For those of you who purchased Sage: Tales from a Magical Kingdom anytime before January 2012 (this year) the update that includes illustrations for each story is FINALLY available for download. You do not need to repurchase. Just go to your Manage Kindle page, locate the book and the pull down menu should have an option to download the update. I believe you’ll lose any notes or highlights so you don’t have to get the update if you don’t want it. The stories are the same other than I added one illustration to the top of each story and added a bonus, unrelated children’s story.

Sage contains stories about plant magic; it’s a cozy fantasy read. There’s a little bit of sword and sorcery, definitely mysteries to be solved and some interesting characters to keep things lively.

If you don’t see the update for some reason, let me know. I’ve been working with Amazon for several months in order to make the update available seamlessly. And, if you have a different reader (ePub) the update is not yet available. When it is available, it will probably only be available through my own website. Doing illustrations in the various formatting required for each retailer is simply impossible. There aren’t enough hours in the day!

Frank Tuttle’s All the Paths of Shadow, the first in his cozy fantasy series is on sale for $3.99 today. This book is normally $9.99. I have no idea how long this price will last, but the book is a good read; kind of a bit of steampunk, fantasy, mystery. If you read any fantasy at all or love cozy mysteries and have been eying it greedily, here’s your chance!

Friday evening was beautiful; a balmy 70 or so. We decided to take a walk. We sometimes do short walks in the evening, just a mile around the block. There was a nice breeze, kids out practicing baseball with their parents coaching…yanno, far be it for me to tell people how to play baseball, but it seems to me that if you’re going to have kid 2 throwing the ball back to Mom in her chair that Mom might not want to sit Right In Front of the SUV. SUV has nice big windows. Wonder how long they are going to stay intact with the kid throwing a ball right at them for all he’s worth? And that house that is in front of the kid swinging that bat…well, it’s mine. And I don’t want my garage door dented. I don’t want the side window to have to be replaced either. Just so you know.

Around the block we went, minding our own business. On the second corner turn, we noticed a lady coming towards us on a bicycle. She turned with us, wobbling along. Her lack of balance was probably because she was tilting her head against her shoulder so that she could talk into her cell phone–while riding a bicycle and trying to hold onto a twelve pack of beer. Yeah. The cars trying to get around her didn’t seem to appreciate it either.

We kept walking, she kept wobbling along. Until she dropped the beer. Then the bike sort of went sideways and she disappeared behind a parked car as she hopped/fell off. Hope that beer was in cans. She was in front of us now, but by the time she managed to pick the beer up again, we had almost caught up to her. She didn’t try to get back on the bike, but she was having a hard time carrying that beer and holding the bike up while she walked. We went around her.

Little while later, she crossed to the other side of the street. She appeared to be trying to slide the top part of the cardboard beer box over the handle of the bicycle. Uhm.

Husband said, “I don’t think I’d try to transport my beer that way. Bet it doesn’t stay on that handlebar for long.”

Yeah.

We kept walking. Miss Beer Buyer got back on the bike and started peddling away. We stopped for the mail. By the time we resumed our walk, Miss Beer had stopped too. Seems the beer was back on the sidewalk and this time the cans had rolled away. She was holding the bike with one hand and reaching for the beer with the other. One at a time she put them back in the cardboard box. It will surprise you to know that the top of the beer box appeared torn open.

“Be nice to get that home and pop the top on the beer she went to so much trouble to buy,” I said.

“Yeah,” Husband said, “After she waits two hours for it to settle so she can open it without it spraying all over the place.”

Rocket science. I tell you, it’s rocket science.

So we took our usual walk this morning. It was threatening rain so we were hurrying along. So was the teenager coming towards us on his bicycle. He was coming up the slight incline in that half-standing-to-pedal-better mode. All of a sudden he slammed on the brakes and stopped. He had to stop quickly because his pants were falling off. Yup, ye old fashion of the day had left his ass not only hanging out, but also put him in imminent danger of falling off his bike because it’s hard to pedal with your pants around your knees. There’s a *reason* belts and suspenders were invented. Couldn’t you at least wear suspenders and tighten them for the ride home? How often do you have to stop on your way? Does it take you an extra half hour of stop time just to adjust your clothing??? And I thought high heels were stupid.

As he took off again, I looked back. Yup, I was mooned by his underwear. I thought he was pedaling fast to make it home before the rain, but as fast as his pants were falling off, I’m guessing he has to get in as many rotations as he can before stopping to pull them up again.

Come on, people! This is not rocket science. PUT YOUR PANTS ON. There’s a “waist” for a reason. The general idea, in case you’ve missed it, is that you pull the pants OVER your butt so that you can KEEP THEM ON and still walk or ride your bike. And we do not want to see your underwear, no we do not. They are called UNDERwear for a reason. Yes, really–they are to be worn UNDER your other clothes! WHO KNEW????

Husband’s take on the situation: “That does not inspire confidence in our leaders of tomorrow. Not even smart enough to figure out how to keep his pants on!” He paused. “Then again, that seems to be a large problem with our leaders of today too, doesn’t it?”

Yeeeah. You could say that. And now you know where it all starts. Not even smart enough to pull up your pants to ride your bike home in the rain.

I had to pull about 3 snap peas. I should pull them all, but I am loathe to do it. They have mildew and are looking awful. It happens every year; there’s no getting around it. Those two weeks when temps were floating at and above 90 did them in. Sure, the weather is nice now, but it’s too late for the snap peas. We harvested about 5 bunches this year, which isn’t a lot considering the work that goes into watering and staking and keeping them bug free. I’ve heard that Sugar Anns do well in Texas. I’m going to try them next year. I should probably just grow green beans. I know they are easier.

The zucchini looks as though it will generate at least another fruit. I had to kill more moths yesterday. I was not saddened by their deaths, but I know I’m not going to win the war. Dang bugs. I don’t know how the moths find the plant under all that cinnamon.

The tomatoes are trickling in. I have two grape tomatoes on the counter for lunch. Another is ripening. No big tomatoes yet, although a couple are threatening to turn. Once they start I’ll have tomatoes for about two months. If I’m lucky I’ll get enough to can some! It’s a short growing season in Texas even if it is all spread out. I’m picking onions too; they were a decent crop, although not a huge one. Many of the onions stayed on the small side before falling over (when the necks break, the bulbs will not get bigger.) I am getting banana peppers. That’s a nice early pepper and it’s my first year to grow it. The yellow and red bells are on the plants but not full grown. I see philly cheesesteaks in my future.

I’m enjoying the cool and rainy week we’re having. I hope we get several of them this summer!

This is a fairly cozy read from what I remember. It’s usually an 8 dollar book too so if you like paranormal mysteries, you might check this one out.

Don of the Dead (Pepper Martin) by Casey Daniels

She sees dead people

Beautiful, smart, and chic, Pepper Martin never had to work a day in her life — until her surgeon daddy was convicted of fraud, her wealthy fiancé took a powder, and the family fortune ran bone dry.

Suddenly desperate, the inexperienced ex-rich girl was forced to take the only job she could get: as a tour guide in a cemetery. But a grave situation took a turn for the worse when a head-on collision with a headstone left her with an unwanted ability to communicate with the disgruntled deceased . . . and now Pepper has a whacked Mafia don demanding that she hunt down his killers — and threatening to haunt her until she does.

The second in the series is also on sale for $3.99: The Chick and the Dead

I have created a Good Books for 99 cents (and under), but of course, not all good books are only 99 cents. This list is just a start on books that I’ve read and enjoyed that cost under five dollars. This list will be longer, but I haven’t put in all the books that I’ve read yet!

Always verify price after you click; prices sometimes change rapidly. I’ll be adding to the list and reposting as I find new bargains.

Urban Fantasy/Fantasy

Anything by Frank Tuttle
Most of Tuttle’s books are under 5. His entire Markhat series is 5 dollars or under. I loved every one of them. Urban fantasy with a great mystery; the occasional ghost, some spooky plots; great atmosphere…these are must reads. The first three are in one volume in paperback.

They are also sold stand alone as ebooks and are very affordable. Here are the titles:

The Mister Trophy
Dead Man’s Rain
The Cadaver Client

For those first three, the order isn’t terribly important (I read them: Dead Man’s Rain, Cadaver Client and then The Mister Trophy).

For the next ones, you’ll want to read in order as there is a side plot/romance and some further development of Markhat associates that you’ll want to follow:

Hold the Dark (Book 4)
The Banshee’s Walk (Book 5)

The Broken Bell (Book 6)

Unicorn on Speed Dial – Jeanette Cottrell – Oh how I loved this book. It’s fantasy, it’s cozy, it’s a little bit soccer mom. Top read. Runs about $2.99. Not the best cover in the world, but ignore it. This is a must-read stuff.

Joe Nassise The Heretic This is Urban Fantasy with a military bent; good thriller. I don’t like the new cover; the old one was prettier, but ignore the cover if you’re looking for a very fast-paced harrowing read with a tough hero.

Under Witch Moon and Under Witch Aura from the Moon Shadow series – An urban fantasy series centering around an earth witch. There are shifters, voodoo and a romantic subplot running through the novels.

Mystery

Fatherly Love by B.A. Wallace This is a modern day “pulp” mystery with an Australia setting. It’s a decent little read for the price.

A Gift of Ghosts by Sarah Wynde I enjoyed it quite a bit–fun, quick read with enough mystery to keep the whole thing moving along. The romance is mostly a sweet romance, but falls short of being completely young adult appropriate. Cozy/chick-lit/romance.

Karen Cantwell I enjoyed all three Barbara Marr books with book one being my favorite. These are cozy/chick-lit books.

Michelle Scott The Lilith Straight books are a bit cozy, a bit chick-lit BUT there is definitely a dark side. If you don’t like noir, skip the first book and go straight to the second, Straight to Heaven. Of course, since book two is already out, book one doesn’t end on quite the cliffhanger since you can find out what happens next!

Executive Retention and Executive Sick Days from the Sedona O’Hala Series, the second and third books in the series; zany fun capers as Sedona tries to solve mysteries and keep her job. The romance is woven through all three of the books; Executive Lunch is the first and is often 99 cents.

Catch an Honest Thief (A Haven Mystery) A quick read that isn’t cozy and isn’t thriller with a romantic subplot. This is what happens when an amateur sleuth tries to steal the treasure to protect it and the chaos that ensues keeping it safe.

Non-Fiction/Memoirs

I’m kind of ambivalent about memoirs really; they aren’t my favorite genre. But if you’re looking for some inexpensive wanderings through time, these were decent reads, something I pick up and browse through when I’m in the mood for a magazine/quick read.

Kathy Sue Loudermilk – Lewis Gizzard A kind of memoir of a journalist talking about the things he misses from childhood, columns he wrote, bygone days. It’s kind of a nostalgic read with liberal doses of humor. I’m not done with it yet, but enjoying what I’ve read so far.

Learn Me Good by John Pearson This one is quite cute and high in humor. It’s a nice little read for a plane ride when you’re looking for something light and funny. A new teacher learns the ropes!

Recollections by Jim Chambers. A nostalgic walk down memory lane of the 50s.

Cookbooks/Non Fiction

Homemade Pastrami and To-Die-For Corned Beef by David Cowles. I haven’t tried the recipes yet, but really enjoyed finding this little gem and reading the recipes. I hope to try the corned beef one!

Anthologies

Goblin Tales by Jim Hines I can’t promise every story in this antho is good because I read a lot of Hines’ short stories from other venues before they were pulled into an anthology. However I really enjoy his fantasy writing style and his Goblin series was very good. None of his novels are under five dollars, however. Goblin Quest is the first in the series at $7.99. It was a delightful read and good for adults or YA.
Backlash by Nancy Fulda This is a novelette (short novel) but it’s a good sci/fi thriller.
Tracking Magic Five detective stories ranging from zany capers to more serious crimes. All involve Max Killian an urban fantasy detective; humor.
Sage A collection of fantasy novellas; fantasy/mystery/intrigue–plant magic.

Tilt a Whirl by Chris Grabenstein is a solid mystery tale–not cozy, not thriller, but somewhere in-between. The characters are wonderfully cozy for the most part; people you can easily like. The two main characters are funny and endearing. The mystery itself starts out looking like a simple murder, but the latter half of the book is darker and definitely not cozy. The pacing is also in-between. At times it’s racing along in thriller mode, while at others we’re seeing the breakfast side of life. For the most part I’d say cozy readers would enjoy this mystery and so would thriller readers. There’s enough humor that I laughed out loud a couple of times.

My only knock against it is a couple of things that stretched my believability or didn’t quite fit. There were a couple of characters that could have used some fleshing out. They seemed a bit “convenient” in their reactions at times. As for clues, I thought they led to the ending quite well. I wasn’t surprised and the ending fit. The characters are interesting enough to have me check out the next in the series.

And last but not least, this book will make my 99 cent bargain reads because it’s only 99 cents!

Gardening is not all happy ripe tomatoes and blooming flowers. No, there is an uglier side. We’re talking worms that bore into the belly of the plant and gut them, leaving nothing but entrails…no wait, leaving nothing but dead stalks. I’m pretty sure I saw the first squash borer moth hovering in the garden today. Yes, that was me running amok with my spray bottle shouting “Die! Die, fiend, die!” Hopefully it doesn’t make the nightly news.

I think I pulled something near my hip as I chased that thing and tried to keep my balance. And I’m not sure the borer will die because it’s hard to say how much of the neem/cinnamon oil/soapy water actually landed–On it, I mean. Plenty blew back onto me and my clothing. There’s a reason I went organic a few years back. I’d much rather have neem and cinnamon on me than some chemical that is likely to shrivel my insides, cause a rash and make my entrails fall…oh, you get the picture.

Here’s a picture of what the eggs look like on a squash plant. If you scroll down that post, you’ll see a picture of the moth. The moth I saw was a much brighter orange and fatter. They don’t always look like wasps (as the one in the picture does.) They’re these unidentifiable flying objects that could be a really large orange fly, a moth, a wasp or some striped orange thing.

I have the zucchini plant sprinkled LIBERALLY with cinnamon powder. LIBERALLY, as in parts are buried in it. I hope it confuses the moth. The moth I saw today was certainly confused, but you’d be confused too if some lady came running at you with an old Fantastic bottle squirting like mad. You know what they say. No guts, no glory. I am on the warpath and my spray bottle is fully loaded. Those zombie apocalypse hunters got nothing on me. I wonder if cinnamon oil works on zombies?? I’ll let you know if I happen to run into any of them in the garden because if I do, I assure you I’ll be shooting them. Liberally. And running.

Eating right is sort of like exercise–you have to do it every day or at least most days to obtain the best benefit. I’ve posted a few entries on dry eye and one thing I’ve noticed is that controlling it is a lot easier if you make sure to eat omega 3 every day rather than one or two large boosts when you finally remember you’re supposed to.

A handful of walnuts every day is probably better than eating fish once a month, although by all means try to do both. The walnuts are like remembering to stretch every day and the fish is like a decent workout. Trouble is, to keep the eyes in shape, you really do have to have some small habit that includes omega 3 daily. Mine is walnut oil–I make salad dressings with it, put it in oatmeal and when I have no reason to eat it, I’ll substitute in flaxseed. I *plan* to eat fish twice a week, but sometimes have to settle for once a week.

Thankfully, it’s that time of year when the vegetables in the garden are helping me get my daily dose. Did you know that zucchini is a decent source of omega 3? Not as high as fish, of course, but it’s one of those little handfuls of omega 3, kind of a yoga stretch at lunch time. If you’re having a really bad dry eye day, toss it with walnut oil after you’re done cooking it and your dose will be more like a walk around the block.

It’s unfortunate that tomatoes don’t have a lot of omega 3–those are about to ripen and I eat a *lot* of tomatoes. Does anyone have a good vinaigrette recipe? And no Balsamic. Don’t like that stuff. I’ve made one vinaigrette with orange juice that was okay, but it was nothing to write home about.

Nutrition, just like exercise, is a marathon, not a sprint. Eat your veggies. Eat lots of fish. And go ahead and walk around the block too.

Michelle Scott has just released the sequel (book 2) in the Lilith Straight series: Straight to Heaven.

In celebration Straight to Hell (the first in the series) is on sale for 99 cents!

If you tried Straight to Hell and found it too dark, well, I have good news. Go Straight to Heaven. (See how I did that? I’m so clever. ) Heaven is much more of a cozy book than book one. Hell was sort of a cozy, but it was also noir, and there were parts that drove me a bit crazy with the desperation of it all. Do not ask me how an author comes up with such a combo. It takes more talent than I have to try such. I think it comes from writers who are used to writing fantasy (Michelle has published fantasy with Mundania Press, a fantasy imprint). Fantasy writers seem to do everything in a three-part series so in the first book they can leave the heroine in the lurch and no one thinks much of it. Cozy readers, well we expect darn close to a happily ever after ending.

If you haven’t read either, I think these books can be read stand alone without a problem. I received an Advanced Review Copy of Heaven and I liked the storyline even better than the first book. I admit I was on pins and needles as I read Heaven, hoping that this time, Lilith would have some good things come her way.

This is a list of books that I have read and enjoyed that are at the 99 cent price. Updated: 5/2/12. I’ll periodically repost this as I add new finds. I’ve added a historical novella, a cozy mystery and a romance/mystery. The link is on the left sidebar so any time you’re looking for a good, cheap read, just check the sidebar.

Always double-check the price because prices seem to shift daily. However, with all the books out there, I thought I’d start a list of good reads that are at 99 cents. I plan to also do a list of books that are under 5 dollars. In short, there aren’t very many good ones at 99 cents because once word gets around, the book seems to go to $2.99. So if you see a book for 99 cents and you think you might like it, it probably pays to pick it up. Several of the 99 cent books I enjoyed (not listed here) are no longer 99 cents!

Cozy Mysteries
Take the Monkey’s and Run by Karen Cantwell (cozy mystery, fun, zany beach read) Not currently 99 cents (2.99)

Executive Lunch by Maria Schneider (cozy mystery, humor, first of the series)

The Alto Wore Tweed by Mark Schweizer (cozy mystery, okay, I haven’t read this one, but it comes highly recommended.)

Girl’s Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky Okay this is not deep literature here and I found it on the light side when it came to plot (whether referring to the romance plot or the mystery plot). Admittedly I like a little more complexity. That said, for 99 cents? Give the sample a look. It’s definitely a cozy and something you might want for a quick read.

Mystery
Tilt a Whirl by Chris Grabenstein is a solid mystery tale–not cozy, not thriller, but somewhere in-between. The characters are wonderfully cozy for the most part; people you can easily like. The two main characters are funny and endearing. The mystery itself starts out looking like a simple murder, but the latter half of the book is darker and definitely not cozy.

Fantasy or Urban Fantasy

ShadowMagic by John Lenahan (Fantasy adventure. This is a steal for 99 cents; for YA and adults. Great read.)

Hollowlands by Amanda Hocking (YA Urban Fantasy) It’s free or 99 cents. Dystopian adventure. Good stuff, if not always accurate in some basic facts (basements in the southwest are not damp.)

Wistril Compleat by Frank Tuttle (Cozy Fantasy. Set of short stories but reads more like a novel. All the same characters/setting. I really enjoyed this.)

Child of Fire by Harry Connelly (UF, little darker than some I read, but a good tale.)

Hal Spacejock by Simon Haynes (Cozy Science Fiction — guy can’t get out of his own way. Funny and zany. Cozy mystery readers should like this one. It was free at last check.)

Milrose and the Den of Professional Thieves by Douglas Anthony Cooper (YA fantasy; this is a decent read for the price, but there were slow spots. I wasn’t totally sold on this, but for 99 cents it’s a decent read.)

Romance/Mystery

A Gift of Ghosts by Sarah Wynde This book changes prices frequently, so double-check! (Not Currently 99 cents). I enjoyed it quite a bit–fun, quick read with enough mystery to keep the whole thing moving along. The romance is mostly a sweet romance, but falls short of being completely young adult appropriate.

Short Stories

Hexes and Tooth Decay by Nancy Fulda (Fantasy, cute fun and could be a good read for kids.)

Dead Men Don’t Cry by Nancy Fulda (science fiction and fantasy; mix of 11 short stories; price changes a lot)

It’s a Dunderbull Wife by Karen Cantwell (A Barbara Marr adventure)

Year of the Mountain Lion by Maria Schneider (Fantasy adventure; American desert historical)
Snitched, Snatched by Maria Schneider (Fantasy adventure, medieval setting)
Black-Tie Bingo Maria Schneider (cozy mystery; deal with the devil short pack)

Lies I Told My Children – Karen McQuestion short essays on motherhood; funny. Nice intro to her style of writing.

The Angel of 1776 by Jeffry Hepple I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but this one drew me in. It’s a novella (which is about my attention span for historical fiction.) It recreates real historical scenes, gives the characters a voice–and in this case, well, it has a touch of “otherly” which made the story for me.

Feel free to list any books you loved that you found for 99 cents or under! I noticed that it’s much more common to see short stories at that price and apparently it’s also more common in fantasy than in mysteries.

Fabulous cozy reads–and the first in the series is on sale for Kindle for $1.99!!!

Murder on a Girls’ Night Out

The rest of the series is only $3.99 for each book–these prices are an absolute steal for stories this great!

I did NOT rob a homeless woman. I’ll have you know these shorts are made of the very finest combed interlock organic cotton. They just *look* like something snatched from an unfortunate soul who lives under a bridge. If you see me in these shorts, your first thought is probably going to be, “Gee, writers aren’t making much these days.” That part is probably true. BUT money really isn’t the problem with these shorts.

You know how MacGyver could fix anything with duct tape and a paperclip? Well, I’d like to see him fix these shorts. I’ll even give him organic cotton thread, and he can use my sewing machine. Yes, if you must know I decided to tackle finishing those shorts I started making six months ago. Oh, we all knew there wasn’t much hope. I can buy nice fabric with the best of them. I’m high class–in what I’d like to own, if not in actual results. The good news is that these shorts turned out to be in my actual size. They are long enough, unlike the last pair which became a pair of short panties with pockets. And when was the last time anyone needed panties with pockets???

These shorts fit around the waist…er, well…no, no, they fit. I do kind of have to tuck this extra bit of material up under the waistband on one side so that it doesn’t poof out as if I got caught with a cheese roll and stuffed it in there to hide it. No idea how that air pocket ended up there. And it is true that the waistband doesn’t exactly cover up the seam where the shorts and the waistband meet. I take it that in real shorts, that seam is up under the waistband so that it doesn’t show up here and there like secret sanskrit writings. So I’ll wear a long shirt, all right???

One pocket sags. The other pocket…well, I had to fold over the seam to make the back fit to the front. See above where I said I’ll wear a long shirt.

The fabric is really soft. It’s stretchy too, so I can sit and stand without bunching. Then again that could be because some of these seams have rather more give than not. That happens when instead of sewing all the way around or up and down complete seams, you stop after a short section and then remeasure and start again a quarter inch over. After the third or fourth try you give up and just fold the damn fabric to get it to fit. I call it a “gather.” Then I wear a long shirt.

I haven’t hemmed them yet. But I know how to stand if the legs aren’t exactly the same length. Oh yes, I will too. This is really nice, soft material and I am not going to waste it. And maybe someone in the grocery store will give me a referral for an inexpensive seamstress. Even if the seamstress wanted to charge me a lot, after she sees these shorts, she might just make me a pair for free. It’s that or call the cops because she thinks I robbed a homeless lady. But I didn’t. I swear. I made these myself.

This is not the year of the snap peas. Of course, they don’t do all that well in hot Texas weather anyway, but I baby them along until I get a batch or two. We’re just eating our second batch (enough for two people for large sides) with lunch today. Gosh, I love the things. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t waste all the time I do planting, replanting, spraying for bugs, watching for mildew…work.

I think I’ll get one or two more batches before they die back, but obviously I’m not planting enough. I think I’ll double the amount next year. Double the work…

One grape tomato is blushing!!! Lots of green tomatoes all over the garden, but we aren’t talking BLTs just yet. I’ll probably get some nice cheese at the store in anticipation of a cheese and tomato salad. Yeah, two or three weeks early just like I do every year! Should I slice the grape tomato and save half for later? Or just pig out and eat the whole thing??? Decisions, decisions.

The zucchini is almost ready to be picked and finally the cucumber plants have started to set. Might have one or two early ones in a couple of weeks. The peppers are on the plants too. Not ready to pick, but a banana pepper is close.

I’ve been harvesting onions as we need them and lettuce as well. I expect maybe another week of lettuce before it bolts. It was a decent crop this year, just the right amount for the two of us.

I have decided I like beets and will plant them next year. They are quite delicious in soups. They are good stir-fried as well. Turnips? They’re okay. I don’t mind them but haven’t found where they really belong in my cooking. I mostly chop them and put them wherever. They’re kind of like a radish, but not as hot and not as firm. I have been putting the greens in soup stock. May as well use them up. I’m going to try parsnips next year. The root stuff is easy to grow and nice and early so I feel like I’m getting something while I wait for the really good stuff. They go great in soups and casseroles. I know all of them have decent omega 3s and vitamins too.

I’m expecting to be eating BLTs in…well, yeah. It’s a while yet. But there are green tomatoes out there giving me hope!!