Summer

There have been no entries since early June because Summer is so busy. Gardening, Visitors, Cabin Rentals all take attention - satisfying attention - but attention never-the-less. Being busy is a good thing, but sometimes it takes an effort to retain a sense of being present in the moment I'm in and not frittering my life away projecting myself into the next one.

The summer has been Cold and Wet. The garden is growing well except for those things that like it hot - like eggplant, which is spending the summer as a stymied yellow thing not going anywhere at all. The garden is bigger and better than ever. Having the chickens as part of the gardening experience makes the whole area seem more dynamic and interesting. The garden/chicken complex seems very nuturing with eggs, chicken to eat, and vegetables galore. The chickens wait impatiently for me to let them out every morning. I feel guilty if I linger in bed past 6am. As soon as I open the doors of their coops they burst forth and test their wings and search the grass for any tasty bugs and worms. They graze on the grass and clover and then turn their attention to the chicken feed. I refer to them affectionately as 'my girls'. It feels a little sexist and anthropocentric and I feel a little guilty, but I do it anyway. No one has called me on it yet. People mostly just smile indulgently.

The family all seems good. Jenna and Maria are doing a lot of traveling and are right now in Guatemala visiting a friend from College who lives there and just had a baby. They visited us over the Memorial Day weekend. Mark is very busy at his new job as CFO of a Charter School group in Chicago and not traveling this summer except for his job. Jenna and Maria will be in Paradox on July 18th for the Family Reunion.

Micah and the kids are coming East for the week of July 18th for our family reunion. Juan and Miguel and Natalia are going to visit Juan's family in Spain where they will be joined by Micah, Esther, and Samson after they make a little tour of Western Europe when they leave Paradox. It'll be a Summer to remember for the grandchildren. Samson is busy making his music which can be listened to at: http://www.myspace.com/childofthesunmusic . Esther has been in her second theatrical production this summer and is enjoying acting very much.

Tovah, at two and a half, has started her new day care school in Northampton. She seems to be thriving in this environment. Up to now she was in a private home day care situation which was a good place to start. Her new setting, though, gives her more scope with more 'others' to relate to and more activities for stimulation. Bekah and Mitch and Tovah will also be here in July for the family reunion.

We've had number of overnight house guests - our Rabbis Jonathan and Linda, Joann (Naomi's oldest and dearest friend) and Jules, Joe and Ida Berger, Matt and Annie Wall, my brother - Keith, and Jenna and Maria. In addition, Frances and Jerry, and my Mom and Vern have been over for dinner.

We've spent time away in Northampton visiting Bekah, Mitch, and Tovah and in Milbrook and NYC with Deborah, Michael, Mimi and Bruce. In NYC we went to a tribute performance at Carnegie Hall for Theodore Bikel's 85th birthday on June 15th.

I'm also keeping a little busy with The Resident's Committee to Protect the Adirondacks. I'm just involved with the Positions Committee - will be giving a statement at a public hearing on July 13th regarding reclassification of some state lands in the northwestern part of the Park. It seems good to be keeping a little involved in things Adirondack.

So, life is good.