Snow Ends the Tomato Growing Season

I went out to fetch the morning paper today on my city street in St Paul and was greeted by a white surface that wasn't there last night. I knew then that my tomato plants were dying in the backyard. The season is over. I guess the ash trees in front thought so, too, because in the photo below, you can see that the ash tree on the boulevard has discarded a good proportion on its still green leaves on top of the layer of fresh snow, Ash trees are quitters.



But I played tennis anyhow. I play inside this time of year and the temperature is controlled and there is no wind. The indoor courts are getting a lot of use this month. Players have moved back inside and it is getting harder to reserve a court during the hours when most people work. The other three people on the court today are all members of the still working class, and were happy for the opportunity to play a couple of sets inside. 7-6, 6-4. Two close sets. And Jerry, my partner for the first set said that he had fun. It was my fifth consecutive day of doubles action, and I had fun, too.

I came home and picked a few of the green tomatoes from the frozen plants by my back door with the intention of having that old delicacy that my dad loved, fried green tomatoes. I have entered into a blogging partnership with some of my family members [you know who you are] and I invite my readers to have a look there for my green tomato recipe and some other delicious recipes. The blog is named an experimental food blog and is the source of the recipe for the oven baked sweet potatoes in the photo. The credit for the blog goes to my favorite sister who blogs under the pseudonym Santini.


This was my dinner, basil tomato soup, fried green tomatoes, and the sweet potatoes. I may have overdone the tomatoes - I even used catsup on the potatoes.