My summer obsession begins

I don't believe it is overstating the case to say that my gardening skills are at best iffy. I've had reasonable luck growing herbs, for the most part because they are essentially weeds and therefore indestructible. With this is mind it seems a bit crazy that year after year I throw caution to the winds and attempt to grow tomatoes.

I think it is similar to what a friend of mine once said about second marriages - they are the triumph of hope over experience.

So this year, hopeful as ever, I've set up pots on the deck with (so far) four what appear to be sturdy tomato plants. We have a pretty eclectic selection with Principe Borghese (a plum tomato from Italy), Big Beef (the tomato equivalent of Arnold Schwarznegger), Sweet 100 (a favorite of all children which rarely make it into the house since the little people pick them and eat them as soon as they get ripe) and Early Girl (not the most delicious tomato but the first out of the chute - if you carefully scrutinize the picture below you may be able to see my first two Early Girls).

Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I should have my first homegrown tomatoes in about six weeks.