Tomato-tormentor.

Grapevines aren't the only things growing in Vinoland's vineyard.  Besides vines and weeds, a volunteer tomato (toe-mar-tow) vine has decided to grow right next to a Syrah vine.  The location, chosen no doubt so that the tomato can avail itself of the vineyard's irrigation system, poses a bit of a problem for me.  Being so anthropomorphic, I am sure the tomato will suffer if I leave it in the vineyard.  However, if I transplant it into the vegetable patch, being so late in the season, it'll probably never bear any ripe tomatoes.  Or I could just yank it out and put it in the compost bin.  Slow day.

I give a fig.

Yesterday, I noticed this little fig on one of three fig trees that I have growing in pots.  Today, on further inspection, I noticed two more smaller figs on the same plant.  I'm so excited, yay!
Years ago, Vinomaker was given a Mission fig (Ficus carica) as a gift; it was planted out in a low spot in Vinoland, down by the creek, where it was promptly killed by the first frost of the winter.
The next spring, I noticed three small plants growing under a large oak tree by the house with leaves that looked suspiciously fig-like.  As I do with 99% of all growing things I find that pique my interest I potted them up and put them in the nursery, alongside an assortment of potted grapevines (my emergency reserves).  And there they have remained for the past four or more years, protected from severe, low temperatures by their proximity to Vinoland's barn.  I have made a promise to the fig trees that from now on I will take better care of them.
Everything seems to be thriving in Vinoland.  I picked my first ripe tomato today and it looks like I should have enough for a salad by next weekend.  The figs are going to take a bit longer.

Ta-ta tomatoes.

It is the 1st of December already, wow!  How did that happen?  It is the Christmas season already and day one of my advent calendar is already open.
Although it is still technically autumn, there have been some rather cold days this past week and we have had several frosty mornings. Enough frost events to finally finish off my tomato plants: this is my last handful of tomatoes for 2015.  There isn't going to be any more photosynthesis now that most of the foliage has been damaged by the frosts, the plants are done.  I'm going to make the most of my last homegrown salad of the year.

Deck the vines...

...with boughs of tomatoes, fa la la la la la la la la.  Even Vinoland's grapevines are getting into the Christmas spirit. 
Now, I don't normally hang Christmas decorations out in the vineyard and this year is no exception.  I don't have the foggiest idea as to how these two cherry tomatoes (toe-marr-toes, thank you) ended up in the head of this Syrah vine.  But I like to amuse myself by imagining that there are some crazy party animals whooping it up amongst the vines whilst I slumber.  Party on little caroling-critters.

The fruit of a different vine.

My first, and only, ripe tomato of the season.

Persistant cool temperatures in northern California are not helping with the ripening of my tomatoes. It's a shame because this year's crop looks to be bountiful, but nothing is happening. Now, where did I put that fried green tomato recipe?

I certainly won't be seeing fruit ripening through October like I did in 2008 (the last real summer here), when the nights were seasonably cool, but the days were still in the low 80s.

At least this tomato is not sporting a freakish horn and will eventually make its way into a salad. It seems to be perfectly formed - except that it is supposed to be a cherry tomato and is 3 times bigger than any of its siblings on the same stalk. Overachiever? Mutant? It matters not, as this may be the only tomato that ripens in Vinoland this summer.

Mutant Ninja tomato.

I spent a long relaxing, celebratory lunch with my co-workers today at Auberge du Soleil.  It is my, and Vinomaker's, favourite restaurant in the valley.  Unfortunately he couldn't join me. What fantastic food.  What a fantastic location with splendid views of the valley.  What fantastic weather. The past week's mid 80's temps could lull one into a false sense of it still being summer.  I have to remind myself that as well as the grapevines, everything else is shutting down also, even my vegetable garden.
I ate, drank and was merry.  So much so that a simple dinner was in order tonight.  I opted for a plain chicken salad.  The Lycopersicon above did not make it into the salad because Vinomaker and I thought it too aggressive looking for consumption.  How would that thing digest in my stomach? More to the point, how would I slice it?  More like duel with it...where is a Samurai sword when I need one?  Still, methinks it is quite magnificent in a bizarre, tomato-ey sort of way!