My Heirloom Tomatoes

Here, you are looking at a bowl of generations worth of seed collecting of the same roma tomato.  This particular roma type tomato is named Sonoma.  This name ( I am told) was researched by a friend of a distant cousin by examining the DNA of the seed itself.  Quite fascinating I must say but I don't seem to find any information on the internet about this particular roma tomato.

All I truly know is what my Nana has told me over the years.  This tomato (it's seed) was brought over from Italy by our family in the 1920's  and the biggest, nicest looking one saved every year to continue the raising of this delectable edible.

The responsibility to carry on the seed saving has been handed down to me and I look forward to every year when I plant the seed and dream of that wonderful tomato aroma and taste.  I love the smell of the tomato leaves because it transports me back to my grandparents farm.  I am at the pink two-story farmhouse with a white wrought iron double front porch, in the tomato section of the garden with my grandfather who is teaching me how to care for these gifts of nature.  As far as the taste, for me, no other tomato can compare.  When I taste these tomatoes that my mouth has been watering for all season, I again, am transported to Nana's kitchen to relish the fresh mozzarella,tomato and basil,drizzled with EVOO on fresh baked bread or the tomato and onion salad and especially the fresh pasta sauce...I am in heaven just thinking about it.  I get CRAZY!  Memory is a powerful thing folks.

The seedlings have their first set of true leaves and my mouth is watering once again!

HH~
ANGELO

A Revelation

Today I had an unequivocal, heart melting breakthrough. I have truly forgiven my grandmother for extremely hurtful things she had said to me. These are things that caused me to move out of her house 1 year and 7 months ago and not speaking to her since. It has taken me that long to come to an epiphany that my grandmother was only acting out her beliefs and that I shouldn't take it personally anymore. I was lying in the tub thinking about her the other day and realized that I see life the way I do mostly because she shared her 'La Dolce Vita' with me. She is the one responsible for bringing passion, beauty and vitality to my life. The whole reason why I see things the way I do. She is the reason I have my goal and dream of living in Italy. Without her I would just be another empty soul going through the motions of life. Thank you Nana......I love you Nonna....Angelo