Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a two-part series on historical gardening.

With harvest time quickly approaching, the wine-making industry is abuzz with anticipation for the 2009 harvest.

If you missed your opportunity to visit Loch Lomond Reservoir this year, it’s not too late. The season will be extended at the lake, and its recreational area will remain open to public through Oct. 11.

Lydia DeVere Bird was born at 1:24 a.m. Aug. 17, 2009, to Megan DeVere (Christopher) and William Joseph Bird of Felton. She weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces at Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center.

The recent Santa Cruz County grand jury report, “Alcohol, a Drug of Choice for Scotts Valley Teens,” provides the proverbial good news-bad news picture. Well, perhaps OK news and bad news is a better summary.

In my two prior swine flu columns, I advised everyone to be prepared for the flu season by getting vaccinated when the vaccine is available. I also talked about being prepared to stay at home for the duration of one’s flu symptoms.

In my most recent column, I covered some of the reasons people hate lawyers. This month, I promised to find reasons why lawyers aren’t utterly useless. If you ask a lawyer, most will say that they are vital to achieving justice and preserving freedom for the weak and oppressed.

Editor’s note: This is the second installment in a three-part series addressing the H1N1 virus.