Dear Dee and Mary Ann and Gardening Friends Everywhere,
I’m very late with my letter this week, having just returned from a few days in Chicago. I had hoped to post something Monday evening after getting there, but I could not get a good Internet connection in my hotel room. Oh well, such is life.
Before I left, I checked the garden and picked all the squash that was ready to be picked and gave all the tomatoes a good once over to check for tomato hornworms.
I did notice this ‘Pink Ponderosa’ tomato with a just a tiny blush of color on it and thought it might be ready to pick when I got back.
And sure enough, it was.
As you can see it almost split in half on me, no doubt from the rain that I heard we got while I was gone.
The first big tomato of the season has a special taste, doesn’t it? I can tell you that this one did, and I thoroughly enjoyed eating every bite of it. It also reminded me of a post I wrote nearly four years ago about The Ritual of the First Tomato.
What should probably concern me about that post is that some people, including a few of my sisters, thought that I actually did all those rituals that I wrote about it.
Ah, yes, I am happy to be the family’s eccentric gardener, at your service! Maybe I do those rituals, maybe I don’t! A gardener never tells all her secrets…
Anyway, I should also have some sweet corn to pick in a few days, and there is still some squash and plenty of green beans to pick, and of course, lots of weeds to pull.
That should keep me busy for awhile as I patiently wait for the first eggplant, which just started to bloom late last week. I included a picture of the bloom above. Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, especially when it is fried.
I hope your gardens are doing well through the heat of the summer.
Carpe hortus from your eccentric gardening friend,
Carol
P.S. Here’s how my garden looked last Sunday.
I think it looks a bit weedy and unkempt. I hope to fix it up this weekend, but think it is going to be hot again, so maybe not.
It's been really hard to stay on top of the weeds because of all the rain, heat and then there are those pesky mosquitos. I try to go out and weed for a few minutes at a time, but the rain keeps the weeds ahead of me. I picked my first green beans and fixed them w/prosciutto, pine nuts and lemon zest. Yummy recipe that I found.
Does she or doesn't she! We won't tell either~Thank you for the advice on planting 1000 crocus corms~it sounds do-able now! gail
So how did it taste? Just picking cherries here as I was late putting in the tomatoes. Actually, I was on time but the season was early. I don't think it looks too weedy.
It's going well here too. We're having green beans and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers for dinner tonight. I can't wait. I've had a very good tomato year.~~Dee
I remember that post! I thought you were just making it up, apparently not, or not. That is a beautiful tomato, split or not. 🙂
Frances
I can't see any weeds.
I have my special silver "first tomato fork" out waiting for the first tomato, which is going to be ready tomorrow.
The first tomato is always the best, isn't it?
I thought weedy/unkept gardens were normal. Yours looks great.
donna
It's a beautiful tomato, Carol, but does "Pink" really go with "Ponderosa"? Hoss & Little Joe would be shocked.
Bloggers in other states have been complaining that the squirrels get any tomato left on past first blush…hope you realize how lucky you are to be able to leave them on the vines!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
You, eccentric?? Never!:)