We are getting anxious for planting

We currently have our buffet table , our mantle , and all of the south and east facing window sills filled with plants. I think we are up to something like 100 tomato plants I also have an assortment of other things a few herbs and some pretties (petunias I love petunias) I started the pumpkins and watermelons and bunches of other stuff but this post is not to talk about the things I have for our garden it is to talk about something even neater.



The other night at dinner we were eating some Chicken Spaghetti (plain old spaghetti sauce shredded chicken and noodles) now I have two boys who do not like chicken or tomato sauce so they eat their noodles plain with olive oil and garlic powder and Parmesan cheese



My boys are not strangers to fresh vegetables and herbs but it has been about 2 years since we have had a real garden Last year I had just had QT and could not get out to grow anything by the time I had thought about doing it most of the season was over already. and the year before I was too wrapped up in something else to bother



Well we are sitting at the table and I caught a wiff of the fresh basil



if you have ever smelled REAL fresh basil you know the smell I am talking about if you have not had this fantastic treat then please get some seeds and grow some in a few weeks you will understand why the boys went nuts



I told Tim (my gardening pal) to grab the basil Tim got me a plant and I snipped off a few leaves with my nails and shredded some onto Tim's noodle cheese combo



he tasted it his big eyes lit up

that is when his little brother wanted some



so I obliged



again beaming I added some to my plate and some to the big boys plate



last night we made Pizza Dippers (bread dough spread out like pizza covered in Parmesan and Motz cheese with a drizzle of olive oil garlic and basil)



well Zach (partner in crime) says "mom can we use the FRESH REAL basil" (I don't think he knows that dried basil is also REAL basil but I said sure)



so he carefully brings back the plant and starts pinching off leaves and shredding them inhaling deeply



that event made me LONG for the fresh spinach that I have not even had a chance to start yet (our snow just left this week) I think soon as it stops raining tomorrow I am going to get them started so we have some fresh spinach for our next bunch of pizza dippers



So WHY am I talking about all this

well Zach was pointing out to me while we were preparing dinner(yes we cook together) that when the tomato plants make tomatoes we should make them into diced Italian tomatoes like the canned stuff we buy "I mean mom all we need is the garlic and oregano and basil and voila diced Italian tomatoes"



I then said and we need for me to learn how to can things!



that's right I have never ever in my life canned anything



Oh I have all the stuff I have canning salt , I even have the mason jars and lids and I have a beautiful pressure cooker

I have read the canning book



and that is about as far as I have gotten

So I guess this year I will have to do some canning



heaven help us all