fruit and blossoms

One of the colorful idioms the American West has given us is “All hat, no cowboy.” A variation makes the meaning a bit clearer: “All hat and no cattle” conveys the image of someone who looks the part but lacks the skill and resources to back it up. I’ve been leveling a similar charge against my tomato plants. Until now, they’ve produced abundant, lush green foliage—even blossoms. But no fruit. My vision of juicy vine-ripened tomatoes faltered, much like those promising blossoms that had dried up and fallen off the hearty stalks. After sweet corn, the next best thing about …