TOMORROW is the first day of summer and the start of even longer days and evenings filled with sunshine. I am determined to get on top of the garden this season, and my health, and fresh, home-grown food is a good place to start.

I never plant tomatoes. In the 10 years we've been in this house tomato plants just come up wherever they find the right amount of warmth and good soil. For many years we had a small pear-shaped yellow tomato crop for us. They were sweet delicious things but this year they've decided not to grace us with their presence and we're had a bumper crop of these beautiful truss tomatoes. I pick easily a half dozen every evening - more in the past week.

Happy summer to you, and here's a recap of the last month of spring.

I READ: I haven't finished any of the books on my bedside table. I had books packed for international flights I was due to take early in the month but none were read because the trip was cancelled when typhoon Haiyan blew it off course.

I WENT TO: My favourite car boot sales. Kincumber and Terrigal car boot sales are my favourite thing to do on the first Saturday and Sunday of the month and this month I managed to get to both. Great second-hand stalls at both and at this time of year the stalls are packed with goodies. I picked up a great new linen jacket, a corduroy vest and a 1960s Australian Women's Weekly cooking bible, Cookery in Colour.

I LISTENED TO: Christmas carols. Whoa, do they seem earlier every year?

I ATE: The best Indian sweets and spiced biscuits made by a work intern who finished her placement last month. They were so good my colleagues and I begged her for the recipe, which she handed over and I'll be having a go making this week.

I SAW: Aung San Suu Kyi speak at Sydney Opera House.

I MADE: A pretty big dent in the Christmas shopping. Yes, yes, I know it's not something I made with my hands but I still think it's an achievement.