Book

I just finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society last night. It's not the type of book I generally read, but I enjoyed it, and I would go so far as to call it delightful. It is part travelogue (Guernsey,Channel Islands), some history (WWII, post WWII), some humor, some suspense, and a little romance (will it be Sidney, Markham, or Dawsey?).
I would recommend it.

An exerpt:
Over supper, we discussed Jonathan Swift, pigs, and the trials in Nuremberg. Doesn't that reveal a breathtaking range of interests? I think it does. We talked easily enough, but neither of us ate much - even though he made a delicious sorrel soup (much better that I could). After coffee, we strolled down to his barn for a pig viewing. Grown pigs don't improve upon acquaintance, but piglets are a different matter - - Dawsey's are spotted and frisky and sly. . . .
Dawsey's barn is exceedingly clean. He also stacks his hay beautifully.
I believe I am becoming pathetic.

Young Harmony

I love music with good harmony. There is a sibling trio from Bradon, Mississippi, ages 11, 13, and 14, that have a good start making beautiful harmony together. They call themselves Dave's Highway. They have a number of videos on YouTube and are growing in popularity. I hope that they will put out a CD soon.
Also, there is a group of young girls from Texas called the Cactus Cuties that do a nice job of harmonizing. Check out their videos.
Both groups do a mix of religious, patriotic, and some secular music.

Son #1 spent the weekend in Remington at the big Men's Sing. They recorded Christmas music for a CD that will be out sometime in November.

The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
Isaiah 14:7

Happenings

We spent a week in the Ozarks with family. It rained several of the days, but our last day there was as beautiful as it gets. I celebrated by swimming in the lake, indoor pool, and the outdoor pool. As I get older, I think I am perfecting the art of relaxation (laziness) on vacation. I slept late, ate a lot, and napped a lot. I read the book Alive, the true story of the Uraguayan rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes Mountains in 1972 and were stranded for ten weeks. It is a classic survival story with an interesting twist.

This past weekend, Son #2 moved down to Champaign to attend the great U of I. We went down for church and the new student picnic.

Today, Daughter #2 started her college at ICC. I threatened to have her pose for a picture by her car before she left, like she did in front of the school bus when she started kindergarten. She wasn't to keen on that idea.

We pray that they will seek the wisdom of God while being educated by man.

We are still experiencing mild temperatures and plenty of rain - - somewhat abnormal for August. Everything still looks lush around here. The lawn mowers are kept busy. Because of the late spring, harvest is still a long ways off.

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6

Organic Food

Ran across this news article recently. My sentiments exactly. But I'm not biased :)

LONDON (Reuters) - Organic food has no nutritional or health benefits over ordinary food, according to a major study published Wednesday.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said consumers were paying higher prices for organic food because of its perceived health benefits, creating a global organic market worth an estimated $48 billion in 2007.
A systematic review of 162 scientific papers published in the scientific literature over the last 50 years, however, found there was no significant difference.
"A small number of differences in nutrient content were found to exist between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs, but these are unlikely to be of any public health relevance," said Alan Dangour, one of the report's authors.
"Our review indicates that there is currently no evidence to support the selection of organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority."
The results of research, which was commissioned by the British government's Food Standards Agency, were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Sales of organic food have fallen in some markets, including Britain, as recession has led consumers to cut back on purchases.
The Soil Association said in April that growth in sales of organic products in Britain slowed to just 1.7 percent in 2008, well below the average annual growth rate of 26 percent over the last decade, following a plunge in demand at the end of the year.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Simon Jessop)

Vicki

When I joined the church young group during my repentance and conversion, one of the greatest assets were the "older" single Sisters in the group. They were the foundation and pillars of the young group. Looking back, they weren't really very old - they were just older than me. Since the young group was 1/3 of the church at the time, these Sisters were also great assets (and still are) to the church as a whole. They were good examples and mentors, and they lent stability, experience and wisdom to the group. About eight or nine names come to my mind. I still appreciate the important roll these faithful Sisters played in my life.

Vicki was one of those Sisters. I actually met Vicki first when she helped organize get-togethers for all singles (friends and members) that lived in the Washington area even before there was a church. Vicki was fun, had a great sense of humor, a great cook, very hospitable, an organizer, and content in her singleness. We enjoyed many young group trips together. She was unpretentious, a person you felt very comfortable with. She was a Martha and Mary combined. A mother hen, she took many under her wing.
A highlight of each year was caroling for her VNA patients each December, then going back to her house for a big meal.
I haven't spent much time with her over the last twenty-five years, but I still have a great respect for her.

Today, I was asked to sing for her funeral. An Honor.

I know heaven will be a beautiful place, but it can't help but be a little more beautiful now that Vicki is there.

But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
I Corinthians 7:32-34

Corn Canyon

I love driving down narrow country roads at night, in the summer, when there is corn growing on both sides. With my brights on. The corn looks taller, more uniform, and closer to the road than in the day. It's like being in a corn canyon. Or crossing the parted Red Sea.
A simple pleasure to the old farmer.

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Exodus 14:22

NC

We enjoyed our stay in the North Carolina mountains. The weather was pleasant. We spent time on Mt. Pisgah, Mt. Mitchell (the highest point east of the Mississippi River), and Grandfather Mountain with its mile high swinging bridge. We climbed to the top(some of us) of Chimney Rock and hiked to the waterfalls where part of The Last of the Mohicans was filmed. We spent several days driving the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. We spent a fun day whitewater rafting on the French Broad River with a group of National Guardsmen who were in the area for a N.G. convention. We hiked the grounds, gardens, and toured George Vanderbilt's summer home, Biltmore. I think it is the largest private residence in America. We also walked through the lobby of the Grove Park Inn. And we shopped at Mast General Store, an old-time general store started in 1883 that carried everything from cradles to caskets. I'll post a few pictures to give a general idea of what we did. The old farmer would like to go back some day.

As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

Numbers 24:6