“You know me,” said Jessel Miller, “I’m always ready to try something new.”

Several Napa cities have made great strides over the past five or six years as homeowners embrace the concepts of defensible space around their houses.

We organizers see collections of all kinds, and sometimes clients end up with an overwhelming collection of living creatures. It’s not hard to see why. Children beg for dogs, cats, parakeets and komodo dragons. Cats have a litter of kittens just before their neutering appointment with the veterinarian. Or we collect strays, thinking we can give them the home they need. Sometimes it’s a wonderful thing and all beings thrive. But sometimes even a single goldfish is one pet too many.

I grew up in potato country — not Idaho, but south central Colorado, where the farmers grow mainly potatoes and barley. So we ate potatoes at least once a day. But I had never eaten fresh, organic, home-grown potatoes until I started growing them a few years ago. What a treat!