Peter's Summer

Last time you saw Peter back in May, he was looking like this:

 

Graduating from the university and attending a cousin's wedding.
On Tuesday he looked like this:

This summer Peter's been working on an organic off-grid farm in the mountains of Western North Carolina. He's loved it. He's always been a hard-working, happy, outdoorsy boy, so this job was a good fit for him. Plus, it was a wonderful contrast to the four years of rigorous academic life he's had.

Peter was an intern, and Tuesday was his last day. A couple own the farm. They live high on the hill in a somewhat make-shift dwelling because all their time, energies, and funds have gone into the farmwork since they moved there. They have a large garden in about 4 acres of level valley land, with various hired help especially on harvest days.

I was there for his last day, and we had a picnic.

 It was a casual affair in the shade of the side of a field with his friends and coworkers from the summer. They are sweet, kind people who work incredibly hard.
They have gorgeous -- I mean gorgeous -- produce!

Clusters of tomatoes that look like grapes! Beautiful long beds!

Peter worked very hard in the heat putting in this trellising and weeding, and weeding, and weeding.
He showed me his summer digs. He was kinda roughing it. Good thing he went to camp in the mountains all those years, because it was a bit like that, except without the dining hall.

Peter's sleeping quarters. He hung his hammock in there for the summer.

 Beautiful mountains! We walked down this path to see the greenhouse and chickens.

 Being off-grid, the farm had no electrical hook-up and relied only on generators.
Peter's only access to electricity was in the greenhouse, where he charged his cell phone.
Here he stands in front of his little kitchen building.

 A local boy with minor disabilities is having his therapy on the farm this summer, and he and Peter became buddies. Peter is good with kids.

A very large sycamore tree near Peter's cabin gives shade to the chairs beneath. That's a bee-swarm catching box up in that tree.

I could only stay about four hours with him, and it was hard to leave. I helped sort and bundle some carrots and onions, and ate lunch with them before heading to Chattanooga. I may see Peter on my return trip through Western North Carolina if I have time and if my travel allows it. It was so wonderful to see him -- I miss my boy so much!!!