Showing great self-restraint, I have refrained from bragging about my tomatoes. But today I must, I really must, tell you how beautiful they are.

I bought a six-pack variety collection of baby tomato plants. When they first went in the ground, they looked so puny, with 3 or 4 leaves apiece and the giant tomato cages looming over them. Each time I watered them, I was afraid I'd drown them.

Now you should see them! They have sprawled through the tomato cage openings, and zoomed up over the tops of the cages as well. There are tomatoes everywhere, in all stages of ripeness. The cherry tomatoes are coming in, ripe and ready to eat; the romas are not far behind. The others (don't what variety yet) are all festooned with green fruit, small and large, dark green and yellow green.

After last year's dismal showing, this year is quite a treat. Even if it gets too hot for any more sets, the ones coming along now will keep us in tomatoes for a month or more.

Gadzooks, it feels good to be successful at something.