Potatoes & Tomatoes

Monday, July 23, 2007
We had gorgeous weather here on Saturday afternoon: not too hot nor too humid. I noticed the sky was cast in a deeper shade of blue for a change, not the pale haze of suffocating humidity that typically hangs over our city in July. For the first time in weeks, I felt comfortable enough to stay out and putter in the garden for a while, rather than just rushing about to do the necessary survival-mode watering and weeding. It was very pleasant.

My potato plants were tucked away somewhere behind the ever-enlarging crookneck squash plants in the back part of the plot. I decided it was time to head back there and see how things were faring. The soil was so dry; I hardly needed to dig much before I came up with a small crop of red potatoes. I think the whole harvest is less than the number of potatoes I planted in the first place! Oh, well. After that topsy-turvy planting episode in the spring, I am happy to at least have something.

What I'm really happy about, though, are those two tomatoes you see in the photo. I managed to rescue a pair of Brandywines before the birds dashed holes in them. It is a catbird that's been going after my San Marzanos; I saw him in action! (And then I felt very conflicted because I adore catbirds.)

Well, there are two unscathed tomatoes left for me and I am going to enjoy them ceremoniously. I will probably cut them into thick slices, add salt, and slurp them down over the kitchen sink with the juices running down my arm. Not quite elegant, I know, but I've been waiting patiently to eat these first ones and I want to taste them straight up. Salt on tomato. Nothing else. So there, Mr. Catbird.

10 Comments:

Blogger Muum said...

Those look great, we are planning to grow potatoes next year, the 11 year old is disappointed I didn't get them in this year (we ran late on everything, garden-wise, around here!) thanks for stopping by my blog

9:16 AM  
Blogger Tira said...

Just gorgeous and looks so yummy. These are two of my favorites-homegrown tomatoes and freshly dug potatoes.

11:02 AM  
Blogger Rosengeranium said...

That's right. Salt on tomatoes. Best way to enjoy them!

1:06 PM  
Blogger Dirty Fingernails said...

Oh those potatoes make me miss my home in Idaho.. We would have cream peas and potatoes from my grandmas garden.. Yummy!!!

2:16 PM  
Blogger Connie said...

Nice looking veggies! Hope you can outwit the catbird and get a good harvest of tomatoes.

3:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very nice looking potatoes. What type? They look like the red norlands that I planted.

I looked up catbird on google images. They are a very pretty bird. And I especially liked the fourth photo that came up :)

4:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Digging potatoes is one of my favorite things to do in the garden! My crop is never very big either, but what fun.

Your description of eating those tomatoes made my mouth water. Mine are still green, so I will have to wait awhile.

5:05 PM  
Blogger ferne said...

I laughed when I saw your post this morning because just last night I posted about the tomatoes, potatoes and onions that we just harvested from our garden here in California! Our weather has also been hot and muggy the last few days. I work in a nursery and we water several hours a day which doesn't leave me much desire to water more after work, but it is always more pleasing to water your own plants! I love this time of year don't you?

10:51 AM  
Blogger kate said...

Those potatoes and tomatoes look delicious. I'm glad you were able to rescue the tomatoes ... the catbirds have probably eaten enough of the tomatoes, I'd reason!

2:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Something has been attacking our tomatoes too.

I haven't caught the action yet though.

Everything looks great.

5:38 AM  

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