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While Out Walking

While Out Walking

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By Pegg & Bill Knapp ~

It is hard to believe that James, our neighbor and friend, is gone.  Our favorite memories are of running into him while out walking and having incredibly great conversations that often lasted longer than the walk. James was so knowledgeable, so full of interesting ideas, often with a biting dry wit, and an excellent sounding board. His interests were wide and varied: tomatoes (he was such an avid grower), water conservation, solar power, Port wine, politics, and the beautiful Mokelumne River that flows past our homes.  Even in failing health, he continued to work on his grape vines every day that he could manage to walk.  As we pass by the vineyard, we can still feel James out there working and getting the sun that he loved.

We shall miss James.

 

The Garden

The Garden

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By Steve Morse ~ One of my remembrances on this early and warm September day…

I still remember James visiting my garden one Saturday in August maybe 15 plus years ago. The occasion was when I invited my Regional Board Division (many had worked on projects with James) to a backyard BBQ here in Martinez… Ravi was the BBQ master… I don’t think Carole came, but somewhere I seem to remember a teen-age niece. It was late summer and one of my better tomato years… I think even James was impressed… not knowing that was what was in my backyard garden… times do change though and no more tomatoes this year as I didn’t prune my trees back enough to get enough sunlight into my now much smaller garden… if he knew, I’m sure James would not let me forget for next year…

Editor’s comment by Carole: Despite his declining health, James grew his best tomato garden ever this year. When I brought him home from the hospital the Saturday before he died, he asked to have tomatoes with dinner that night.  They were delicious!