when tomatoes sprout in unexpected places: a kitchen surprise

Last week, I found something that took me straight back to my grandmother’s kitchen. There, nestled in a forgotten steel wool pad by my sink, tiny tomato seedlings had sprouted. It made me think about how, in the old days, we used to save every seed and let nature do its thing—no fancy gadgets, just patience and a little luck. Now, my kids roll their eyes at the idea of letting anything grow outside a store-bought pot. They say, "Why bother?" But seeing those little green shoots reminded me of the joy in unexpected growth, the kind my parents and grandparents cherished. Here in the Midwest, our seasons are unpredictable—one day it’s frost, the next it’s sun. Maybe that’s why these tomatoes chose the warmth of my kitchen over the wild outdoors. But it raises a question: Should we let nature take its course in our homes, or stick to tidy, controlled gardening? Some neighbors worry about mess and pests, while others see beauty in chaos. I’d love to hear if anyone else has had these surprise sprouts. Do you let them grow, or do you toss them out for the sake of order? Sometimes, the best memories—and the best tomatoes—come from the places we least expect. #gardeningmemories #kitchenstories #naturevsorder #Gardening