Cameras on the cheap & garden goodness

I had a lovely day. The weather was Spring-like for the first time this week. The consistency of the sun made me happy. I felt a happiness I haven't felt in a long time. I didn't realize it was missing until today when I felt it again. Interesting.

In the morning mail, I received a surprise --- a funny, friendly card from my friend Toni. AND a package -- the small camera I bought over eBay. It cost me 9.91 (about $18), including postage, the camera itself was 4.99 (~$10). It's a pretty good camera, will need a tune up to be in top working order, but as is it's in surprisingly good condition. It's from the last half of the 50s, a medium format folding camera but the size of my hand and about the weight of a decent-sized paperback book.

I put in a roll of film and headed to Portobello Road Antiques Market. The market is literally along the road and only on Saturdays. The rest of the week there are many, many antique shops along Portobello Road, well, part of it. I'd never been and was curious in general but particularly to see if there were any camera dealers or just cameras and such. I only found one specialist dealer and a about 3 others w/ old cameras.

On the way out I stopped into a little shop that did not have antiques. It was a refreshing change. Surprisingly, they had a downstairs (basement, ground floor) which had some very inexpensive terracotta garden pots. They were half price. I bought two, one for my rosemary (which seems to be dying) :( and another a little smaller for temporary transplant and later for something, maybe flowers or oregano. Anyway, they were a bit heavy but since there's a bus that comes almost to my door (1/2 a block away) getting home wasn't too horrible. I might ask someone to drive me home so I can get more in one trip next time. I know one person who lives near there.

So then it as home, a quick trip to the grocery store, cooked dinner: bok choy, pasta, cider, bread. Then I settled down in the front room and started transplanting seedlings. The beans, zucchini and okra really need more space. I got the beans done, started the zucchini. I'm going to have to find more pots in the garden house tomorrow, I'll have used all I have just with the zucchini. I also have to try to turn the compost to get at the good stuff at the bottom.

Without enraging the bees' nest that I dislodged last weekend while trying to turn the compost. YAY me! They aren't happy and sort of homeless, since the nest is now in a section of the compost where we'd put our kitchen scraps. Not sure what to do about that. I'd like to move the nest but can't see that really happening this century.

OH! And on the way to Portobello Rd. I stopped in the French cafe a block away and asked for their used coffee grounds for my plants. He (the owner who is French) agreed to let me have 3 days worth!!! I'm to pick it up on Monday afternoon! That will be great for everything.

The success so far of the beans, zucchini, carrots and okra is wonderful but I think I'm most happy about the progress of the tomatoes. They are very tiny but many of them seem to be sprouting. Maybe pictures tomorrow. Happy Day.