SAID THE CAT

A nice tramp around the farm perimeter is one of my go-to places for that spirit-quieting balm. The effort of walking the uneven, lumpy terrain requires some focus, breath becomes deeper, the mind absorbs the moment and quietly takes in the world just as it is. At the end of the walk the animals are always ready with their greetings, or just take note that "oh, yeah, she's here again", then go back to what they were doing.

Wendy keeps a path around the fields mowed.

Patches the "other" barn kitty.

Getting ready to roost for the night.

Rose of Sharon is the friendliest of all the goats.

The three dogs and Toby all gave their super, come-running greetings when I drove up after being away. I'm too busy absorbing their happy enthusiasm and dispensing my hugs and pets to grab a picture. Somehow Aidan was able to capture one of Frezz after returning from Heifetz Institute. This is how happy Frezz was that Aidan was home again...

Wendy was at Heifetz in time to capture Aidan's performance of the Boccherini...

All set to play the Boccherini

And, she was at the final concert where Aidan played in his quartet the piece he'd labored such long hours to shape every day of the previous week.

They started back home as soon as it was over arriving late Saturday night. Those goat mamas need to be milked to relieve John of his extra duties while she was away. It took two of us to hit all Wendy's bases since three young men from the Dali Quartet Insitute a half hour away are housed at the farm and John's car suddenly needed attention at the garage. His pony Lexus has about 250K miles now.

Aidan sent me this scene from his stay at Heifetz in Virginia...

The concert venue.

One of the fun things I do for Marge when she has to go out of town is feed the fish in the fish pond. It is covered with "lettuce" and when I toss the fish pellet food out there most lands on the leaves instead of the water. The pretty little savages rise up, knock it loose, and gobble it all up.

Marge pulled out some of the "lettuce" so it's easier to see them devouring the bounty.
I'm happy they don't have teeth.

Speaking of trips, Marge and her visiting nephew Jonathan went for an overnight trip to New York on a bus that they get about a half hour away from here. A two-hour bus ride, and they're in the heart of NYC. People actually live near the bus station who commute to work in NYC. Buses run every hour. I was astonished when I first learned of it. Marge sent these while on their trip...

Marge and Jonathan.

Jonathan actually was on the ABC Morning Show where they do the crowd on the street scene.

Aidan was up to his card tricks...

And he's been teaching Karma some new tricks...

Aidan has already, since returning, been in a winning soccer game which his summer league won. He's happy he didn't have to miss any games. He had an assist and a goal that won the game.

We hear often from Keoni. He's taken full advantage of days he's able to break away from the music to hike up the mountains and enjoys texting us pictures of his adventures and note-worthy happenings.

Yes, that is Renee Fleming at one of the Aspen Music Institute Master Classes.

Now here's another choice bit of his news. During Robert McDuffie's Master Class for violin, two rows in front of Keoni sat Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

What a moment in beautiful Rocky Mountains that Keoni captured.

Aidan plunged right into the ARCONET Dali Workshop this week. They will end with more concerts starting tomorrow. Tuesday evening the three young men staying at the farm were performing in their quartets. They are friends of Keoni's and go to McDuffie Center for Strings also.