After months of anticipation, I have finally tasted the first of my homegrown tomatoes! It started with just a couple each day (all of which I immediately ate) but by midweek, I was harvesting enough cherry tomatoes to make for a delicious pizza. Amazingly, my first tomato harvest wasn't even the high point of the week. I took a couple of much needed days off work, and with the opportunity to hike while avoiding weekend crowds, I met up with a friend to revisit the Dirty Harry's Balcony trail where Andy and I did trail work back in 2017. On a August weekend in a typical year, this hike would probably have felt entirely unremarkable, but this year is far from typical, allowing me to see the magic of the young forest. The fresh earthy scent of the trees energized me, and the soft bed of pine needles muted my steps as our small group climbed up the trail. I pointed out a few spots along the trail I remembered working on in 2017, excited to recognize them so easily. We took our time, hiking at an easy pace to save our breath for conversation, catching up on all that had changed in our lives since we'd last seen each other. It was a short outing, but also perfectly rejuvenating.

Sunday afternoon, Ashley and her family came over for a backyard tea as a belated birthday celebration for her. Years ago, I would regularly host tea parties for friends and over time I developed quite a collection of various tea services items, and it was astonishing to have a perfectly respectable afternoon tea for five come together so easily. Having fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs that I could harvest from my own backyard also made it feel extra special, and I was an absolute joy to get to share my first tea in my new home with such a dear friend. Even sitting at separate tables, each with our own separate trays of mini sandwiches and assorted fancies, it felt almost like a return to life pre-pandemic.