first night

After an early dinner I told everyone to come outside and help me in the garden. It took some coaxing but they all made it. The children dug a desultory hole or two, pulled a radish, munched an arugula leaf. And draped their bellies over the swings for a good lazy hang, and generally wandered the yard, disoriented (isn't this supposed to be story time...?) and all the while I transplanted the last of the flowers and checked on the tomatoes I moved into the garden earlier today. While I puttered around (incidentally, I have never puttered around a garden before) I wondered how all of them would fare during their first cool, breezy night outdoors.

It's weird. I am empathizing with tomato plants. I imagine the undersides of their delicate leaves being blown upwards by a sudden night wind and I involuntarily shiver. Oh dear. Sleep well, little ones.