“Thank you, kind sir. Nothing like an immediate change of plans, eh?”

“You know, you are not a change of plans, but family.” He went around the front of the truck, shaking his head as he climbed in. “You’d think I never washed this the way the bugs are sticking to the grill.”

“Aww, face it, that’s your way of decimating the blooming bug population. That’s one thing Wisconsin grows well, bugs.” She dug in the basket on her lap and handed him his licorice. “Hard to find the good stuff, other than at the Scandinavian store.”

“I just don’t understand how Ginny cannot like licorice.” He backed up the truck and waited to turn on to the street. “You need to stop anywhere?”

“Nope. Did you go over and help Jeff with his peapod?”

“I did. Still a lot of work to do on it, but he hopes to sail it this summer. Better be a long summer.”

She chuckled as he rolled his eyes. “How’s Sam doing with his end-of-school craziness?”

“Counting the days.”

“I have a project for him when he has time.”

“Has time?”

“I know, poor wording. When he can take time.”

“He promised Erica and the twins that they would hightail it up to the lake for a couple of days the first week off before beginning the summer madness.” Fred turned onto the road to their place.

“I thought summer was supposed to be relaxing in the sun with a good book, swimming, fishing, you know, those kinds of things.”

He snorted. “Right. Gardening, canning, freezing, landscaping, helping Grandma and Grandpa, playing ball, attending ball games.”

“And completing UFOs.”

“That too. I think we need to do a christening when that peapod is finished. Be a good reason to celebrate.”

“And Daryl’s kayak. You think he’ll ever use it?”

“Hard telling.”

Spook waited for them in the middle of the driveway, announcing their arrival.

“He figured he should go along but at least he doesn’t pack a grudge. Ginny is in the greenhouse, I ’spect.”

Spook greeted Amalia with his usual exuberance, sniffing at her basket, his doggy grin making her smile too.

“You crazy dog. You know I always have something for you.” She pulled out the paper-towel-wrapped doggy biscuits. “Ah-ah, you know the rules.” She held them until he parked his hindquarters in front of her, then she flipped him the first one. “Sorry, poor toss, but you got it.” As soon as he’d crunched that one, he sat down again, barely controlling the wriggling. He caught that one on a flying leap. “You are quite the athlete.” She headed for the greenhouse, stopping to admire the newly transplanted starts. “My word, Ginny,” she remarked from the entrance, “You have enough to provide for half the county.”

“I know. Would rather have too many than not enough.” Ginny beckoned Amalia into the richly fragranced, humid air. “Come see my latest babies.” She motioned to a flat of seedlings. “Got these seeds from a seed swap. I gave some of my crocosmia bulbs and got these. The swap is for seeds we harvest from our own plants. Always a gamble but fun.”