The Court at Apple Valley

So...hot! Can't...understand...directions...

Must be the "summer of the mint" (sing that line to Donovan's "Season of the Witch"). My fourth and final racquet sport to master. Because, well, I have mastered tennis, squash, and ping-pong. I routinely lose to my 47 year old friend John at tennis, and several 60-somethings at squash on a regular basis. Anyway, back to mint.

There I was, at my folks place in the Bay, and after reading another bleeding heart liberal essay in The New Yorker about Americans and the waste that lawns are-economically and environmentally- I decided to design my second badminton court of the summer.

The Court at Apple Valley

Owner: Dad (his neighbor Rich owns about a third (but not the net!)

Badminton Pro: Me

Best Player: Me

Court Designer: Me

Hey, wait. I'm seeing a pattern here.

Court Builder: Me (OK, Dad mowed but the whole time he was wondering what the hell he was doing out there)

Best Drop Shot: Brian Hawk

Coolest Overall Minton Player: Brian Hawk

Best Doubles Team: Chris and Brad

Best Mixed Doubles Team: Brian, Me, and Elsa with her water balloons

Worst Server Without a Doubt: Brad

Old Style Beer Preservationist: Brian Page

Best Afternoon Napper: Ben

Just watched Olympic Badminton and we have a ways to go, but only athletically. We have the spirit! THE MINT SPIRIT!

Our "Special" Friend

Sausage and peppers!

Old Style and Zinnias!

Cured meats! Oh they are so de-LISH-i-ous!

60 percent?
He was pushing 70

When he handed Judy his homemade canned jelly.

Speaking of jelly

They confiscated mine

At the Midway Airport Security Line.

Polish or brat?

Hot dog or chorizo?

Uh Oh...

Gotta take a wizzo.

A summertime ode
To our "special" friend Brian

Who makes us all laugh when he's not even tryin'.

Two Pines is Quiet

I was back there yesterday. I can't maintain it like I want to because my mower died on Thursday. All I have are the memories: Brian's sweet forehand, Chris's raking skills, my totally awesome overhead smash...that I used on my friend Bob the other night when I beat him 15-13.

What? No, I don't keep track of wins and losses at Two Pines. But Brian, I am 5-2 against you.

All I have to say is BADMINTON IN WISCONSIN!!!

Sunfish in the Thousand Islands

Elsie has now caught more fish than me in her lifetime. Way to go Else- this is her first! We spent the weekend with Carol, Derek, and Dylan in the Thousand Islands. There are great pics at their site:

http://daddydarling.blogspot.com/

Captain Grandpa Bill and Kate were our awesome hosts. Check out the pic of Elsie driving his 1956 Chris Craft.

Tire Swing

New family fun machine in the back, a tire swing. Chris, Mike, and Brian put it up without the aid of an extension ladder, only my six-foot ladder. They were able to place the ladder on top of a table and then stand on the very highest step and REACH for the limb. All very safe and secure.

Elsie is a pro on it now. As she spins she screams "NO!" So I stop it and she screams, "DO IT AGAIN!"

Chris and Brian

Everybody arrived this week- Chris, Linda, Brad, and Brian. Does Elsa look excited?

Make Way for Ducklings

On the way home from New York, we stopped at Hudson Valley Foie Gras (there's a link at the right under food) in Ferndale, about two hours outside of the city. I sometimes order duck breast, legs, and fat from them online. Anyway, we thought we might be able to pick up some stuff, but we met the manager and he gave us a personal tour! He took us into this huge barn, where there were four or five pens with 300 ducklings in each one. You could walk among them and they'd scatter at your feet (top photo). They were only 3 days old, and by stretching out your arms you could pick up five or six at a time.

Then we went upstairs and met the BIG DUCKS. I was surprised at how clean it was, and how much room they had to move around. That was stage two. Then he asked if we wanted to see the next stage, which is the force-feeding stage. After he asked he sort of calmly waited for an answer. I was like bring it on dawg! He took us to another barn. Elsie got to see a two-foot tube get inserted into throats and held there until the feed was swallowed. I told her that sometimes I wish I could do that with her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Needless to say, at the end of the tour we were all even bigger duck lovers. We bought six breasts, eight legs, some fat, and signed the guest registry while Elsie charmed the staff.

When we got home I hosed down our feet. I was wearing flip-flops and there was some duck sheet. I was wondering what that smell had been from Binghamton to Rochie.