Less laundry, more butter: Adjusting to the empty nest...

Maddox was born on Monday, August 26th to Noelle and Brock!  Congratulations!

Dominic was born on Tuesday, August 27th to my niece Erin and Dustin. Dom ended up with pneumonia and had to spend several days under the oxygen tent, but it sounds like he'll go home tomorrow. Congratulations!

Dan is always wondering how the cats are doing. They love to give the impression they are grossly underfed.

Dan sends pictures from college to make us jealous. One day he sent a picture of his walk to class which featured the beautiful quad and mountains in the background. Another day he sent a picture of a baby bear hanging out in a tree in downtown Boulder. So I try to counter with pictures of things that will make Dan jealous like these beautiful and tasty homegrown tomatoes.

A farmer out standing in his organic field.

Sunset on road 600 North next to the organic 80.

Empty nester tending to the wine cabinet.

Empty nester trying to figure out what to do with all those tomatoes.

Salmon sushi

My YELP app directed us to this spot in NW Illinois for a little swill and sustenance.  No, we didn't ride a motorcycle here...nor did we get tattoos.

Is this a hummingbird or a moth?  Whatever it is, I feel like a skilled cell phone photographer snapping this pic!

The mighty Mississippi with Iowa in the background.

Goodbye Illinois, Hello Colorado!

Tom took this picture the night before Dan's departure to start school at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  I think Dan is ready for this new chapter of his life...and so is his dad, "I've been raisin' kids for 36 years!"  His mother, however, is a different story. Wow!

Good ole Joel snapped some pics of the move.

Worldly possessions.

Karen, Joel, and Dan will be studying on campus for the next few years. I told them they should occasionally meet in the middle of campus to hold hands and sing Kum Bye Yah.

Dan's room is in the basement level. No AC so maybe the lower level will be cooler.  His roommate arrives tomorrow and is from Colorado.

Movers and shakers

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my gal pals and I went kayaking today after work. I needed to have something to do to take my mind of the activities unfolding in Boulder. It was a lot of fun!  We saw lots of blue herons. And, of course, we're all quite proficient kayakers! ;)

Haddow, tell 'em to play South Rampart!

Aunt Grace, 89, passed away last week.  Dad and Mom picked me up at the Newburgh airport and Dad drove us to Long Island for the visitation and funeral.  This is Aunt Grace & Uncle Indian in 1993.

My parents and these two loved to hear live jazz. AGrace would always tell my dad (using his middle name) to have the band play South Rampart Street Parade.

Mom, Dad, O'Brian, and Betty Ann

1985 Elwood Reunion 
1st row: Kerriann, Tom, Diane, Darrin
2nd row: Sharon, Ken 
3rd row: Charlie, Clarie, Grandma, Dave, Cora
4th row: Karen, Arnold, Mark & Frances, George, Grace
5th row: Kathy, Jean, Irene, O'Brian
Top: Joe, Pepper, Andy

Cousins: Kerriann, Jenifer, Justin (Chris's son), and Chris

Mom, Edward, and girlfriend Jackie

Erik and Barb

Jim, Carol, and Barb

At this Roscoe gas station you will not only find octogenarians who pump gas, but t-shirts for sale that say "Stay Calm and Get Wasted."

Here is my commuter jet in Newburgh

Meanwhile, back at the farm we had a college send-off party for the boys and their parents.  Tom, Kyle, and Dan made this high table out of seed pallets. The dads loved it.

Giant cookie cake by Ann:  Best wishes for your college success. Don't forget to call your moms (or teach her how to snap chat)!

Tom Terrific grilling the meat!

The pond rope swing never disappoints!  Good luck boys!!

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.