You too will get a complimentary photo of the plant named after you.
after seeing all the photos, and reading busu uja storiess, I AM SO JEALOUS AT MY NENEK ! nak ikut nenek pegi canada jugaa =(
Mai-lah Shila…save your money from now so you can come visit ! 🙂
Well done!! on your “project”. Never expect you have green hands too. I have never regretted starting my so called ” planting project” too…very therapeutic tau! I even talk to my plants everyday…but no so loud lah nanti jiran ingat gila pulak….hahaha. Apparently my mum said they can hear. I have 9 big pots altogether which I semai from young….very proud 🙂