Having lived in the hot and humid South for most of my life, I never thought that I would regret the end of summer as I do now. Our tomatoes are just ripening in high-latitude and short-summer Washington. Trees are changing color everywhere. Kit and I are putting our gardens to bed.

You may remember that I used to raise commercial quality peaches. They took a lot of care and effort. Here in Washington, apples grow themselves.  This is a picture of our four-year-old Honey Crisp apple tree.  But with every joy comes some conflict. Apples that fall draw deer which then nibble our gardens and shrubbery. I’m also attaching another owl picture. They are pests like the deer.

We came to Washington for a bonus life. That we are having. We hope and pray you also are experiencing new things.

Drew