And Now For Something Completely Different

As a (no doubt refreshing) change from images of civil unrest, tension, and unease, I thought a quick glimpse of our recent gardening efforts might be in order today.  Thank heavens for the terrace that came with the "guest house" apartment we bought back in October.  It's been a real godsend these last few months, giving us a private, safe outdoor space to retreat to in the midst of the pandemic, and it has been balm for the soul to be able to dig in some dirt and start a little garden.  It's not finished yet, but here are some of our recent endeavours:  catmint, shasta daisies, and nasturtiums in the big concrete planters that divide our terrace from that of our neighbours, hostas, ferns, begonias, and coleus in big bowls in a shady spot, petunias, licorice plant, lobelia, and impatiens in the planter boxes which came with the apartment -- complete with fake plastic "boxwood" trees which we decided to keep because they really don't look bad at all, and a grouping of herbs and vegetables: green and purple basil, jalapeno peppers, hot red Thai peppers, lemon thyme, lemon balm, one squash plant, rosemary, sage, and mint.  Not visible but definitely present and accounted for:  one cherry tomato plant.