Gardening with Gratitude This September

Hundreds of thousands of forest acres are on fire. Everywhere else, our farms and fields and gardens are parched, and even many miles away from the firelines, dense smoke and ash are making it hard to breathe whenever we step outside.

If you love to work in your garden in the fall, if you feel invigorated by the crisp air, take a moment to send a silent prayer of thanks to the firefighters, first responders, and volunteers who risk so much to keep our homes, historic buildings, and public lands safe. Our air quality will improve in a matter of days, but our heartache for the blackened, burned-out lands will last much longer.