Croquet mallets versus softball bats -- only one will survive!

A Betty Bowers type has written an amusing letter to the editor of our local newspaper.

In typical Eric style, I let a major event in a family member’s life go by unmentioned (cf. “I’m a bad family member.”). My youngest sister graduated college a week ago today, after seven years (or so) of classes, a marriage, and two and a third children. She can now teach teens our language, literature, and the art of drama. Many, many congratulations, Lauryl! Remember, if you ever need a break from teaching, you can always come help weed carrots.

The next time you’re in Eldon, Iowa, stop by the Dibble House, best known as “that house behind the dour couple in American Gothic “. And did you know that the couple was supposed to represent a typical American small town resident and his daughter, and not a husband and wife? Perhaps Grant Wood could have been more clear.

Self Portrait in Lego

Generally speaking, the muscle of whales tastes like horse meat. It’s The World Whale Eaters Union!

Here’s a fantastic presentation of the geologic history of the western US, complete with very detailed maps. It’s things like this that make me wish we had lifespans of at least several hundred years. There are so many interesting things to learn, and only 100 years isn’t near long enough to learn them all.

Sure, you’ve seen pictures of Meteor Crater, Arizona, but are there any impact craters near you? Probably. Found at the always good Poor Clio.

I just was told that a pack of dogs came through the farm just now. It appears that, except for one hen that is sitting on some eggs, all the chickens are dead. Hopefully most of them made it through and are just hiding somewhere, but Chris has found a lot of bodies and no signs of life. It all happened in a few minutes. Another two weeks at the most, and they would have been safe inside the electric fence with their new barn. UPDATE: Maybe not a total loss. Only one of last year’s flock is now missing. Our transexual rooster guided them to safety, somewhere. A few of the little birds have come home, some wounded. I’ll have to count bodies tonight. ANOTHER UPDATE: All ten of the older birds are OK. The young flock was hit hard. We recovered twenty-five bodies. Twenty-seven are home, some with what all appear to be minor wounds. Fifteen are missing. I found a few birds alive a couple acres away, still hiding in the briars. Many of the bodies were in the thickets, too, and there are likely to be more we missed.

If India and Pakistan nuke each other back to the stone age, India will be ready. Their miltary is studying texts from 2300 years ago to learn such secrets as a single meal that will keep soldiers going for a month and a poweder made from fireflies and wild boar eyes that will give them night vision.