Fearless Faith

The summer garden is winding down. Vibrant colors still abound, but they are distinctly more mature, bringing a different view of beauty into the fold. Deep yellows and golds permeate the garden as dusky sage and durable sedum provide a muted backdrop. Fall berries adorn many of the perennial shrubs, drawing late summer birds fueling for migration. And, while bumble bees are still making the rounds, they are fewer in number though welcome pollinators nonetheless.

Garden wise, it has been a good year, relatively speaking. Moisture arrived at critical moments for many crops, although hail and da...