more train vacation

Here's quilting with a flair in their room, boats moored at the end of the journey, Bonnie and Chris at a falls, and a tunnel in an aquarium they visited. Pics by Joel

Empire Builder 1st class

Joel and Steph returned by air yesterday from their cross-continental rail journey to Oregon. The passenger trains west of Chicago are 2-story and they had the full works. Close to the Pacific coast they saw some forest which looks to me like Pacific northwest.

historic singing

Sunday afternoon two of my choirs, Table Singers and Foresingers, sang at the Historical Society's 50th anniversary event along the banks of the Millstream where it crosses Rte. 30. it was too hot to require costumes, but I did wear my hat. Carl Hess and David Sauder beside me. Dennis Kauffman almost hidden. Jessica and Sarah did deck out completely for the Foresingers set. But, below, the Table Singers just tried to be comfortable in 90 degrees. Photos by Edie Hess.

1950s salute includes my group

Yesterday the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society celebrated its 50th anniversary with an outside event. Both of my choirs, Foresingers and Table Singers, presented half-hour sets. Alongside the tent was a display of 1950s autos, including an Avanti which I had never seen. Avanti was the top-of-the-line Studebaker sports toy. You see what was so worldly about the world in that Cold War era. You can see why deciding to paint your bumpers black had some traction in those days.

office mail

I work half-time for Harmonies www.harmonies.org. Nearly every day some mail comes. Most of it looks commercial. This envelope which came last week reminded me that once upon a time stamps ruled. You just kept adding them until they added up to the required amount. It fostered mental arithmetic, something my father excelled at and liked in his one-room school close to today's Park City.

not my Lehmans

You gotta love a brother who sends you this email when the markets are scary and the mighty Lehman Bros. is looking for a buyer:

"There's Lehman Bros (as in Wall St.), and there is Lehman Brothers (as in the powerful Foundation)--and we know which group counts more in the Eternal scheme of things!--Milt"

The "powerful foundation" is our little philanthropic hobby, dealing in nickels and dimes. Thanks, brother.

corn harvest

Most of the corn around Monterey is still on the stalk and in the field. But harvest has begun around the edges of the fields. The first cuts are being made and bundled and tied and then picked up on wagons such as this one.

vortex and spider

The vortex is at the bottom left, where the web goes down into the hole of the hollow ladder rung. All this behind the barn. Specks and blur due to web between you and spider.

This spider could do something to bring civilization down .

Dorcas turns 60

That kind of achievement calls for special gifts. First the supper of crab-stuffed flounder, succotash (local, fresh), tiny, new potatoes (our garden), salad, and topped off with rose and white--sides of ham baked in crust and Italian meatballs over macaroni and cheese.

The gifts started at the table with the dutch oven, the red, high design, desk-top organizer, the orange hedgehog paper clip holder, massage gift card, hand-made jewelry and more. Then it was upstairs for the unveiling, literally, of the piece de resistance--the corner desk, with 3 drawers in front and 3 out the side, to say nothing of the little ones and locked compartment.

In Dutch we call it schnupp. Thanks to Joel, Steph, Sarah, and Ryan for all the fixin's and the special occasion. Photo right by Joel.