Daughter C is leaving tomrorrow

While I was doing other things, Daughter C was preparing to leave.

I tried really hard to convince her to stay until tomorrow.

One more day.

We planned on 50

including this one.

By my head count, there were 47 1/2. (Olive eats a lot but she just doesn't put it down the way the guys do.) 

I made a couple of things this morning.

Brandied fruit

Beer potato salad

By about 3pm were ready.

Daughter C had made menus.

We weren't quite sure about the weather, so the guys moved the grills up to the porch.

Meanwhile, we put on the finishing touches.

And iced down the beverages.

People started showing up.

And then my camera ran out of battery.

BUT! Everybody & his brother were taking photos. So if you just go look on the WorldWideWeb, I'm sure you will find a photo of yourself (haha) at the Farm.

Unless, of course, you were not here.

Today's the Day!

You should see how clear the sky is right now! I'm taking that as a sign from God.

But just to be on the safe side-- 

because a healthy dose of skepticism is always warranted when dealing with the philosophical-- 

I think we'll serve inside.

(See now why I wanted to wear that cite little yellow dress?)

Cross your fingers for us that we're not hit with what "they" are forecasting for later this afternoon. 

And now... off to

• take the wild duck, wild goose gumbo out of the freezer
• take the North Carolina BBQ                  "      "   "      "
• "        "      cobblers                                         "       "   "     "
• make blackeyed pea hummus
• "          curry dip
• "          broccoli salad II
• "          beer potato salad
• "          brandied fruit

 and hopefully find some time to put fresh flowers on the tables and so forth.

Nothing like a HoooHaaa is there?

(Big Life!)

We are okay!

Thanks for asking!

We may need to do some readjusting

I, for one, am going to readjust what I'd planned to wear the next few days.

At times like these, it's important to consider footwear. 

Let's imagine a blustery day in late April. The tornado sirens sound. You and 30-50 others are in a lecture hall at That School Up North. You must quickly and calmly gather your belongings and move to the first floor of the building. You do not want to be slip sliding down those marble steps in cutesy shiny soled sandals. 

I was really hoping to wear that new little yellow dress today. Ain't gonna happen. 

What's coming up

That's Jesse, out on the boat.

See them?

We had company this weekend. (That's Daughter C spreading straw in the background; Brian worked.)

People worked.

See?

And were rewarded.

See?

This photo surprised me! I had forgotten that Mr. Bow Tie had taken my camera.

See?

This is A Leland's bean-corn-melon-squash garden. Some beans are coming up.

Anyway-- there are 30-50 philosophers about to descend on the Farm. 

I wonder if the economical thing to do is buy a carton of cigs? 

Nothing like a smoke in the fresh air, is there?

I'm thinking Marboro Lights?

Will Wonders Never Cease?!

So we went to a lecture at State this afternoon.

And by "we" I mean all of the usual suspects. 

It was a great lecture!

Mr. Big Food introduced Professor Prinz 

to a standing room only crowd.

Here I must interject logistical detail. Referring to the seating chart (above) you will note that the front row has three seats. I occupied the left-most (as it appears in the photo), figuring that at the Conclusion of his Introduction Mr. Big Food would jump off the stage and occupy the empty seat to my left (right in the photo). 

My figuring was thwarted by these two lovely young women-- who paid close attention throughout the lecture but who came in rather late and proceeded to occupy the two seats to my left leaving Mr. Big Food with no place to sit!

So. Under the radar, I snagged a crappy old chair chair for Mr. Big Food, positioned it properly as a 4th, and at the Conclusion of his Introduction, asked the two young women to slide down. Worked wonderfully. Except I lost my primo photo snapping space. 

As you an clearly see.

It was a good talk!

There was reference to Hume. 

There was a slide of a brain. 

There was some talk of religion and art. That was fun. 

And then there were some questions and a bit of discussion. It was a good talk. Oh! And there were photos of babies and monkeys and apes!!

Who doesn't love babies? and monkeys and apes?

I went outside. Met up with A. Leland. We watched the toddlers as we finished our cigarettes. We figured they couldn't have been walking for more than a month. 

Will wonders never cease?

Some times I wonder...

From The Book of Knowledge: The Children's Encyclopedia

In case you were wondering, if soldiers didn't break step while crossing a bridge, the vibration of the rhythmic step and swing of the arms might put too much stress on various parts of the bridge. 

The Book of Knowledge: The Children's Encyclopedia. E.V. McLoughlin, ed. The Grolier Society Inc., New York. 1954.

It's bloomin' thyme!

Wonderful, don't you think?