Five Months Later

"...come on! and, on the table, at the midpoint of summer, the tomato, star of earth, recurrent and fertile star, displays its convolutions, its canals, its remarkable amplitude and abundance, no pit, no husk, no leaves or thorns, the tomato offers its gift of fiery color and cool completeness."

That was from Pablo Neruda's "Oda al Tomate." And these fine young specimens (pictured above) are from the garden - the portable garden I hauled from our old house to this new one a month ago. It's been a cool, wet summer, and so, believe it or not, these are our first red tomatoes! These plants have been working hard since April, when I sowed the seeds in an indoor tray. Outside, ice and snow covered the ghost world. But inside...life was happening.

Death was happening too, though. We had just put Stella in the ground and I was ready for the Iowa winter to be over. I told Janelle, "The death...is killing me - I need to help bring something to life," then walked up to Ace Hardware and bought some seed trays. Five months later...here we go. Yes. Very good. Thank you.