"Hand me down my furry velcoed lion's mane and my red trousers!"

Mona wants a fire.......

The weather tonight is forecast for a low of 42 degrees. If it reaches that, it will break the record for the coldest Aug. 30 since 1892, when the mercury hit 45.

Spartans that we are, we will not turn on the heat at this time of year, cat or no cat. A compromise is set; we will build a nice fire for Mona.

That is what we do. Mona approaches immediately, finding her deserted towel on the bathroom radiator does no good. She is now happy, but admonishes me to keep the fire going throughout the cold night. I advise that she must sleep in her usual place, on the bed, at Dee's feet. We will rekindle the fire in the morning..........

Such a fuss.

Anticipation

End of summer

and not a warm summer, either.

Mona perches on bathroom radiator. There's no heat on yet, but she thinks there should be, so Dee puts her towel on top, per winter custom.

Mona, knowing it's 49 degrees outside, tries hard to pretend the furnace is on.

But she knows it's not. Asks for her velcroed lion's mane, put away for the season. And her red trousers, also stashed.

Gonna get out in that kitchen and......

rattle those pots and pans

Dee arises at 5:30 am, goes immediately into the food preparation area

...........................................

It's Saturday and she puts herself to making some food offerings for the Sunday School teachers planning session to be held at the church later in the morning.

What will it be? The menu is unknown to the SRN photographer, but he knows that per tradition it will be good.

Dee has strong hands and a strong back. Those have worked for the benefit of a congregation, and for a temporarily incapacitated husband, not to mention a son in college who is always sent back to school with food containers redundant and redolent with glorious contents. It is just one of mother Denise's things, a simple trip to the moon on gossimer wings.

We sing her praises this morning.

Let us be thankful for the back whose mighty musculature was formed picking potatoes in her youth at her parent's farm in Maryland. It has served all of us well in Wisconsin. Throughout, Dee has picked up the cards she was dealt and played the best hands she could. She has employed her food skills well, and this organization knows that is only the least of it.........

LET US ALL BE THANKFUL FOR FAMOUS BACKS AND HANDS

Flag at our highest parapet flies at half-staff

in respect for the memory of

Sen. Ted Kennedy

Sir, would you mind not being so obvious?

It's not nice to stare. Yes, I know my posterior glitters. I try to hide that, being a proper Octo(bird)pus......but,

Gourds from the Sewer Raccoon District gourd-painting studio. New species of fancy. We can put you in touch with a source for them in Blue Mounds WI.

Just ask.

Referral, with thanks......

Listen to Garrison Keillor read

VEGETABLE LOVE

http://www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=833100&mlid=499&siteid=20130&uid=74d1d8b17e

AND COMING SOON

A Django Reinhardt discussion

You gotta know where they are

Free blackberries

due to kindness of owners

who share their berries widely

Original blackberries, the berry stolen in name only by electronic gadgetry makers, the merry berry that grows in prickly thickets and is sought by hungry people, birds and grizzlies..............and raccoons. They are sweet, juicy, and delicious.

They grow by the millions at a location we are not at liberty to disclose. This well-maintained, immense patch (a misnomer that suggests small) is annually visited by select bucket-laden Waukeshans related to the owners and a group of time-honored friends. Admission is gained up a dead-end country lane. I'm sorry I cannot tell where.

We offer silent thanks as we have blackberries and ice cream, or thick blackberry malts, or eat handsful, fresh-picked, plain.....................