tears and tomatoes

This past week I was able to plant 60 of the 200 tomato plants I have to help provide fresh, local, vine ripe, organically grown tomatoes for two local restaurants.  After preparing the soil and digging my holes I stated setting out the plants in prep of planting them.  Well, that wasn't the problem.  The tears came when I knelt down, picked up the plant and placed it int the hole.  MY mind instantly flashed back to my family's patriarch kneeling in orange county clay, with his blue pants, mud covered brown brogans, thin worn out carolina blue button shirt, gently placing each tomato plant in the land that represented his entire life.  I see Paw Paw as I myself is kneeling in the dirt planting my own plants and I begin to weep.  Tears as strong and fresh as the day he died.  Tear up over the tomatoes.  Wishing he was right beside me helping me put them in the ground.  So, the first 10 plants have extra tears of love and I bet these will produce the sweetest tomatoes!