I started a garden when I was searching for a summer project that was within my control. And my first tomatoes ripened today. We've been eating jalapenos for a few weeks. The herbs were harvested a day or two after transfer (you can probably guess that I purchased seedling rather than attempt to grow the plants from seed--maybe that will be next summer's project).

I don't know why I feel so good when I see those little red fruits. Maybe because it seemed so unlikely that I would be able to keep them alive for the weeks required in order for them to bear fruit? We're talking about a person who has never had a houseplant live beyond a week or two. Hence why we don't have houseplants. But I researched this and got over my overwhelming fear of most bugs (there is a particularly atrocious green caterpillar-like thing that has been haunting my dreams. He was living on the jalapeno plants--larger than an actual jalapeno--and needed to be removed by my husband as I ran dramatically into the house and told everyone, "the garden project is OVER!").

I'm going to go harvest. Make a tomato, basil, and mozzarella sandwich for dinner. Feel good about the garden.