The mail today brought the second half of the big tomato seed order I placed last month. I'm so excited for some of these (well, all of them really). Now I've added 18 varieties to the ever growing hoard...
Tazmanian Chocolate (a dwarf variety)
Black Truffle (an early variety)
Dwarf Kangaroo Paw Green (from the dwarf project)
Chio Chio San (said to be a prolific producer that stays bushy)
Eiformige Dauer (a pink variety said to have good flavor)
Radio (said to be able to grow up a trellis)
Vesuvio (I'm wondering if this is my long sought after Piennolo del Vesuvio)
Shuntukski Velikan (Russian variety that gets large in a short season)
Petit Moineau (AKA Little Sparrow, a currant variety said to be prolific)
Rose Quartz Multiflora (said to produce trusses of 50+ tomatoes)
Galapagos Island Tomato (Solanum cheesmanii, said to be very productive)
Helsing Junction Blues (a blue and red variety that I've been wanting to try)
White Currant (said to be sweet)
Caspian Pink (a good processing tomato that's been on my wish list for a while)
Rev. Morrow's Long Keeper (a determinate variety that is meant to ripen in storage)
Feurwork / Firework (an early variety)
Mexico Midget (said to produce an abundant crop)
Sibirskiy Velikan Rozovyi (AKA Siberian Giant Pink, produces firm meaty tomatoes)
All of these varieties are tried and proven in a northern garden, so hopefully they will do well for us. The seed amounts sent are very small, so I won't be able to trade any, but hopefully I'll get to growing at least some of these out this year. When I ran through the names, #1 perked up at Chio Chio San and wants to try it. She's currently into anime and it sounds like something anime-esque. I'm guessing it's Japanese, but didn't look into the history of the variety.
In some sadder news, my brother's dog (Mitzu) hasn't been feeling himself lately. He's been rather crotchety with the other dogs in the household and just not like his usual self. My brother brought him to the regular vet and all tests came back pretty normal. The regular vet gave him a referral to a specialty clinic two hours away. My brother went today and after $800 in testing, they told him his dog has an enlarged prostate and possibly cancer. They did the cancer biopsy but won't have results for another week. Mitzu isn't a young pup anymore, and my brother doesn't have the money to have him undergo chemo - especially when he's also been told that there is no cure, it's just a matter of "prolonging the inevitable" regardless. My brother loves this dog. Mitzu is like a child to him. I want to do something nice for my brother to let him know I'm thinking about him and that I'm sorry for the path he may be about to have to embark on... but I don't think any words or gifts or actions can offer the solace I wish I could. We just went through a cancer diagnosis (and matching vet bill) with Mazikeen in October. Fortunately, Mitzu is not nearly as sick currently as Maize was then. We opted to euthanize Mazikeen because she was already suffering greatly and it wasn't fair to her to put her through more. I suspect this end of life journey for my brother and his beloved dog is going to bring him to his breaking point. My heart breaks for him. I'm hoping the cancer biopsy comes back negative and Mitzu has a few more good years ahead of him. In the meantime, if you happen to know my brother, or his dog, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.