It was well known that I didn’t inherit my mother’s green thumb.

When I got married the first time in ’62 she’d bring over house plants one week, take them home the next and bring them back to life, bring them back again.

And again.

Then years ago when I was missing Momma, I bought a red rose bush. It thrives in our yard and blooms right before Mother’s Day.

For the past couple of years our #1 Princess, Jill, has planted the flower bed. She loves coming to Hennessey and going to Taggart’s.

A couple of months ago I ended up in their vegetable aisle and saw familiar names: Early Girl, Beef Steak and Cherry.

All tomato varieties that Momma and Daddy grew in competition with Mr. Kumler, our 1950s neighbor on N.E.12th St. in OKC.

Since I wanted instant gratification, I planted Early Girls the next day: three in the flower bed and one in a small flower pot.

My love for tomatoes started at an early age, and caused embarrassment for Momma at a family dinner in Missouri.

“Please pass the tomatoes,” I said in the best polite voice that a kindergartener could muster who knew there were no more tomatoes on that plate.

Momma sucked air, and gave me The Look.

Daddy laughed.

His sister, Aunt Chloe, sliced more.

I could almost taste her tomatoes when I saw blooms on my hairy plants two weeks ago, then tiny green tomatoes on the flower pot Girl.

So far they haven’t let me down. Ditto for the rain toads that stayed to eat bugs.   

I check the plants every day, and picked a reddish one for fear a bird would get it. I waited two days for it to get really ripe, then cut it in four tiny pieces, salted them and savored each bite.

Two more ripened a week later, and I ate them with cottage cheese.

I hope to get one large enough to slice. Then I can have it fresh from the garden on white bread slathered in real butter and a thin slice of onion.

Now I made myself hungry, and must go check my crops, but I’m certain Momma’s green thumb rubbed off on me.

It happened as she spanked me for asking for more tomatoes, and just took 70 years to take full effect.