We are definitely getting into late summer/fall weather - which seems to be pretty normal, at least for now.  Cooler, dry air and today bright sunshine.  Yesterday was showery but still comfortable.  I went with some friends to Perennial Pleasures for afternoon tea.  It is lovely there, and the perfect setting for strolling through lovely gardens, and of course I took quite a lot of pictures.  They were quite busy, both serving tea and in the nursery selling plants, but people were spread about the patio and gardens so we hardly knew others were around.

My friend, who lives in the village, told me the hardware store which has been closed for many weeks, was sold at auction to someone who intends to open it very soon.  Although we had heard someone was interested in it as a multi-use space, including hardware, lunch counter and gift shop, this seems to be a different buyer who is reopening it as a hardware store; but time will tell.  We hope there will be gas pumps and whatever else they do with the store, we wish them well.

We have a new dry hydrant at the intersection of Bolton Road and Cabot Plains Road.  There has been one until about a year ago, but I believe the new. larger pond, will replace the small pond that was there.  There may have been two small ponds at one time, and I haven't been up to look at the place, so I don't know if the small ponds are still there or if they have been allowed to drain and there is only the small brook, like it was years ago.  We'll take a walk up there someday soon, now the weather has cooled off a bit.

I brought in my first tomato from the garden today.  I was rearranging the heavily laden vines to get them off the ground, and as usual, a few dropped off.  There is one nice red tomato on one of the plants, but I'm going to leave it for another few days.  One of the ones that dropped is very yellow, and may ripen off ok inside; and two others are very green, so will get used in stir-fry with some of my summer squash.  I didn't plant zucchini this year, but there will be plenty of summer squash from two plants.  My cucumbers are doing well, too.

Some of our neighbors near the pond have an infestation of insects that are defoliating their tomato plants and eating some of the fruit.  From the description, it sounds like they have hornworms.  So far, we haven't seen any here.  I'm keeping watch, though.

Don't forget the pig roast is tonight at the Joe's Pond pavilion.  I haven't heard if there are tickets left, but give Michelle Parker a call, 684-3358.