While I studied, one of the few things I let myself do when I wasn't hitting the books (besides absolutely necessary planning for my upcoming wedding) was cultivate a small garden on my fire escape. I was given some organic purple tomatillo seeds by one of my professors, which inspired me to really "grow for it" beyond the usual small pots of herbs this summer. I purchased some green tomatillo seeds, my mom bought me a small tomato plant, and I planted some green bell peppers along with a bunch of different herbs, all in big pots on my fire escape.
Since I got a late start, Karl helped me out by starting my seeds under grow lamps at the lab where he's working this summer. Twenty-four hours of ultraviolet light a day keeps the stunted growth away!
For anyone who is under a lot of stress, I highly recommend growing some plants. I have been enjoying monitoring the process of my plants' growth all summer long, and it gave me much-needed time outside in the sun and away from my textbooks while I watered them and checked obsessively for flower buds and growing fruit. It's been so nice to sit and watch the bees flitting in and out between the flowers, and have you ever smelled a tomato plant? There is something intoxicating about the green smell they give off. 
Right now, the plants have all re-located to my parents' deck. I'm staying with my parents between now and the start of my new life with Karl, and I can't move into our new house until August 15...so the plants are getting a two week vacation from the city in the suburbs. I guess it's almost like going to the beach...I'm planning to get back into the whole cooking and baking thing in the next few weeks...probably not really until after the wedding, since I won't have moved into our new house with Karl until then. New culinary adventures in new places! It will be great fun, and in the meantime, I have quite a backlog of food photos and recipes to share: no promises, since I am getting married in three weeks, but I hope to post a few entries to make up for my hopefully noticeable absence the past few months.
Cheers!
