Echoes Of Gardeners Past....

I could have sworn last week that I heard my grandfather's voice coming out of my own mouth.  We were getting ready to grill some hamburgers and I grabbed a tomato from the garden and began to slice it.  Now, if you've ever seen or enjoyed a home-grown tomato, you will know exactly where I'm coming from.  But the sight of the insides of it just about brought tears to my eyes.  Red all the way through, not too hard or chalky, not too soft or mushy.  It was perfect.  It was kind of a tiny affirmation to me that I am living my life right.  Yes, I am doing my part to tend the earth, and to be a good steward (it sounds melodramatic and silly when I write it out, but I think things like this sometimes.  I'm a little absurd this way.)  

And then, as my son watched on, I uttered a phrase that I distinctly remember my grandfather saying time and time again, and that I suspect is said perhaps more than any other during the summer.  I pointed to the plate and said, "Now, THAT"S a tomato!!"  Jason, of course, rolled his eyes.  He and Grace have way more important things to do than listen to me gush about tomatoes, or peppers, or pumpkins, or plums.  Oh well.

For all of you gardeners, I have a hilarious book to recommend.  It's by William Alexander and it's called (and here it's frustrating because I don't know how to make it underline, so I'll just put the title in quotes - I know it's not grammatically correct), "The $64 Tomato".  My favorite chapter was the one on deer and other garden enemies.  As Jamey and I battle moles in our yard, I can definitely relate.  A great read at the end of the summer.  Now I'm off to go check on the tomatoes.....