Where to start? The end of something is usually quite difficult to face, but somehow, I have learned over the years that the end of something is usually the beginning of something even more special. I feel an excited anticipation!

The Robson Valley Times is closing down with this issue and I feel very privileged to have been part of this wonderful local paper from the beginning. For the past five years, I have had to “get the column in” before the deadline each week. There were weeks that I didn’t feel inspired to do it or sat around wondering what I would write about next, but somehow, the words always flowed and something came out that I hoped would be helpful to local gardeners.

In the first column, I made it clear that I did not see myself as a garden “expert”. I was once told that the definition of expert was: “X is an unknown quantity and a spurt is a drip under pressure so an x-spurt is an unknown drip under pressure!”

I have used some columns to try to encourage you, the reader, to grow your own food, to buy as locally as possible or to use organic methods. I hope I did not come across as being too “preachy” but these are principles that I truly believe in. I encourage you to continue on growing as much as possible of your own healthy food to nourish your bodies and to grow some beautiful flowers and houseplants to nourish your soul.

I am so grateful to Andru and Rashmi for the opportunity to serve the Robson Valley community in this way and must say they and the rest of the “Times Team” have always been so much fun and so easy to work with. The paper did such a great job of being a true community newspaper with the connection to the past, the abundance of pictures of our children and life around the community. At no time did I ever feel that it was trying to be a “big city paper” delivering all the bad news about the accidents and misfortunes of people. I looked forward to each and every issue. I am sure I will miss this weekly little gem!

I wish Andru and Rashmi a more relaxed life with fewer deadlines and some “normal weekends”! They have put so much energy and truth into our Valley over the past five years and helped us celebrate this wonderful place each week with their great writing skills and superb photography. They took the bull by the horns and got the job done! What a couple!

I, too, look forward to fewer deadlines and more time to get after those pesky weeds but invite all of you faithful readers to continue to “Garden With Pete” at any time by dropping by or giving me a call to chat about gardening – my favourite subject!

May all your gardens flourish with life and may all who garden continue to grow!