Slipping through my fingers. Yep, that's what time is doing.

It's been a busy week at Rhapsody Ridge as John and Wendy, over a long weekend, entertained two Tucson couples, friends of theirs, who are visiting in the Northeast.

Weather Report: The heat subsided. I warmed up Toby's slurp of goat's milk before serving early this morning atop his back porch cat tree. Must dress differently at times now to sit out there with my coffee, or I get cold. Aidan doesn't want to hear observations about the leaves beginning to change because his soccer games will get cold, and dark, and snow will drive them into big hangar-like emporiums of indoor athletics.

Paint colors for the exterior of the house were decided upon. The floor covering for the laundry room and adjoining half-bath ("powder room" on HGTV) is still being decided, and the water supply is on a list. I've confiscated Keoni's shower time and moved it earlier in the hope that the water supply lasts through the day's demands.

This coming Monday Aidan begins Seventh Grade. He is PO'd that his mom didn't get the school email telling when the "find your locker and classroom" day happened. They went over on their own this week though.

I tried shopping at the humongous King of Prussia mall and found nothing I wanted. Of all the retail space in the world I, and my feet, just can't tolerate shopping malls and this one has all the features I dislike blown into staggeringly large proportions. And the ingress, egress and parking are Pennsylvanian purgatory. I hope never to return. Even for the I-Max.

We all went to Bryn Mawr Film Institute, sat among many aging-nicely Yuppies and thoroughly enjoyed Lawrence of Arabia, remastered, big screen. My! What a score, what visuals. Roger Ebert was right. My bane of poor hearing was somewhat overcome by a new adjustment on the aids. And, pretty good earphones provided by the theater. Missed a little accented speech, but, hey, I read the story.

Aidan outgrew his loft bed with the desk beneath. He and his dad dismantled the whole thing and hauled it piece by piece to the barn. Until a bed frame is purchased...

It's about 10 a.m. He's hit that stay-up-late and sleep late syndrome of the teen years. Monday is going to be REALLY hard.

Aidan, who feeds the dogs, has figured out why Sebastian has turned up his nose to his dog food. He doesn't like moisture on it. Who knew! This is a new thing.

Karma lies in the windowsills these summer days. When Toby comes into view her body tenses, she growls, and her teeth-clicking can be heard--even by me.

My buddies and I go sometimes to Stella's Cafe in Sellersville for lunch. It's Tiki's place. It's one of those cafes where they know your name, and you know theirs.

Tiki.

She put a commemorative plaque on this chair where one of her (late) regulars sat. Friend Dave is talking to her.

He left her this picture she has over the beverage station.

A friend sent Aidan a text picture he had of Aidan in Action...

Wish it was high resolution. I'd love to make a poster for him in his favorite shirt.

Aidan's target setup for his crossbow. It turned out to be of lethal power belying its cheap provenance. The activity around this is closely monitored.

Aidan and I almost forgot to record August's Saint-Saen's concerto progress, but here it is...




He's been assigned and started another piece--Brahms, too, but I don't have the details. Lots of practice. I think the only boredom he truly experiences is riding in the car.

The season of veggies, fruit and melons is in full cry. I love shopping the farm stands. Some are temporary, some permanent. They are everywhere in this region. Here are a few of them...

The farm house, barn and buildings are across the road. This is Allentown Road.

R & J Farm Market where we got our milk for almost two years. The dairy is in adjacent Bucks County.  It is open year round. There's produce, meat, some local honey, pies, candy, potted plants, etc. It has hired (family, mostly) help and a cash register.

I put this one in because that is the high school Keoni attended on the hill in back.

The little sign in back is for Nelson's ice-cream--a new addition in a second-hand freezer they added inside.

I'll swear by their milk. It probably isn't Vitamin D fortified, but truly is good pasteurized, homogenized somewhat, so short shelf life. Nothing sits long in their cold cases.

This is alongside the parking lot. It's the entrance to the growing corn maze they will have this fall along with a pavilion for all the pumpkins, corn shocks and gourds.

A little further down the road is Frankenfield's Farm Market. They have the best corn of all. They are seasonal.

Tomatoes.

Flowers--pick your own...

...and pay in here.

Prices.

Honest John box.

A portion of the produce fields.

A local enterprise of a different nature.

This one is seasonal, too.

The tomatoes are about the best of all tried so far.

This is Brumbaugh's. Seasonal, as well, though open a bit longer and has the most vegetable varieties.

I liked this old farm building in the early morning.

Shucking corn. Mmmm-Mmmm.

Before taking off on Friday, Keoni went to Aidan's Thursday evening game. The game went well and Aidan made some scores. 

Friday morning Aidan was helping Keoni load up in their mom's truck.

Last minute laugh together.

And off to the airport. 

 Wendy flew with Keoni to Atlanta since a car needed renting and a drive was ahead to get to Macon; Keoni's crazy-busy existence still eludes driver training and license. Not least--more suitcases could go.

While their trip was under way, Aidan got busy on a fudge experiment.

It tasted good, but consistency was about caramel--chocolate caramel.

Over in Utah, Elijah and I connected with some text-messaging which he is now allowed to do. I asked for a selfie and some pix of his brothers and got this...

Elijah.

Dimetrios.

Kingston.

We began getting pictures from Macon on the weekend, and here are a few chronicling Keoni's step into his new life at Mercer.

Dorm.

Unpacking.

Campus exploration.

Bell House, McDuffie Center for Strings.

You rock, Grandson! 

The last is my personal favorite.

Sigh. I miss him.

Additional pictures are on Facebook that he and Wendy have posted. Among hers are ones of she and her dear friend Marcie who joined them for Sunday brunch. She is about a two hour drive from Macon.

Aidan did the chores, while his mom was away. His dad helped around the edges, but Aidan did all the goat-milking, barn and husbandry chores; plus the household pets. I did the kitchen milk-handling sterilizations and clean-ups.

Last evening's game. Aidan easy to spot in his red socks and orange shoes.

Nothing has diminished Aidan's soccer zeal. He lives for Tuesday and Thursday evening team play.

We're having a heat wave. This morning I was sweating while on the back porch for early Tai Chi, coffee and e-news.

Today, Toby abandoned me after I gave him his early morning sip of goat milk. He is seldom the condo kitty he once was. Of late, he is constantly watchful of any movement out in the yard/barn areas, his now sinewy body seldom relaxes--even on my shoulder. He must be feeding himself from rodents, small wildlife and bugs--I've witnessed him devouring same. He disdains the canned meat that he favored so much during the cold months, so I stopped purchasing more.

A paean to Mom and Grandma Steinbach's lore: give a saucer of milk often to mousers to counter-balance the toxins (they said poison) from the vermin. (I never saw my mother buy any cat food--ever, certainly not Grandma.)

Toby helps himself to the dry barn cat food that Wendy keeps out for barn cat free-feeding. I keep another up out of dog reach on the porch cat tree for Toby. Wendy's animals and pets probably don't know they are really in Animal Heaven.

The little goats are growing into adults and are up for sale. If you are interested here is the web site:

Casa de Tortuga Goats

or the Facebook page:

Facebook Page

Delivery of young goats sold may fall to my pony Subaru and I since Wendy won't be taking time away from her goat operation. If this delivery takes me close to those I love, I will give them a ring for possibly coordinating a visit--no worries, post delivery.

Along Harleysville Pike...

Ten days of 8 to 5 music with the Dali Music Summer (day) Camp among students and teachers from about four continents, Keoni and Aidan finished Saturday in Lansdale with recitals in their respective quintet and quartet; the finale on Sunday as the three orchestras performed during the afternoon at Irving Auditorium at U Penn.

Keoni and quintet. 

Aidan and quartet.

The remarkable ceiling in Irving Auditorium.

 Orchestra pictures weren't allowed at the Irving Auditorium venue. That might be a good thing. My orchestra pix aren't a strong part of my portfolio.

At a traffic light Keoni captured a view of the city as we left for home.

It's a little nostalgic for me (and parents, I imagine) since Keoni is leaving Friday for Georgia. Already, he is deeply involved in his own life, abundant with friends, complete with adulthood trappings, e.g., his own debit card and his own account. Yesterday through tomorrow evening he is in NY City with friends before a day at home to pack up. He and Wendy will leave for Atlanta Friday; Wendy returning Sunday. Aidan will see to the livestock and milking. I will see to the sterilizing and general kitchen work. John will fix things--which reminds me that the dishwasher is making a huge puddle on the kitchen floor.

Yesterday from Keoni...

Port Washington.

And today...