One more time

After two years of fussing and fertilizing, potting and pruning, tying and transplanting - only to have some very inferior tasting tomatoes that only the birds seemed to love - well, I resolved this year NOT to raise tomatoes in pots on the balcony. Heck, I know when I'm beat. This resolve went the way of all resolutions, of course, when persistent little tomato plants kept popping up in my pots, the seeds lurking in the compost I so lovingly make and distribute. I was ruthless, though, and only allowed one random plant to continue growing. I even went so far as to transplant it and give it more compost. It has now grown to the stately height of five feet and is covered with blossoms and little cherry tomatoes that are ripening in the hot sun. I was delighted to find it was a cherry tomato, hoping that perhaps they would have some flavor. Time will tell, unless the birds get there first.

I was also blessed by two potted pepper plants and a potted eggplant given to me by a friend of Anne's. Unfortunately the eggplant doesn't seem to be thriving. I can't figure out if I'm giving it too much water or it's getting too much sun. This is my maiden voyage with eggplant. It has five eggplants on it though. Perhaps they will make it to maturity. Perhaps not.

I much prefer the German (probably French) word for eggplant - aubergine. Why give a beautiful thing an ugly name? If the aubergine make it they will serve double duty because I plan to use those deep purple fruits as a centerpiece first. The plants also have lovely furry leaves.

I was thinking back to the farm today, remembering how every seed you stick in that rich black soil sprouts and bears fruit, "some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold".