April 2nd 2010    Tim Candler

    Tree Swallow sighting midmorning.  Lonely but alive with dash and song.  Last year I saw at least a pair of them on April 3rd.  And last year on April 3rd potato was showing.  But last year we had better March rain, and Forsythia by this time last year was almost past into green leaf.   And last year at this time there was a freeze with the possibility of snow in the forecast.  And last year at this time the seeds of Tomato were jostling for position on window sills.

    This year there is not yet sign of Tomato sprouts, except for two Not Cherry Tomato which several years ago came from a friend who lives too far away.  These two veterans offer hope.  But last year, Not Cherry after achieving sprout went into a sulk that lasted almost until the end of May.   By the end of July they contemplated flowering, and just in time for the weather to cool they found it suddenly necessary to commit themselves to being Tomato plants by offering us a few and very delicious fruits.

      The seed I took from Not Cherry for this year came from one of their number that last year grew near Roma Tomato.   I am sure there was a fabulous reason why I did this.  Quite what it was has gone now into those more suspicious and political places that have to do with space and heat and moles and "I know exactly what I am doing."

     Yet, there is always that possibility of miracle from a fluke of cross-pollination.   As well there is always the possibility that this year Not Cherry will regress further into dark moods and few favors.   Either way, we are loyal subjects.

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