Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Thank you to everyone who dreamed, fought and sacrificed for our freedom.

Happy anniversary United States of America!

New noise

iPad + 5000 songs + TDK monster digital boom box =
awesome music rattling the rafters. Can you hear me now?

Best BBQ in Boone County

Pat with left overs in front of Lonnie Ray's All-American
Grill and Cafe in the metropolis of Harrisburg, which is
my pick for the best durn BBQ in all of Boone County.
When you go there, make sure you bring a truck driver
size appetite.

More a vegetarian than not, Pat attempted to
tackle a half order of baby back ribs. Pat
fought the ribs, but the ribs won.

Dead Red

I euthanized a big, old, ailing red cedar tree last weekend.
Our chickens liked to hide under this tree from my dog
Mr. Bojangles. Now, our ecosystem is out of balance.

Redneck Woodstock

Music week: Tab Benoit regaled the crowd with his guitar at the Blue Note last Thursday night, followed by Willie Nelson's Country Throwdown at The Midway Expo (a.k.a. Redneck Woodstock) on Friday night. We got there early, so we could get rained on, and then retreated to my pickup to listen to my favorite classic rock radio station for an hour and a half, while hail and 60 mph winds passed through. Apparently only the sane and sober sought shelter. The crowds inebriation level ratcheted up a few notches in our absence. But it was for Willie. He was awesome. Willie was joined by his son Lucas Nelson on stage. Lucas is a pretty good blues guitarist. I expect we will see more of Lucas.

Pat at our first stake out, where we listened to

Branley Gilbert and Lee Brice. New to us.

They play country music,

The clouds and the crowds began to gather. Both grew
thick and thunderous.

Sushi

Sushi for supper! We have had so much rain

that central MO has struggled with flooding

all spring. Apparently this gar ended up high 

and dry after the water receded below the 

deck of the Katy Trail bridge.

Claire's Mango Tree

While at Earth University in Costa
Rica, we had a mango tree planted in
their Hope Forest to commemorate
Claire's two semesters there. We look
forward to returning there in a few years
to pick and eat its fruit.