Summer of 2009 was a horrible gardening experience. The nights were too cool for growing and the deer were too hungry to leave anything alone. I do not usually mind the deer eating an occasional rose hip, but this year they were ravenous. Two orphan fawns ate the tops of our tomato plants, even the tops of hot pepper plants. I believe we ate two tomatoes and about twenty hot peppers. The five hundred pumpkin buds, turned into exactly one pumpkin, which then was eaten by a virus.

Summer of 2008 was a wonderful growing year and, since my mother lives in a Senior's apartment, I decided to take my extra vegetables and put them on the table where stores leave extra bread. First, I wanted to take the box up so she could have her pick. I believe two women were sitting at the table when I went up and about five were waiting for me when I came out of her apartment. From then on, the alert was out when they saw me parking my car from their window. I felt like Santa Clause and it felt good.

Many seniors are used to gardening and really miss the fresh produce as they are living in an apartment, without even a balcony. Money is another issue and they may not be eating as well as they should. If everyone could plant one extra plant and take the excess produce to a senior citizen or someone else who is in need, it would really help.