Lewis Grizzard once said, “It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” Lewis was right.
One day, I was driving down highway 41, almost to Resaca. I saw a sign in somebody’s front yard that said, “Home Growed Tomatoes.” I thought that was delightful. A colloquial spin on the word “grown.” It’s regional. You know. That’s the way people talk in northwest Georgia. I’m sure those tomatoes were wonderful, though I didn’t stop by to get any that day.
Since I’m talking about homegrown tomatoes today, I would be remiss if I failed to mention tomato sandwiches! I am a retired paralegal. Years ago, at one of the law firms I worked for, somebody brought in their homegrown tomatoes every Monday. We kept on hand, in the office kitchen all summer long, sandwich bread, and mayonnaise. We enjoyed a tomato sandwich for lunch. Everyday. All summer long. I assure you we never tired of eating a tomato sandwich for lunch.
Then there are, of course, green tomatoes. You know, the famous fried green tomatoes. My brother, Steve, was eight years older than I. One day, he and daddy, and some uncles were at Grandmother and Granddaddy Terrell’s house working on the house. Steve was about 5 years old. He told me, Grandmother said, “Well. It’s about time for lunch.” He then watched her take green tomatoes from the kitchen windowsill. He wondered, “Does she need her glasses? What is she going to do with those green tomatoes?” Grandmother, of course, proceeded to fry those green tomatoes. When they were done, she said, “Go tell the family that lunch is ready.” Steve said those fried green tomatoes were really very delicious. You know, you can never go wrong with fried green tomatoes.
I must admit, I don’t know anything about growing tomatoes. A long time friend of ours, who lives in the Celanese village, has an incredible garden every year. The star of the garden, of course, is tomatoes! Another friend of ours, who also lives in the Celanese village, was trying her hand at growing tomatoes. As the story goes, although those tomatoes were coming along, it was slow going. So our experienced gardener friend played a little joke on her. He stopped by her house one day, when she was not home, and put small, red, Christmas ornaments on the tomato vine as if they were small tomatoes. I thought that was a delightful practical joke. I believe, if my memory doesn’t fail me, she wound up with some really good tomatoes that year. Nevertheless, you have to appreciate an experienced gardener with a sense of humor like that.
One year, while on a visit with my maternal grandparents, Grandpa was working in the garden with a tiller. I watched him run over a brand new tomato plant. Without saying a word, I went in the house, retrieved his glasses and brought them to him. He said, “What’s this for?” I said, “See? You ran over that tomato plant.” He said, “Oh my goodness. I did!” I was about two years old but I knew the value of a tomato plant. Yep. Lewis Grizzard had the right idea. You know, you can just never go wrong with a home grown tomato!