Gardening in summer

If a garden is "a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, or enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature" then mine is gardenish. It is more an under-planned space, outdoors, with pots and plants set around in a chaotic mostly random arrangement for my own amusement, and cultivation of the unfortunate plants that I have chosen with happiness but little thought. Somehow it works. For me. I think it is amazing.

Years ago, I asked a real gardener how he grew such amazing tomatoes and where he got his seeds. He grabbed a tomato slice from his dining room table and beckoned me to follow. He walked over to a pot of dirt, squeezed seeds from the tomato into the pot, and then casually walked away. I didn't believe it would work for me but I have tried it from time to time and this time it worked. Okay, I only have 3 little grape tomatoes so far but I have several plants. Here is some correspondence I had with my dear friend about the surprise.

"...There is a flower now. The plants in this particular pot are very tall now and the bottom leaves are brown and scraggly. I don’t think there is enough dirt in the pot but I wasn’t expecting these plants and now I’m afraid it will be too much of a shock to repot them. If this flower actually puts out a tomato I will brace it with a stick in to hold the weight and hope for the best. In another pot, the little tomato plant is definitely a cherry tomato. There are 3 and they will be ready soon. It’s not easy to go out there now…very hot and buggy. I ran out early this morning to have a look at a possible location to replant an unhappy lantana plant thinking I would only just be a minute. Ha! Bit up right away. Bad year for mosquitos. Also, bitten by a random yellow fly that has not realized it’s getting on time to move on or die or whatever they do with there evil lives when they are not sneaking around here. It’s supposed to rain the next few days so I can let the plants all fend for themselves till it dries out again. If I sound unhappy I am not. I understand the perils and blessings of plants. Even more grateful for them in this weird time of the COVID.”