Talk About Your Rotten Tomatoes...
A salmonella alert has made grocery stores and eateries remove the lowly and often ignored tomato from their shelves and menus.
Sure, we never take notice when it's squeezed between the bun and other condiments on our burgers, or lacing our spicy salsa and topping our tacos, but we are now, aren't we?
This alert concerns mostly the LARGER tomato varieties, and so far has no impact on the cherry or grape species of tomatoes. And that's fine and dandy with me.
See...I'm GROWING cherry tomatoes...right out back. We bought six plants on the off chance that at least ONE of them would survive (even MY thumb can be less than green sometimes). What we did NOT count on is the fact that last fall, tomatoes that fell from the vines RESEEDED, producing a crapload of "freebie" plants. Hell, I've got more plants NOW than roses...and that's saying something with my "bumper crop" of roses, oregano and columbines we've had this year.
My wife has actually been GIVING AWAY the plants.
Not bad for free, eh?
Now the MSM is advising people to grow their own....sorry, too late.
Been there, been doing that for YEARS.
I have to GIVE AWAY tomatoes because I can only eat SO MANY. And they sure taste good on those BACON SANDWICHES (w/mayo on toast).
Former neighbors received BAGS of the red beauties in years past, and I've already promised some of this year's crop to an older gentleman living next door.
Damn shame more decent people haven't gotten to know me, otherwise THEY would be getting tomatoes as well.
And yes, I have promised Phil (Marx) some to boot.
We just have to wait another few weeks, and then we'll be up to our eye-teeth in tomatoes once again.

In this case, patience truly IS a virtue (and has marvelous rewards).
So am I worried about theft?
Not all that much when someone has to scale a fence or two to get into the garden, and my shotgun is handy.
And I also have our CATS.
One of them just LOVES the upstairs bathroom window, too.
(wonder why?)
Some things ARE worth protecting, and yes, I'll have some tomato on MY hamburger, dear.
Thank you.
--Allen County prosecutor Karen Richards spent some time on MY side of town last night to talk with members of the Urban league, NAACP and concerned ghetto-dwellers (well what ELSE are you going to call THIS part of town? It sure as hell AIN'T the HAMPTONS).
Get this...FEAR was talked about as the main reason people are not willing to come forward when the prosecution attempts to make a case (and the subsequent arrests). Give me a damn break. These people don't KNOW fear...that's the trouble. But it sure is a handy crutch...just like welfare. Why work when there's free money. Why testify when you can develop "selective sight and hearing"? Sure becomes a lot different story when it's someone in YOUR family, though. THAT they don't realize. There seems to be this lack of cogent thought when it's anyone else.
Richards was making HER case as to what makes up A PROSECUTOR'S case. I'm glad I wasn't there, or I'd be looking to stop buy Belmont Liquor and BUY a case ...after hearing all this.
If one thing can be said, it's that the "old day" method of bringing people in and "interrogating" them (pre Miranda) was a lot more effective when witnesses weren't forthcoming with evidence and testimony.
Somehow, there's nothing like a phonebook smacked alongside your head to jar that selective memory loss loose.
But since we've taken to molly-coddling perps instead of arresting them, the witness pool tends to dry up REAL FAST, so without corroboration, the perps walk. They're back on the street, doing what they do best, and even "if" a DA tries to take them to trial, if no witnesses come forward, that perp will likely stroll out the door, and there are NO "do-overs" in this case. it's that damn "double-jeopardy" thing ("I'll take criminals let off hook for $2000, Alex").
I sure hope all this TALK will make these people want to do something to stop the youth violence in this area. Prayers and meetings will only do SO MUCH. Then, you've either got to "put up...or shut up".
And that community has been shutting up for WAY too long.
--For those wondering how we're fairing with these storms, tornadoes and floods.
High and dry here. NO limbs down, NO missing roofs, NO wanton destruction of property due to acts of God (for the time being), so you know I'm not doing anything to cheese off "DA BOSS".
MY hopes and prayers DO go out to all those in the southern part of the state. I just can't believe all the flooding. Looks like something along the MISSISSIPPI RIVER instead. Then again, with the low level of this state in general, it makes sense. Perhaps someone should make the over sized creeks here into something a bit DEEPER to contain the rainwater...ya think?
Anyone got some dredges they're not doing anything with?
The "up" side of this weather, is the marvelous ABSENCE of these damn BOOMCARS. For some reason, those huge, honking speakers in the trunks don't take kindly to WET weather (awww....too damn bad, morons). Yeah, it breaks MY heart (but not as much as I'd like to break those speakers).
But hey, all this rain DOES make MY tomatoes grow. I hear they have sales of plants at many stores (still).
And they're going to taste SO damn good!
Ain't I a tease?
Try to stay dry out there today.