It's been a busy week, folks. Charles and I went to Tennessee last weekend to visit my mother and celebrate her graduation from Austin Peay State Univerisity with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Studies (basically management with a liberal arts twist). She's been working very hard for the last two years to complete her degree, and was very glad to be finished. So we met a couple of their friends, Brian and Patty, and went to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert. Talk about a show! Both were terrific pianists and showmen, but for me, Billy Joel stole the show. When he sang "I Love You Just the Way You Are" I almost cried!

On the farm, the weather finally came good, and we were able to cut hay on Monday afternoon. It was raked yesterday, and will be raked again today to turn over the grass for better drying. Tomorrow afternoon, after all threat of rain is gone, we will start baling and hauling. This is just about the hardest single job on the farm. Not only do we have to wait until just the right weather, we have to be rush to make sure it's all done before any more rain. Even a shower on the finished bales will help mould grow, making the hay almost useless.

On Monday, we took our first goat to be processed into meat. It was hard to do, but just like the vegetables we raise, we raise goats (and sheep) for their meat. He had a really good life with us - no fence could keep him in, he was completely free-range - and he will help to meet our goal of sustainability. We should get him back tomorrow.

Tuesday was our final Girl Scout meeting of the school year, so we had a big celebration dinner, prepared by everyone in the troop. Miss Anna and Katelyn made mozzarella cheese to go on the foccacia Molly made. Charles and Ashley made Salade Nicoise. Sarah made sangria punch, then worked with Molly to make calamari. Ashley made butterscotch Congo bars for dessert, and Kelsi potted up some impatiens for table decorations. On Saturday, Molly graduates from high school, but tonight she will be presented with three local scholarships for college and our troop is giving her a lifetime membership to Girl Scouts.

Tomorrow (Friday) is a busy day for us, so I'm taking off work to try to get as much as we can done. We have our first delivery of lumber for the house, a delivery of fencing materials and hay hauling. Then in our spare time - as if! - we'll start cutting ice storm debris off a section of boundary fence line that is due for replacement. I also want to get my vegetable garden planted and our bathroom painted this weekend. Sshhhew!

It'll take me four months to recover from this four day weekend!