That said, I love fall, winter, and spring, too, but right now, we are in the heart of summer. I'm just delighted.
The shops in Gloucester and Salem are teeming with folks from all over the world. It's so cool we have shops in such beautiful places.Those of us who live on the north shore are very fortunate people.
When winter was trying to turn into spring a couple of months ago, I got talking to one of our excellent long time Gloucester regulars. He works at a farm part time, and was telling me how good it was to work with the soil, especially when the spring seems like it will never get here. I asked him if the farm he works at grows celebrity tomatoes. My husband really loves a good tomato, and I really only like one right off the vine. In the past we've had a piece of dirt to grow a couple of plants in, and had luck with celebrities. This summer? Not so much. He said they sure do, so I asked him to let me know when they were ready for planting.
At the start of June, he showed up at the shop with 6 gorgeous baby tomato plants. Wouldn't take money for them. Wouldn't even take chocolate! Just a really nice guy.
I planted those tomatoes, and I stuck 'em in my office window. I get great sun there. The plants took off like crazy. I had to ask around about hand pollination, and do a little reading -- I've never grown tomatoes indoors. The plants got so huge that I had to move them into the front of the store. I do my crazy tomato lady thing, shaking and blowing on the flowers, midday, daily. I've taught one of my coworkers how to do it on the days I'm off (I don't ask him to talk to them, though- there are certain things I just can't ask!).
Week after week, I do my thing. I figure even if they don't bear fruit, they are incredibly optimistic crazy looking plants, and I just never get tired of smelling tomato vines, so it's all good. Watching things grow is an exercise in positivity, as far as I'm concerned. But look. LOOOK!!!
I really can't tell you why this makes me so happy. Like irrationally, stupidly, happy. I know it's a candy store. I know I'm supposed to be regaling you with tales of chocolate dreams and tasty new recipes. But really all I can talk about right now is green things, given as gifts, talked to, blown on, gently shaken green things, who in return have decided they are going to flower, then fruit.There's a lot of things going on on this planet that are not so sweet and simple. I'm grabbing the simple. By the end of the month, those tomatoes won't be green anymore, but I guarantee they will be sweet.
Happy summer, y'all! I'll talk about chocolate next time.
Maybe.
