We snatched him up just before the frost, a plump, green tomato, the last one from our vines. Our little friend sat comfortably in the windowsill, soaking up what little light and heat there was as he gradually turned light pink, then dark pink, then red. He was nearly perfect, just one small blemish, and last night we ate him. He was very good, as are most homegrown tomatoes.
Now we have to endure about 8 months until vine ripened tomatoes are with us again. Yuck!
But, fellow backyard gardeners, do you realize that now that it’s December, we’ll be planting again in just 3 months? Not tomatoes, of course, they need to wait until April to go in the warmer ground, but greens, spring onions, lettuce, kale, peas and the other early plants will be planted before you know it.
A backyard garden gives us hope. Hope that spring and new life are both on the way; hope that from those small, dried seeds, vegetables will grow; and hope that the deer, groundhogs, squash bugs, neighborhood cats, torrential rains and late frost will stay the hell-away.
But the last tomato of this season gives me hope for the first tomato to come from my small garden next summer.