I live in a difficult cold climate with a short growing season so luscious vine ripened tomatoes are hard to find here. Outdoors the tomato plants resent the cool nights of our summers and rarely ripen fruit. Since I love tomatoes right off the vine, I grow my plants in a large hoop house.

Over time I have evolved a method of growing my tomatoes that works well under these conditions. I usually produce an avalanche of tomatoes all summer and into the fall, which I am happy to share with my friends. Everyone offers to buy them, but I take my greatest happiness in giving my surplus tomatoes to others.

My seeds for this year’s crop are now germinating and each morning I go to the insulated and heated section of the hoop house to see what new babies are ready to go into their pots from the flats in the hot frame.

It is surprising how much joy these tiny sprigs with wee leaves bring to my heart. In those tiny and fragile beings lies the mystery and joy of all creative energy, as life valiantly springs forth to become vigorous and abundant from such ephemeral beginnings.

As I pot them, I learn from these tiny plants to nurture and trust that which is vital and alive in me, and an ever widening ripple of happiness spreads through my life.