- “You know you have tomatoes growing when you see three or four in a bunch.”
So said my neighbor to the hermitage of yore, many times over the years, as he patiently tried to teach me some gardening. Each time I see three or more tomatoes I think of him. The best thing he taught me about gardening (which was the whole point of teaching me about gardening) was that it was to be a time to walk about with Saint Joseph and the Lord Jesus.
When I saw these six tomatoes in a group above (if you look closely you’ll see another hiding behind, top center) I knew I had to put this up on the blog, which he follows from time to time. I know it’ll make him smile. And that’s good.
He’s a good teacher. I’ve tried to learn how to grow tomatoes, and I’ve begun to learn to recognize being smacked down by my guardian angel so as to know that Saint Joseph and the Lord Jesus is with me. It couldn’t be clearer that this is the case when I see a new flower for the Immaculate Conception to put up on the blog. No matter what chaos is happening in the church and the world none of that matters, because salvation is with us, the simplicity of being with the Holy Family.
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 
AMEN. Your flowers for the Imaculate have kept me sane.
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God , with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed from you along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” Eph 4:30 (The verse that has made me calm down)
Wonderful, Father. They look fabulous! I love my garden. I used to hate dirt but now I’m trying to learn and I find it very soothing to garden. I love dirt now. I find that I pray so much for people in my garden when I have time to think and ponder. I do leap to such heights when things go well and come crashing down when things go poorly but I’m trying to learn to appreciate it all…even potato bugs 🙂 Blessed be God!
Whenever I said dirt, JLK would reprimand me and say “It’s soil!”
Oops! Ha ha! I guess I’m still learning! I guess I have been working on “amending my soil” so that makes sense. Maybe I dislike dirt still and love soil! I get all excited when it has mushrooms growing in it or white stuff in it showing that it’s breaking down, and I excitedly have the children smell it. For some reason they aren’t as excited about it as I am! There is a very distinct smell to healthy soil
You know you’re a real gardener when you like the smell of manure…When we lived in Warren County NJ, which is farm and dairy county,we quickly learned healthy cows and manure equaled healthy crops and wealth.
I miss my garden. Living close to the soil and in tune with the seasons immerses one in God’s creation – a healthy indulgence for body and soul.