August: Ripening Month

This is the season when all the Farmers Markets are bursting with local goodies, but we are eagerly watching the only two crops we are growing this year (with the exception of some herbs). The raspberries are starting to be laden with clusters of berries while the bees stay busy pollinating more and more flowers. Soon we hope to have some ripe ones to photograph (and eat!)

Our four tomato plants (Jet Star, tried and true and virus resistant) had a slow start in the cool, wet spring, but they all have many clusters of expanding green fruit. Any day now, one of them might start to turn and we can pick it before the squirrels do. Meanwhile, everyone at the Ferguson Market on Saturday had plenty of tomatoes so I stocked up to make fresh salsa as well as Greek salad.

Today was the last day of our low impact aerobics class until after Labor Day. This group has been together for several years although newcomers are always welcomed and made to feel at home. It's a community, really, of people with few other connections to each other, but who extend sympathy with loss and think good thoughts for health concerns and celebrate milestones. We are inspired by our 61-year old leader who some time back set a goal of running a marathon in every state and she now has only 5 left to go, including Maine, New Hampshire, California, and the grand finale next summer in Fairbanks, Alaska. Would you believe, some of the group is talking about making a road trip to cheer her on! Thanks, Rae, for your example and instruction. Go, Girl!

Speaking of connections, today I got an e-mail from a long-lost friend from Junior High and Girl Scout days. She saw my address in a group e-mail to our Will Rogers High School Class of 1961 about a pre-reunion meeting. Jan lives in the Hill Country of Texas now and I am so excited to think that we may get to meet again in 2011. Meanwhile, as she says, e-mail does make the world go 'round. That and blogging. She says she already has checked Home Stories out. Here's looking at ya, found friend!