It all started with about 365 tomatoes.
Ended with many more. I stopped counting somewhere around 650.

That week, my friend Karen and I were supposed to backpack the Timberline Trail . But the weather kept shifting, so we agreed to make a final call on Sunday.

Sunday came, and it was looking like 4–5 days of solid rain ️. We canceled.

Later that day, I looked out my window at my heirloom Italian tomatoes — huge, beautiful, and not ready for rain.

These aren’t just any tomatoes. My grandfather, Pietroboni, brought the seeds over from Italy in the 1950s. I’ve been growing them for years now, carrying on the family tradition. I treat them a bit like gold ✨. They’re precious to me — not just for how they taste, but for what they represent.

So, with the help of my friend Dianne, I picked 365 tomatoes in one day . We tucked them into paper bags and stashed them in the garage, hoping they’d ripen off the vine.

Within hours, the regret set in.

First, I was bummed about the hike.
Then I started panicking about the tomatoes — what if they didn’t ripen? What if I’d picked them too early?

After a brief rain, the skies had cleared. Four days of blue skies . 

I had serious remorse.

And then I got hit right between the eyes with the truth of it all: this was greed.

Who in their right mind worries about not having enough tomatoes when they’ve got 365 sitting in their garage — plus another 150 to 200 already picked, and even more still out on the vine?

Greed isn’t always about money .
Sometimes it shows up in the smallest ways — like tomatoes.

Or in real estate .

I see it all the time:

• A buyer finds a home they love, but suddenly they’re wondering: “What if something better comes on the market next week?”

• A seller gets a strong offer, but instead of feeling good, they think: “Maybe I should wait for more?”

It’s human nature to second-guess ourselves.
To think there’s always something better.
To be afraid of missing out.

But the truth is — the antidote to greed is contentment .

Not settling. Just seeing clearly what’s right in front of you — and appreciating it.

Three weeks after my tomato frenzy, I opened the last paper bag in the garage.
Every single tomato had ripened ❤️

Deep red. Sweet. Perfect.

I had created my own stress. My own unnecessary chaos.

And it was such a good reminder:

✨ Sometimes the answer is just to pause, look around, and say — this is enough. ✨

A gentle real estate note:
Just like tomatoes, sometimes the right home is already in front of you. If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Portland, let’s take a moment to see clearly what’s possible — no stress, no overthinking, just contentment.

With heart, Pam 
YogaBug Real Estate
Licensed in Oregon & Washington

503-347-8551 | yogabugrealestate.com