Everything's growing like crazy now. The pepper and tomato plants are loaded with fruit. Some of the peppers have gotten sunburnt because the leaves don't cover them. The hot weather during the past week has helped to ripen the tomatoes, so Aunt Laurie has a few to sell at the farm stand now.

The basil is growing well, partly thanks to mom's effort of squashing all the Japanese beetles. This would be a good time to make pesto! We've been watering lots, but some days leaves were drooping and wilting just from the temperature. On Sunday night a big storm gave us over 2 inches of rain; today there was lots of thunder and lightning, but barely 0.1" of rain.

The pumpkin patch is really taking over. It's impossible to walk down the rows, but as I walked along the edge, I did spot some small green pumpkins and winter squash under the leaves. The beans are also very nice and young. Here's dad picking some this evening. Aunt Christie has been doing most of the picking, but tonight she went with Aunt Laurie to the Edgecome Apartments in Monaca. They take orders and then on Tuesday evening make deliveries to the old folks there. Many of them used to come out to the farm stand, but don't drive anymore.Last night we had quite a crowd over for a church picnic with six visitors from Brazil who are members of our sister church there. The Brazilians were very impressed with the sweet corn; they said the corn at home is very hard and not sweet. I thought the same thing when I was down there, but ate it anyway to be polite. We don't have time to plan a big party like this, but we do have good neighbors and friends who helped out with food and setting up.