Thanks for asking about the weekend plans. I ended up going with the lake route instead of the mountains because the weather looked more stable on that side. The forecast showed scattered showers near the ridges, and I didn't want to deal with muddy trails. We rented a small cabin about a quarter mile from the water, nothing fancy but it had a decent porch and a fire pit. The drive took about three hours with moderate traffic, mostly highway until the last thirty minutes on back roads. I brought binoculars hoping to see some osprey or maybe a bald eagle, but the bird activity was pretty quiet this time. We did see a family of deer grazing near the tree line at dusk, which was worth the trip by itself. I packed simple meals because I didn't want to spend the whole time cooking, just sandwiches and fruit and some pre-made sides that traveled well. The water temperature was too cold for swimming, but we did some shoreline walking and found a few interesting rocks and shells. I would recommend going if you get a chance, just check the wind advisories first because the afternoon gusts picked up more than I expected.

I saw your note about the garden planning for next season. I think you are overthinking the soil amendment part a bit. The key is to get a sample tested first rather than just adding amendments blindly. I sent mine to the extension office last spring and it came back showing adequate phosphorus but low in potassium, so I adjusted accordingly and it made a noticeable difference. For tomatoes, I would recommend starting seeds indoors about six weeks before your last frost date rather than buying transplants, because you get a much wider variety to choose from. I tried that purple variety you mentioned last year and it did fine, though the yield was modest compared to the standard reds. The trellis system you asked about is just a simple string setup with clips, nothing elaborate, and it worked well for keeping the plants upright and improving air circulation. One thing I would caution is to avoid overwatering once the fruit starts setting, that is when blossom end rot becomes more likely if the moisture levels fluctuate too much. Let me know if you want me to send you the link to the seed catalog I used.