I just got home from an errand and opened the sliding glass door to the
patio to cool off the house (75 deg. inside, 71 outside) only to see SIX
raccoons in or around the grape vine on the overhead trellis. The ones
on the ground scampered all of about 6 feet away, waiting for me to
leave so they could continue to eat the grapes, still green but very
plentiful this year.

I had hoped to make grape juice this year but they always beat me to it,
about a week before the grapes begin to show any sign of ripening. The
raccoons live in our storm sewers and have become way too aggressive
over the years.

Made a second batch of zucchini bread today for the freezer. The garden
is very marginal this year. The flowers are doing very well, as are
the weeds, due to all the rain. Moderate temperatures have been very
comfortable, but they don't do much for the tomatoes.

gloria p