Defying Gravity

We are leaving tomorrow for a 3 week journey through Siberia! I can hardly wait. In anticipation of the long absence, I decided that a blog post is in order. When my dad and I were in Disneyland, we had a lot of time standing in lines to discuss all topics under the sun. Naturally, the conversation steered towards sprouts from time to time. He recalled an infomercial he had seen for a contraption that makes tomatoes grow quickly. To my surprise, he actually found one in a store in Honolulu and sent it to me! I was delighted, and set about using the Topsy-turvy planter right away. We went to Home Depot and bought a small tomato plant (and some 2 by 4's to build a frame to hang it from). This was a little disappointing, of course, since I didn't sprout the plant from seed. The decision was made in the interest of time, as the Fall is approaching (NOOOOO!!!!) and we want to get as many tomatoes as possible before it gets too cold. The idea of the contraption is that it will use gravity somehow. You put the plant into the planter upside down. We found a nice sunny place on the side of our apartment--it hangs right above the pumpkin patch! We have already pinched down the buds of the plant twice in an effort to let it grow a little bigger before it produces fruit. My dad claims he won't be satisfied without at least one bushel! I am just hoping that in 3 weeks we return to little tomato-lings. Since, as anyone who knows me can attest to, I LOVE love LOVE tomatoes! Ha!