311 Bike Miles in May

I finally managed to average 10 miles a day for an entire month! What I didn't do was get to 1000 in May. I'm sitting at 979 and I have a wedding reception that takes up the rest of THIS day.

The Deverry Novels Are Coming To An End

The Shadow Isle, the next to last of this series of novels, was just published. The last, The Silver Mage, will probably be published early next year. I have been reading then over the 20 years they have been published. I read the first set so long ago that I remember almost nothing of them. This would be the forth set and it is probably the best of the lot. I was astonished! Try them if you can stomach Celtic fantasy novels.

Hundred Acre Woods

In dealing with lawyer crap, I had to find the number of acres of woods on the farm. The answer astonished me: 100.4 acres. My thoughts went immediately to Winnie the Pooh. Our woods spread across 4 sites of from 2 to 56 acres. Still it equals the Hundred Acre Woods!

Farming Equipment Keeps Getting Bigger!

Cousin Mike's new planter. It is 42 feet wide. With both markers unfolded (they are folded over the top of the planter), the wingspan is 82 feet. OY!

Emma Very First Birthday Cake

Giraffes are in!

Cistern Sinkhole

This cistern was part of the sheep barn that someone set fire 30 years ago. It is brick lined and water from the roof was collected here to provide a water source for the barn. The top of it collapsed leaving this 6 foot diameter hole in the ground. My cousin and I spent most of the afternoon filling it with rocks. Even with a backhoe, it was more work than I wanted to do on a Sunday afternoon!

"Looks like you've been sorting tomcats!"

Geraldine was walking in the parking lot near her house and a car backed out (thankfully slowly) knocking her down. The only damage done was two black eyes and a knot on her forehead. Astonishing given she is 95! When my brother-in-law saw her last night, the words in the title was the first thing he said. And we all laughed, even Geraldine.

Tori's Half Marathon Finish

Did Corey ever catch this perfectly! Good job, Tori! Thanks to everyone who supported Tori so well.

Women's After Friday Society

Left: Ailene Davidson, top center: Dot Hunter, right: Jody Goodyear, and bottom center: my mother. They played on Friday nights and husbands were not included! Thanks, Tori, for finding this piece of history in the basement.

May Flowers

Left to right: Ohio spiderwort, dame's rockets, brambles

Good Old Burke and Herbert Bank

For those of you who missed the story, a descendant of Robert E. Lee went searching for his great grand aunt Mary Lee's missing trunks. Mary was the oldest daughter of Robert E. and was famous for her travels. Burke and Herbert bank was THE bank for the Lee family among others. At their Alexandria, Virginia office the bank officials searched the 'silver room' where things too large for a safety deposit box were kept. And there they found Mary's missing trunks. They had been there for 80 years since Mary's death. They were a treasure trove of Robert E. Lee letters and documents. The article is in one of the recent New Yorker issues.

Burke and Herbert is still in the bank business and they emphasize their old fashioned values and service. And well they should!

The End of Oil...

is apparently coming more quickly than even the pessimistic folks think. In just 6 years both Mexico and Russia will not be exporting ANY oil. So enjoy our abundance now, even at $127 a barrel. Think $200 and then $400 a barrel. It will be UGLY.

The question is how much pain will be involved in getting there?

That is my load of cheer for the morning.

Saturday Night in London, Ohio

This one is for BG... enjoy!

Sark and Plum Elevator

This was my grandfather's elevator in Lilly Chapel, Ohio in 1959. The rows of small grain bins behind the elevator were government owned and held surplus grain that was meant to act as a buffer when we had a poor harvest. There is no surplus these days and it has been nearly 20 years since there was a poor harvest. The only thing certain is that one day we will have one. It seems there is no surplus of any commodity these days... sigh!

Clifton Gorge in Spring

Virginia Piedmont in Spring

Virginia Bluebell