They're ripe when they give a little to your touch. Eat them fresh, dry them, make preserves. They're wonderful poached in wine or juice, or fresh with a sweet cheese.

As for the pond, you probably need a new liner rather than cement. I had a cement pond and it leaked like crazy. There are several good pond stores in the area which could advise you, but I have no idea which one is closest to Happy Valley.

And as for arborvitae, oy, such a plant. I have an arborvitae hedge and you will always have those holes. It's the way they grow. My advice would be take them out and plant something else! But that's me, I don't really care for them.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor