Today is the last day of summer. The temperatures have already cooled and the fields are ready for harvest.

My darling tomato-picker has been busy all summer:

Cameron wasn’t sure he’d like the taste of a grape tomato, but sampled a few each time he visited us this summer.

He’s still not sure.

When Gary and I went to spend some time with Dad in Connecticut earlier this month (quarantining all the while, as per the Nutmeg State‘s Covid rules), I grabbed what I assumed were the last of the tomatoes and brought them with us.

There’s something about the “grape” size of the tomatoes; they’re like candy. Dad was delighted to find them in his salads.

When we returned a week later, it was such a lovely surprise to see another batch of beauties waiting on the vine for us.

Mom had a great appreciation for nature’s fresh bounty:

Seduction 

We could never eat it all
the harvest from the hillside market 
fresh vegetables and fruits that wrestled 
for room in the baby carriage 
I was seduced by them
their smells and shapes and colors
after a cold Spring

It was so long ago
but I remember the enchantment of choices
surrounding our son with bounty
I knew I spent more than we could afford
or relish in a reasonable time
~ joan vayo 11 March 2005

Although Mom’s been gone nearly 10 months, I still immediately wanted to tell her what I saw the other day:

One final tomato.

Autumn was by far Mom’s favorite season. She loved to see the changes in not only the leaves, but all living things. Acorns and chestnuts crashing on the rooftop and deck, squirrels busily hoarding for the winter, migratory birds winging their way to southern homes.

Mom liked the creepiness, too. The full moon, Halloween pumpkins, gourds covered with warts, and gnarly vines fading to twisted, crunchy snakeskins.

This single ruby left in our garden would have delighted her. That last kiss of summer, promising there’ll be more fruit and vegetables in the coming year.

Seduction ©2005 Joan C. Vayo. All rights reserved.

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