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Sigh. . .Spring always shows so much promise.  A deer ate the new 
growth on my Ashmead's Kernal.  I went away for a week just before the 
Crandall currants came in.  I carefully netted the row, but chipmunks 
dig under nets.  At any rate, I came back to find almost no fruits 
left, and some dark spots on my steps.  Those bushes were LOADED with 
fruit - honestly, I thought there was enough for all of us.  The 
tomatoes are so far behind that I'm not sure I'll get anything due to 
the cold spring.  Ditto the raspberries.  This year for the first time 
I cut down all the old canes in the fall, since squirrels harvesting 
the summer crop damaged the new canes so badly last year.  The Myers 
lemon always looses leaves in the spring until I can take it outdoors, 
but this year it didn't grow many back - probably because of the cold 
wet weather.  It's looking really shabby, and dropped its crop.

The cats in the yard did wonders - I did harvest a huge crop of red 
currants, along with a few blueberries and my very first ripe 
strawberries.  Unfortunately, one was killed by something (probably a 
car).  We have a new pair of kittens, but they haven't shown any 
interest in going outside, so they may end up as indoor cats.  (The one 
who was killed begged to go out from the day we got him, and was hard 
to get inside even when we promised him supper.)  On the other hand, 
the remaining outdoor cat has killed quite a lot of chipmunks since I 
took down the birdfeeder.  (Up 'til then she preferred birds, and will 
still chase flies and such in preference to rodents.)

On the plus side, the new apricot tree is growing like gangbusters.  My 
only fear is that it won't stop in time to harden off before the 
winter.  It is still covered with unfurling baby leaves.  It is a copy 
of the one I gave a friend last year - his flowered this year and I was 
so jealous that I bought one for myself.  He actually got three fruits, 
which he tells me were superb.  (A Puget Gold growing in a tiny plot in 
Cambridge, MA.)    Also on the plus side (although totally off topic) 
the volunteer seedlings from last year's "supetunia" patented petunias 
look terrific.  They are very nearly as good as the original plants.   
I really ought to gather the seed and start it indoors.  (Although the 
seeds are very small, so this might be hard.)  There's a project for 
someone in the seed savers exchange here, if they are interested in 
ornamentals as well as foods.

Ever hopeful, and looking forward to the annual meeting,
Ginda
eastern Mass., zone 6