When decorating our homes, we tend to consider things like beauty and comfort, the durability of pieces we might buy or the image they project. But how many of us stop to consider our energy bills?

Camellia lovers and growers meet on the second Monday of the month from October through May at the Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Napa. The public is always invited to enjoy the program, and a refreshment and social time that follows.

Dean Busquaert of Napa shows the tall corn he grew that took first place at the Elk Grove harvest festival. The stalk measured 258 inches, 9.5 feet.

“Dear Bill: An oak tree fell on our garage last night. The tree trimmer said it was crown rot.  I am very concerned about a couple more trees behind the house ...”

This time of year, as the weather starts to cool and we get a little more moisture in the air, we start to see some fungi in the garden. These might be mushrooms growing in the lawn or at the base of a tree, or conks growing out from the trunk. Other smaller fungi can produce white, black or orange spots, fuzzy material or residue on leaves. Still others make strange forms we might not recognize as fungi, such as puff balls, earth stars, galls or masses on branches or soil.

November, 1909 found Napa County residents busy with not only daily living but also beginning the preparations for the upcoming holiday season. The newspapers of the day were filled with stories about autumnal celebrations, among other things.