From a little avocado plant

I really don;t know what possessed me one day several weeks ago when I decided to take three avocado seeds, stick toothpicks in them and "float" them in water to see whether they would do anything.

The seeds were from avocados we had gotten from the tree out back which actually belongs to a neighbor, but half of the fruit hangs over, and falls into, our yard.  One of these days a hurricane will probably push it into our pool.  Yes, it is that very tall tree that I photographed yesterday when we were experiencing a monsoon from the Gulf.

Well, two of the seeds took off like gangbusters and the third did nothing.  When the two had each developed a good tap root and surrounding root system and sprouted a plant, I got my resident green thumb to plant them in big pots for me.

At the same time he put his little tomato seedlings into smaller pots.  Actually, he was already planning to do his little tomato seedlings.  I struck while the iron was hot and he consented to do my avocado babies, too.

That was a week ago.  They have been sitting on the lanai table for a week and my babies are growing quickly toward avocado "toddlerhood."

And his tomato babies?

Not so much.  He has one that appears to be growing.  It is called "Mortgage Lifter."  I'll tell you more about the "Mortgage Lifter" tomato when I am sure the baby is going to make it.  He says that this was the "one" tomato he really wanted.  That's good.  Because from what I can see, it is the only one that has a prayer of producing fruit by Christmas.  He says he'll start all over again with more seedlings in December.

Rolling eyes.  Laughing. I do love this man.

Oh, and our papaya trees have grown leaps and bounds this hot, wet summer.

The plumeria trees  have grown several feet, too.  And flowered all summer.

So days like yesterday when it rained, and rained, and rained, and...

That kind of day.  Those are the days that make our trees and plants grow as though they live in a rain forest.  That dead plant to the left in the last picture?  That's the last tomato plant from this year's crop.  It just gave up the last tomato and will soon join it's siblings in the waste can for yard trash pick up.

This has been a long one, but I figured I needed to make up for the weeks of no post.  I had people emailing me to ask me we were okay.  We were.  But we have had a lot going on.  Life is returning to normal now.

Have a great week.  Happy Monday to all my retired friends. ;-)