Salads and Italian gourd

It was time on Sunday to thin the lettuce plants to about 6 inches apart so they could grow to a decent size. I carefully washed the micro plants that I thinned out and made a spectacular salad. Here it is, dressed in good olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Every year I forget how tender and good fresh lettuce tastes. It was wonderful.

I watered and fertilized the plants left in the garden for growth and future meals. You can see that they now are doing quite well. I am worried, however, about this weekend's forecast for very high winds and the impact they may have on everything.

Although the season is way too late, I planted some seeds from an Italian relative. They call the plant zucchini, but it seems to be a gourd (white flowers, not yellow). I am growing it for the tips if the stems, which get boiled and the broth mixed with tomato and garlic. Broken pasta is then added. It was my favorite dish in Sicily.

Looking forward to the weekend rain, concerned about the wind. Fingers crossed.