I'D HAVE TOMATOES TODAY

If I still lived in So IL. There are lots of things I miss about not living in Southern Illinois anymore. Family, friends, the best greens except for the practice green at The Phoenician I ever played golf on, high school football and basketball games, my home church. And tomatoes.

For whatever reason, no matter when we planted, we could count on tomatoes from our garden on July 22. Why that date, I can't say. But the 22nd is burned into my culinary memory. Beefsteak, Big Boy, even salad tomatoes would be ready on this date.

Then, as I've said many times, give me a thick slice of bologna on two fresh slices of white bread and one huge tomato, and I wouldn't trade that sandwich for a steak. Now after a few weeks of that delicacy, I just might. But it would take awhile.

Why the picture of the morning glory? Those little choking flowers liked our tomato plants, too. So along with having all the tomatoes ripen at the same time and having to find people who wanted our fresh tomatoes--gosh, we had so many--the fight of the morning glories in So IL sun and early morning dew would soak even a non-perspirant.

You know what? It was all worth it. I can still taste those tomatoes, even if I can't grow or even find a facsimile thereof out West.