I got my yarn for Project 1 of Camp Loopy 2012! I will be doing the
Color Affection shawl/wrap. I've loved this design since I first saw it, but didn't have time to start and didn't have stash that would work either, so I just faved it in Ravelry and put the idea on the back burner. Then when Camp Loopy kicked off and the first project was to use at least 400 yards on a design from a designer in a country other than your own, I jumped on it! I'll be doing it in Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Georgia O'Keefe, Cove, and Luster. I'd planning on starting with the Luster and going darker, but I think I'm going to check out projects on Ravelry and see if anyone has started dark and gone lighter at the edge. I know the design "rule" that darker colors go near the bottom of a thing to anchor it, but I might just break that rule. I'll have to think about that.
Quick tomato question for those of you who know what you're doing - I googled when to pick my tomatoes (pathetic, isn't it?) and what I found is to pick them after they're starting to turn orange, but before they're all the way ripe because if I picked them green they wouldn't ripen, but if I let them ripen all the way on the plant, it would slow down fruit production. Is this right? I had one tomato turning orange, so I brought it in, washed off the dog
spit kisses and it's sitting in a bowl on the counter. Max slaps it several times a day (no claws, no clue why it needs smacking) since he blatantly disregards the No Cats On The Kitchen Counter rule. Most cats have the decency to wait until their humans are asleep before getting on the counters, but Max sleeps all night, so he has to get on the counters during the day. So, did I do the right thing? Will it finish ripening on the counter while being smacked regularly?
Labels: Dreaming
9 Comments:
As long as a tomato has started turning from the "dark green" to pale, it will ripen on the counter. A lot of people pick them at pale green in the fall if there is the danger of a frost or freeze. If yours is orange it will ripen on the counter just fine. My father always picked them at the pale orange color to keep the squirrels from sampling them...
I'll be joining you at Camp Loopy, also doing the Color Affection shawl. I just ordered my yarn yesterday. I don't know which canoe I'll be in yet, since I want to see the yarn first to decide whether I want to do the blue version (in the Madelinetosh Light colors very similar to yours) or the purple version.
I can't help you with your tomato picking dilemma. My grand yield of 6 tomatoes from 3 plants didn't warrant worrying about them. Here's hoping you are much more successful.
You are correct about the tomatos. I will also be joining you at the Camp Loopy. Color Affection Shawl seems to be the one everyone wants to do (me too). See you at Camp.
They will ripen nice in a sunny window.
I did a color affection using dark to light after seeing a few others and absolutely no regret. You can do as one person and make a coloring on paper of your choices for a better idea. I'm skipping camp this summer to concentrate on my stash so have fun!
Have to admit I usually let them ripen on the vine as I think they taste better. But I do know that when I put the last of the green ones (salvaged before the truly killing freeze hits in the fall) in paper bags and then fold them over, they ripen in there just fine and I end up eating tomatoes from the garden into January here in Ohio.
But then there are always fried green tomatos! It's a southern thing that I've never quite gotten accustomed (is that spelled right?) to.
I like to pick mine after they've got a fair bit of orange on them and then let them ripen on the counter. I agree with Lori that ripened all the way on vine tastes best but with big dogs, deer, racoons, etc wandering around our yard they frequently get damaged or eaten (had a dog that loved tomatoes) before I got to them. If picking them earlier encourages more tomatoes, even better! Good luck!
As tomato ripens, it gets a bit softer. So you might want to monitor the cat batting it around.
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