Weather Report: Sweaty

Gosh, it's been days and days. Sorry for the delay. Got into a long novel that was a page-turner for about 1/3 of the way; then, deteriorated. One of those where you hope it'll get back to its earlier promise, but it doesn't and you keep reading it because you've already put in the time; plus, other readers you respect have read it, so you think there must be something that salvages the whole thing if you keep going. Agh. Enough.

I'm back.

Here's a first that I saw a couple of days ago...

Austin saddled!

And next...

Oh, happy day! Wendy is back in the saddle again.

Austin is doing just fine on the pasture food. She is a good weight and shiny. In the daytimes though there are weird, killer flies around. People put their livestock in the barn during the day and out at night. One fly bit me bloody through my sock.

And gnats, or "no-see-'ums" (?) abound. The stink bug season is nearly over. Strangely, and maybe this will change, the mosquitoes are as small factor as they were last summer. It is baffling since standing water from frequent rain provides wondrous habitat for them to breed. The best insects I've seen so far are the lightening bugs in the evening. 

The World Cup has thoroughly engaged Aidan and now his dad. Keoni and Aidan have a short late evening, two-man soccer match, and then go watch the day's game John records on TV.

We went to Keoni's recital held by his teacher Robert de Pasquale. It was at the church sanctuary where Keoni takes his lessons in one of the many church rooms devoted to the small music academy Mr. d runs.

UPDATE: I made a video and it took awhile to appear on YouTube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w92F_9AoJ-c&feature=em-upload_owner-smbtn

The moment I met Mr. d last year I was struck how he reminds me of Phil, my friend in Tucson. They could have been brothers or at least cousins. I think they are only a year apart in age and approximately the same stature. Both, in their way, share an artist's commonality.

Robert de Pasquale.

Betsy is due here on Saturday for several days' stay. Keoni wanted to see her, but is due to check in at Meadowmount in upstate New York on Sunday 5 p.m. I volunteered to take him so he can have at least one evening to see her, and John would have more time with his mom. I'll return on Monday and have a couple of days to visit with her, too.