This week was weirdly hot, and yet the sumac started turning blaze red, acorns fell like carpet bombs, and mice tried moving into everything. One such rodent tried tunneling through a plastic table, while another built a nest within the propane shower heating element, resulting in a shower surprise of smoke, fire, and a mouse that flew away like a misfired rocket.

We are back into drought talk time; We haven’t had rain since August. We are running the drip irrigation again, perhaps a bit reluctantly. Seems impossible that I just dumped a small pond of trapped tarp-water ontp myself a few weeks ago, but it seems to be so.

With help from our neighbor, or WWOOFers, and Deb and Jim, we finally managed to get up to Lake Superior with The Boys. It’s magic there, to us – and now perhaps to another generation.

inside Box 15

• Ground Cherries – at last! This year’s ground cherries are the tastiest ever in my opinion. Peel the husk and snack, one at a time.
• Broccoli – the first of the fall broccoli crop has entered the chat
• Turnips – great variety for fresh eating; sweet and not all that turnipy
• Radishes
• Zucchini
• Tomatoes – they are slowing down, now.
• Cherry Tomato Medley
• Peppers – a mix of bell and sweet peppers (no hots)