Met and talked with a grower at a farmer’s market a few weeks ago and we got onto the topic of peach trees. There is this little, but prodigiously productive, peach tree we have. Last year it presented so many beautiful, absolutely delicious white peaches that just about everyone we came in contact with got peaches. Not just a few either!

So this grower tells us that the stink bugs have attacked his trees. And they have attacked the wonderful little peach tree we have too. (NOTE: Wish we had known that Andy Strube’s traps worked outside in trees.) Here is what this year’s crop is looking like:

 Those “flippin'” stink bugs have decimated any hopes of a reincarnation of last year’s weeks of peach smoothies, peaches with oatmeal, peach daiquiri’s, peach “give-aways” and just about anything else peachy. Little bastards!!!

On the much brighter side, however, these bad boys are coming in with a vengeance. Last year, Sarah at the Market House presented us with one of these heirloom  variety monsters. So tasty was it, that we decided to plant some this year. This puppy’s going to be a multi-pounder; it’s already softball-sized.

Saw this along the road; can anyone identify it?

And we took this picture some days (maybe weeks) ago; wonder how a “premiere” landlord who is attracting a “high-end antiques shop” also has properties with broken out windows.

Where is the concern for public safety? Where is the respect for historic architecture and community? Where is the dignity shown citizens and visitors? Where is the pride?