My Sister's Tomatoes

Imagine for just a moment... You are the youngest child, the under-achiever. You grow up, work, retire, and then, finally, decide to plant your very FIRST tomatoes as a retired citizen.
Now....let's back up just a bit and talk about the over-achiever older sister. *It's probably good here to drop in this fact: She is also a Master Gardener. (did I even spell that correctly?!?!)
Would you, as the youngest sibling, ask for help in this 'tomato' growing adventure....nah, you want to try it on your own. So, because you are SO proud of yourself, you email pictures to your older sister showing her your FIRST EVER PLANTS. What does this older sister do? Call and congratulate you? No. Text or reply to your email showing her your first ever plants? No. What she does, as the over-achiever, is post on your blog the pitiful attempts of your younger sister.
Ok...enough family history.
Today, I am sending you pictures of my 2 tomato plants. I now have 2 1/2 tomatoes turning 'red'!!!!! I have some 'chicken wire' around the plants...and now the chicken wire is too short. What do I do? I ask my older sister! (the master gardener one)--- She informs me that I'm to just let my tomatoes grow out and fall over the side and the plants may well lay on the ground! Who knew!?!?!?!?!?!

Two tomato plants: @ 99 cents each
Two pots, two bags of dirt w/ Miracle Grow, two stakes, plastic tie-up ribbon looking stuff = total $40.23
(Have I ever even eaten $40 worth of tomatoes in a summer? I think not.)
Look on my sister's face when the plants are still alive: Priceless!

P.S. I also asked her why my iris plants hadn't come up in over 10 years...well, they come up about 3 inches...no blooms...and then die. Judy then asks how deep I had planted the bulbs; I said, I didn't really 'measure', but I'd guess about 8-9 inches. You know....you really can learn a lot from a Master Gardener!


1. underachiever??? my sister has more initials behind her name than I can count

2. retired?? yes, from one of the top universities--oh, and she just got back from San Antonio where she attended a conference on poverty

3. gardener?? of hearts and minds- always an educator!

As a side note: I really wrote the blog because it is fun to see people like my sister get excited over growing a tomato. That's really what gardening is all about. Concerning the whole irises thing---I'm sending her my favorite book "Magic of Irises" by Barbara Perry Lawton.