As I write this I am listening to a wonderful band called Hammock - an album of theirs called Oblivion Hymns. It is quite indescribable, haunting, peaceful, and beautiful.

It's hard to know where to begin. The magic combination of well-hardened seedlings, appropriate planting mix, black containers, sufficient direct sun and warm temperatures is literally launching the tomatoes (and to a lesser, slightly delayed extent, peppers and eggplant) upward and outward. Though it was a relatively cool, wet spring, recent weather is about as good as it gets for vigorous growth, good fruit set and a low incidence of disease.

What routines are referred to in this blog title? Daily garden walks, plant tying and pruning and troubleshooting, watering - and weekly feeding. I am also beginning to create new hybrids for our dwarf tomato project, but really thinking outside of the box and looking to incorporate some very unusual foliage characteristics. I walk around with a hand held recorder and make observations (at night I transcribe them into my excel garden log). Documentation through pictures and videos will soon follow. It won't be long before harvesting, tasting and seed saving joins the routine.

If it isn't evident in my words above, I will say it here - I love this time of year. I love all parts of the year related to the garden, but this is the best - noticing the daily changes, feeling excitement in the anticipation of the unveiling of mysteries - and this is a garden loaded with mysteries, mostly early generations from our dwarf project. I can't recall a garden with more interesting (to me, anyway!) little projects woven in to the overall plan. There will be so much for me to share with you in the weeks ahead, and I can't wait.

Here are a few pictures taken today, and my first cell phone camera video update. I have a few more to post in the coming week - one on pruning suckers that is an improvement on my previous one, and today's garden walk about.