Monday, August 24, 2009

Tomatoes & Pumpkins - who knew?

That the simple act of growing edibles could be so warm, fuzzy and addictive?!

You'd be right if you though that one thread of my fascination came from my childhood. I was forutnate to have grandparents who farmed so it was always a part of my childhood. In my teens and 20's I was part of the foxfire generation. (if you don't know, the foxfire book(s) of the 70's were the good earth reference of a generation). In my early married years my husband and I cut and burned wood, did our own renovations, built two buildings amid full work schedules.

But life (and time) seldom move in straight lines and before long I found no time (or ceased to make time) for such pursuits until 30 some years had trickled by..... Now I find myself again drawn by the simple magic of such things. The diffrence now is that I posess the discipline to act vs dream ( a decided plus to mid life for me at least)!

This year my tomatoes went in as they have for the last several years. Six 'baby girl' tomaote plants - enough for my husband and I with extras for family and friends. Pumpkins and watermelons were the new adventure this year. Tho the rain caused them to fall prey to damping off fungus and did them in before fruiting they gave me a smile week after week. Watching them progress thru each step till just a few days ago fascinated me. Too bad that too much rain can be a bad thing. Still now I know they grow well I'll have another attempt next year!

The 'girls' (early girl tomatoes) are long and leggy from all the rain and limited sun, but the tomatoes I gather in a bowl (or in my shirt if loose enough to hold them - just as grandma used to) really do engender such an a amazing amount of contentment and accomplishment. Growing. Basically (weather and pests aside) so simple, so direct. Plant. Watch. Weed. Grow. Gather.

Food from inception to ingestion, lol.

Warm fuzzy fun.

Older than time but still inspiring.

Who'd have thought.....!

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