The Fruits of Summer

One of my favorite summer perks is fresh fruits and veggies, and today I got to appreciate those more than usual. While the boy and I splashed in the pool, Jeff puttered around the yard checking on our various plants and trees. After a little of this, my son and I were presented with gorgeous plums from our lovely, shade-giving tree. What a treat!

Biting into the plum, I could hear and feel the crunch of the smooth rosy skin popping under my teeth. The beautiful yellow meat inside was juicy without being overly soft and carried a bit of tanginess, but by the second bite only a sweet aftertaste remained. Excited over the first fruit of the year, we each ate several enjoying the warmth of the sun on our faces and in the fruit.

After this lovely snack, we decided to check on the tomato plants, too. The three of us trailed past the low-hanging branches of the fig tree to the end of the garden where several tomato plants have created a mini jungle. We found them heavily loaded with green tomatoes and a few ripe ones, too. As soon as Jeff handed the luscious goodness to me I had to have a bite, and I was not disappointed. This variety is on the smaller side, but sweet and juicy lacking much of the acidity that people often complain about in tomatoes. I must admit that I greedily ate three of them on the spot.

We also surveyed some of the other plants that haven't produced goodies yet, but are in the process of doing so. A few squash plants have doubled in size seemingly over night and have large yellow blossoms heralding the coming veggies. On the other hand, the Japanese eggplants seem to be struggling a little, yet have still managed to create promising flowers. But the fig tree - oh, the fig tree - is loaded with green jewels waiting to ripen to a dark purplish brown. These gems will be red and soft and sweet on the inside. Looking them over I can hardly wait for the combination of sun and water to produce the fruit.

In reality, I'm not a great gardener. I tend to ignore the plants between seeds and harvest relying on the watering system and fertilizer to help nature take its course. However, when the fruits begin to show themselves, I can't help but appreciate the miracles of life growing in my own backyard.