What happened to our tomatoes this year?

Oh dear.

I have in my profile that I LOVE gardening... especially growing tomatoes. Well, I do love tomatoes, but this year I asked my husband if we could try something new.

First, I have to tell you that every Fall I have a horrible time sticking to our family budget when it comes to...

GOURDS!!

Yes, gourds. I don't know why I love them. You can't eat them. (at least I don't think you can)

I love all shapes of gourds. I put them in a basket on our dining room table and take a few into the classroom too. Well, when we were at the garden center buying our plants this past May, I saw gourd plants. I was very convincing to my wonderfully patient husband about how we needed to get a gourd plant to try to grow in our usually beautiful (almost entirely tomato) garden.

They were ONLY $0.39!

We bought two, small, barely 2" high plants.

CAN YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

Those two, tiny plants have taken over the entire garden. They completely grew over our lovely (well I guess you'd have to 'think' lovely) tomato plants and even covered our cucumber trellis. I thought I would never hear the end of it from my husband. After all, there will be no tomatoes for his mother to can for our family this Fall. He has helped me harvest gourds four times now. I have laundry baskets completely full of gourds. I also have a basket already at school.

Is there a lesson here?

I learned something new about my husband after 22 years of marriage. He braves mosquitoes and gourd plant prickers to pick every single gourd for me. We wash them together at the sink and I see him smile as he watches me dry each and every single one with a towel before gently placing them in ANOTHER laundry basket. A continuing love story each and every day.

Next year's planting? Well, I'm not entirely convinced that gourds are not in my future. Maybe if I just plant ONE little, tiny plant?

Have a beautiful day in the LORD!

Mary

Jesus, I trust in You!