As kids projects go, the one my daughter brought home the other day takes the cake.  

After having five kids, you can probably imagine that I’ve seen my share of what Styrofoam cups, Popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners have to offer in children’s crafting.

But this project was different. It was an Easter garden complete with clay saucer base, pebbles and a healthy mound of peat. 

And because of my interest in gardening, you can imagine that my ears perked up when I found out that seeds were involved.

As I gave the garden a closer look, a tiny clay pot tomb caught my eye. It lay on its side and its open end poked out from the mound of dirt. Three twig crosses on the hill above it were a somber reminder.  

It was a heart-stopping diorama and I had a hard time taking my eyes off it.

Grass seed sprinkled on top of the dirt blew away with the wind as we took the project inside. But enough remained for us to soak it with a good spray of water twice a day.

Anxiously, we watched and waited for my daughter’s garden to sprout. But each day that we searched the dirt for even a tiny showing of green, we were left disappointed.

Yesterday, when I voiced my doubts ...

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The fat, juicy tomatoes beckoned me from the garden in my backyard.

And even though some were finally ripe, it was taking me a while to get out there to
harvest.

“Pick me, pick me!” their chubby selves would have chanted if they had
mouths.

It was a wet day when I finally found the time. I donned my yellow slicker and braved the elements dropping glistening tomatoes into my collection bags.  

We were into September already with our first frost quickly approaching. And less than half my crop was what I’d call “harvest ready.” This season has been a slow one for ripe tomatoes -- even for me.

You see, I’m used to late tomatoes. ...

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