After several years it made a few pears but the animals would get them before I could pick them. This year was different as I was able to pick some thirty five or so that did not have bad spots on them. I guess good things do happen to those who wait long enough. The pears made me think of a large pear tree in the side yard of a home I had to walk past to get to school. This was a huge tree and would be loaded with pears every year. The problem was the lady who lived there did not want anyone picking her pears. She would even raise Cain if you picked one off the ground. These however were the biggest, sweetest pears I have ever seen and I could not pass them up. We had no lunch program at school so I ended up passing that tree four times every day. I would get at least one pear every day, sometimes two and on a really good day I would get three or four.  These pears are not as good as those I remember. They are not as big or as juicy - but maybe next year. I will pay more attention to the spraying next year and maybe I will get some bigger ones. Hope springs eternal or so they say. The same can be said about our Parish. Hope springs eternal but it takes effort on our part to make it happen.

Herb