“The state soil of New York is named for the place where a man lost his finger to a rattlesnake. The finger lays quiet in the ground,” writes Aimee Nezhukumatathil. “The snake’s great-great-grandsnakes still chitter through this soil.”

Raindrops on roses and clusters of cherries,

There are 384 Little Leagues in Northern California, which is considered a state by the national Little League organization. Of those 384 leagues, 330 fielded 10- and-11-year-old All-Star teams this year. After several dozen divisional and sectional tournaments in which only one team advances to the next bracket, just six teams in Northern California are left in the hunt for a state crown.

There are new screens up on the tennis courts at the Boulder Creek Golf and Country Club, where tennis instructor Chris Bradley hopes to renew excitement about the sport in the San Lorenzo Valley.

’Tis the season! No, not that season, but the time to propagate and increase your number of plants. Maybe you want to save seed from your heirloom vegetables or start more shrubs inexpensively. How about getting more fruit trees, or even trying your hand at starting your own Christmas tree?

Both the San Lorenzo Valley 11-and-12-year-old All-Stars and the Scotts Valley 10-and-11-year-old All-Stars have made it into the finals of their respective tournaments.