The world is uneasy, but the garden just marches on. The peas are poking through, and I transplanted my shallot seedlings into the garden (hope it wasn't hasty, but I'm out of room inside). I'm sowing tomatoes indoors, raking up debris like mad, and wondering when the long underwear will no longer be de rigueur. The blessedly peaceful news from my backyard at midweek:

pantry lunch: polenta cakes with goodies

We were scheduled to be gardening Friday, but even my trusty helper Susan and I were not in the mood, thanks to 30's F and sleet. Let's cook while we wait, we said -- but what do we have to work with? Our pantry lunch: crispy polenta cakes that incorporated on-hand onions, carrots, garlic and bleu cheese. Delicious, easy, yet special enough for company (not just two chilled gardeners happily avoiding their chores). The recipe.

works for me: how i start my seed, in photos

No greenhouse, a tiny house, and various other obstacles notwithstanding, I'm madly coaxing along one crop after another of seedlings over here. Want a little tour in photos of how to start seed indoors (well, at least Margaret's improvised method, that includes some outdoor steps, too)?

tomatoes in pots: tasty dwarf types

Perfect! My friend Gayla (You Grow Girl) is publicly blaming me that she's about to be overrun by giant Nicotiana in her smaller garden, and I'm in turn holding her to task for the fact that I am suddenly obsessed with growing dwarf tomatoes in pots in my bigger one.  (At least we're keeping all our finger-pointing in one botanical family: the seductive Solanaceae.) Seriously, though: Thanks to the unusual tomato seeds she sent, along with growing advice, I'm starting some new-to-me container-sized tomatoes. The story (and a podcast).