Speed vacationing

It won't be long before our son heads off to college!

Look carefully and you'll see a bicycle rack on the front of Tom's tractor.  This way he can leave the outfit at the field and ride home on his bike.  The organic crop inspector was very impressed, as was his wife.

Not all our farms are organic though, hence the crop duster.

At a place where your next door neighbor is nearly 2 miles away and you can count on one hand how many cars pass your house in a day, you can see the excitement a crop dusting can bring to a farm girl.

Meanwhile back on the organic 80 farm Tom has tried to convince us that walking beans for cocklebur is more like leisure than paddling a tandem kayak down the Delaware River in upstate NY.

Dan advocated for an abbreviated family vacation this summer.  This, after our 10 day family trip to the west coast over Christmas.  

Dan is helping his dad go fashion forward with some cool black-n-blue socks to match his shirt and shoes.

Dan assigned me 102% on our family vacation. It was a lot of fun and only 24 hours long!







This next paragraph is about my grandfather from the 50 year ago column in this week's Hancock Herald.
The Village and Town of Hancock as well as the surrounding areas, lost a leading citizen on Saturday afternoon, July 20, 1963. Death claimed the life of Vincent N. Elwood. A resident of East Main Street, a lawyer for over 50 years and a prominent member of the Republican Party. Failing in health, the well known and highly respected attorney was at his desk in the office of Elwood & Elwood, until the past few weeks. Funeral services were held at the Emory United Methodist Church were he had been a faithful member for many years. He was 79 years old.

Summer travels

Here we are at the Pedaling for Kicks bike ride: me, Dan, and Uncle Dennie. Dan is clearly distraught from all of the spandex-clad people he had to endure throughout the day (mother included).

Our prolific apricot tree resulted in preserves (by Tom) and enhanced cocktails.

Dan and I drove to CU/Boulder for freshmen and parent orientation. Dan had no use for Nebraska until he got to eastern Colorado and discovered there were exits that led to nowhere.

I mostly wept through orientation hoping no one would notice. Such a sap.

This is the view from the quad.  Please.

After Colorado it was off to NY for my college reunion.  I gave Noelle a ride to Niagara Falls area for a baby shower with her family. Tom was originally scheduled to go with us but had to stay home an extra day to cultivate beans. It was really fun to see her stomping grounds and spend some time with her family.

After collecting Tom at the Rochester airport we headed off through the Finger Lakes to Cortland stopping at a distillery and this winery along the way.

We noticed this request in the midst of wine country.

There were 6 Cortland grads plus Tom Terrific and Joe (who took the pic) from "the gang." We picked up visiting as if we'd just graduated yesterday. Reunions rock.

Tom and I went to Wegman's grocery to pick up picnic supplies for our mini family reunion in Hancock. I'm on the phone with my mom because according to her, you can't have a true Wegman's experience unless you call someone while you're there.

Grandparents with Kylie, Teri, Kelly, and Blake

 Outlaws Tom and Carolyn took turns taking these 2 pictures.

 Blake has her driving permit.

Kelly

Chas, Barb, Mom, Dad, and Tom

Charles, Barbara, and Thomas in 1965.

The former Guild residence, Walton, NY

Dan stayed home from NY to paint our quanset shed and walk beans on the organic 80.  He wasn't always impressed with the set up, especially for prepping and painting the top - a wobbly cart with a board atop 2 ladders with the usual IL wind.

Don't complain...because

Don't complain because half the people don't care and the other half are glad it happened to you.

There is never a good time to encounter a snake.

Dan is mowing ditches now.

They realized that, for the sake of peace and harmony in the home, the manure spreader should be moved out of the front yard.

Tom had a power meeting in Amish Country so I took along my trusty bike and made a 30 mile tour of Douglas County. This Amish bike shop had only sky lights.

I saw so many Amish sights but was too nervous to take pictures. You can see the Amish buggies at the foot of the wind mill.

I took this picture of a horse and buggy while riding my bike.  I think this was an illegal activity but it was too good to pass up.

After dinner crop tour on Jim's 80.  The beans look pretty good!

Wild purple cone flowers.

A curious bunch.

Dan joined Dennie and I on the 25 mile Pedaling for Kicks bike ride this weekend.

I made a LC pie from our cherry tree.  Tom gently insisted on a lattice top so I slapped something together for him.