I finally started reading that novel you mentioned last month. The opening chapter is a bit slow, but once the protagonist moves to the coastal town, the writing really picks up. The descriptions of the old lighthouse and the storms are so vivid. I'm about halfway through now, and there's a mystery involving letters found in a wall. I think I know who the secret correspondent is, but the author is doing a good job of planting red herrings. It's been a while since I got absorbed in a fiction book. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll lend you my copy when I'm done.

Hey, just a quick update on the garden project. The tomatoes are finally starting to ripen, and the basil is taking over the entire herb bed. I spent most of Sunday morning weeding and setting up a few more stakes for the cucumbers. The trellis I built last spring is holding up well. I think we'll have enough zucchini to share with the neighbors soon. Let me know if you want some fresh herbs. The mint went completely wild this year, so I'll definitely have plenty of that to go around. Anyway, that's all from the backyard for now.