The greens must be loving this weather - cool, wet - and not at all tomato-pepper-eggplant like.  Yet, the seedlings look really good, everything is greening up out there, and it won't be long before we will wish that we could experience days like today (well, maybe without the rain!).

I continue to transplant seedlings. If you look at the seedlings page you will find gaps appearing in the variety list. The varieties that were nipped by the 24 degree night are still tiny but will be nice plants in a few weeks (especially if it gets a bit warmer). It is only April 25 - we will have plants for another month.

I am about half way through prepping the bales, and am anxious to get them planted since all of the "stuff" destined for them is bursting at the containers.  Mostly, we want to get a good greens harvest in before it gets really hot and un-lettuce-like.

Finally, for anyone who wants to listen, it is my first appearance on Niki Jabbour's Weekend Gardener - the link can be found here.  Gee, maybe we will talk about....TOMATOES!

Finally finally, it was just great meeting Brie Arthur today - she introduced me at McIntyre's Books in Fearrington Village, and I deeply appreciate her kind words. (thanks for lunch, too!).

Some news about the seedlings:  they look really good - despite the cool spring, my eggplant and pepper seedlings are outstanding in health.  Go figure!  For the adventurous, please ask me about some freebie mystery tomatoes and peppers, and various Paprika-type peppers.  

Tomatopalooza T shirts:  We still have lots - if you would like one, ask me during your seedling pick up visit - 15 dollars each, and a nice selection of colors and sizes.

Bales:  My 40 straw bales are undergoing nitrogen and water treatment, with hopes to plant into them in a little more than a week. It is going to be a really interesting garden for me because of the bales - all 36 dwarfs in bales in the driveway (2 dwarfs per bale), and greens, radishes, basil, leeks, beans, beets, squash, cukes, potatoes and sweet potatoes in bales in our side yard garden. What fun!

Since we can't wait, there are half a dozen large pots with arugula, collards, lettuce, Red Russian kale, and basil, all sitting on our back deck.

Mostly, I am getting ready for a tomato talk and book signing at McIntyres in Fearrington Village on Saturday at 11, and working on a tomato article for Rodale's Organic Life magazine.

Nah, not too much going on!  Thanks to all of our seedling friends who have visited so far - many of you have left with signed copies of Epic Tomatoes, for which I am very grateful.  Hope you like it!

I shared my thoughts about today on the Seedlings page, here. But I will repeat this - thank you to all for the wonderful visits, conversations, your generosity, curiosity - Sue and I just had a great time. I only wish I had more time to chat with each of you.

Now, as for tomorrow, I am very excited to be speaking about tomatoes at Atlantic Orchids and Garden in North Raleigh - my talk is at 10 AM, will run for about an hour (including questions) - I will then be selling and signing books for those who wish to purchase them. The venue also has a nice selection of my tomato seedlings for sale. I hope to see some of you there - and others at our house later in the afternoon.

All 40 of my straw bales are now placed (yes, I am sore and tired), and I will begin the prep process tomorrow. I simply can't wait to get my garden planted!

Yesterday was tax day. It was also the first day of our annual seedling sales. Many of you have already emailed me your lists, and I've created a notebook in which I keep track of things. All details can be found here - scroll down, take a look at our varieties, send me your list and suggest a time. We should have seedlings right into mid to late May. I will also have my book, Epic Tomatoes, available for  purchase for 20.00, and am happy to personalize them in any way you wish.

Today a big bundle of straw bales - 40 of them! - arrived. Tomorrow will be used to place the bales and start prepping them. It's therefore not only seedlings time, but planting time.  Watch for some pics as things proceed. 

So that is my spring - book events, seedling sales, transplanting, gardening, and writing.  Such fun - and time is flying, that's for sure!

36 years ago today - April 7, 1979 - my friends talked me into attending a nurse-grad student sponsored party. I suspect Sue's friends did the same to her. We were both coming off relationships, and meeting "the one" wasn't on either of our minds. 

Susan Angus was the first person that caught my eye as I walked into the door. It took at least an hour for an awkward graduate student (me) to find a way to meet her. And am I ever glad I did! It is amazing to ponder the power of a moment, of a decision. 

Thanks to Stephen Garrett for snapping the pic below - right at the outset of the photography work for my book.