Popeclipse and Much Else

The Fonthill Castle began life near Doylestown about a century ago--about a week ago, I joined some friends to take a look at it, and the Moravian Pottery and Tile works on the same property. The "castle" was dark, cramped, airless, hot and hadn't enjoyed a dust cloth for at least a couple of generations, so I split from the group for awhile and sat outside in the shade and played with my iPhone since castle pictures were forbidden without paying inside. That peaceful wait sitting on a tree stump relieved the oncoming asthma attack. One group member who stayed through the castle tour had to forego the second phase through the tile and pottery works since she almost fainted.

The tour commenced for the rest of the group through the almost equally dismal factory interior. The over-priced gift shop had some visual appeal with the tiles displayed for sale, and a slight bit more light. Mercer the owner, deceased in 1930, kindly left it all to his housekeeper to keep it going as a museum. Still, kind as he had to have been, the poured concrete structure portrays more self-will run riot than any understanding of architecture.

Help! I want out.

One wing of the concrete-constructed tile factory.

Lots of smoke stacks.

The fanciest one.

Most welcome was a lunch scheduled afterward at a nearby eatery. A pleasant memory that tells me I was along because of the enjoyable human contact.

The neighbors were at it again with their spring and fall yard sales. Every once in awhile on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the sale weekend there is a BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! as rifles and pistols for sale are examined and tried out. Aidan and I, a long time ago, found where the prospective purchasers and entrepreneurs shoot into the property's septic mound in the woods. There are all sorts of shells lying around there, as well as an old water heater and such propped there--all full of bullet holes.

Aidan is #20 of the middle school team. Note the female players.

Wendy and I went to Aidan's first home game at his middle school last week. The double-teaming ended last Thursday when his summer Souderton team played their last two games. There will be a sort of tournament next Saturday that ends the summer league.

Quite a bit of time went into Pope listening and watching. John said there was a Popeclipse at work. Here, I watched with my ear buds and computer. When he spoke to the UN Assembly his words came through my left ear bud and the interpreter came through the right ear bud. Interesting. I want to pitch a little message about loving what this man says and stands for--he walks his talk, for sure, and embodies what it means to me to be a Christian in this world. Yes, I know he didn't satisfy everybody and lots more needs to be done. I am deeply happy the air is so much fresher for his spiritual leadership.

Aidan and I made it to the car show.

I'm sure the tire is way better than the first one ever put on this rim.

I did my Tai Chi class for beginners right after the advanced practitioners finished.

Aidan finds and tries out his own recipes now. This one was the most complicated he has done.

Swirly layers before baking.

The farm markets have changed to fall items.

I need an iPhone 6, I think--this was actually a thumbnail sliver of reddish light.

It was overcast Sunday night, but a little past ten I went outside in front of the house to see if clouds cleared a little to see the eclipse, but they hadn't so I came back upstairs and at the hall window I took one last look and there it was! I hurried back downstairs to the front porch, and for 10 minutes, got to watch the last reddish thumbnail disappear into the eclipse--then, the clouds covered it again.

Wendy has returned the porch furniture to their positions after the house-painting. Mornings often look like this...