Green River

Thanks for all your sympathy! We are fine here today, if a little traumatized...it's likely going to take me a long time get Sally's panicked screams out of my head, but she is back to normal--except she's avoiding that window near the heating register. That's a good thing.

OK, here's a happy tranquil post instead. I've been pretty busy lately...my days overstuffed with cooking for guests, working, and many unexpected social events. (noticed all that longing for the couch and a book?!) The professor had to do some convincing to get me out into the country. He's doing some field work (collecting butterflies and moths to study) on the Green River as part of a grant for the EPA. Every week, he takes his students "out into the field" and they spend all day in the car and on the river. He's found some very pretty sites along the way.

So, when the professor was asked by an email correspondent, a British butterfly enthusiast and his family, whether he would show them a few things on their vacation, he said sure. Then he put me in the car (with my knitting), insisting it would only be a few hours out. We had to leave at 9 in the morning, so I rushed to the farmer's market beforehand, and ended up with 25 lbs of organically grown paste tomatoes...when the tomatoes are ripe for sauce? They're ripe NOW. I left the tomatoes on the counter and off we went.

The weather was perfect. We're having a very odd streak of New England summer in Kentucky. Lower humidity, highs around 85 (29C) and lows around 60(15C). A lot of driving, river wading, and a few stops for barbeque and ice cream made it a special day out. We drove over a trestle bridge, took walks, and enjoyed dappled sunlight.

The British family had a very smart and interesting wife (a foster care nurse and gardening enthusiast) and two little boys, ages 8 and 10. Nothing is more fun than a couple of butterfly nets and some playing in the water. Catching minnows, building "dams" with pebbles were the most important things to do!
The best moment was when we crossed a river ford. The Roachville Ford is not on the map. The road ends at one side of the river, and on the other side, sort of diagonally to the right, it starts up again. You couldn't cross it when the water's too high, and the locals keep it to themselves. The professor stopped at the edge of the river, rushed back to the British family's rental car, and said, "Follow me! You'll be ok. We're driving through the river." ...And the little boys say:
"WOW! Do we need to roll up the windows?!"


Even perfect sunshine, river, and ice cream days out can last too long, and I was tired and grumpy by 5 pm, when we finally got home. Then, I faced those 25 lbs of tomatoes. We didn't even have enough freezer containers for that much sauce! All ended well...16 cups of tomato puree for winter and some "sundried" tomatoes, done in my dehydrator on the back porch...and one very very tired Joanne.