I very much enjoyed the time Ferlie and I spent at the family homeplace for the celebration of Thanksgiving. All of my mother's siblings were there, and 3 generations of folks with whom I share more than just DNA ate, drank, and made merry. Ferlie's belly, alternately known as "Baby V", "Little Rani", or "Veronica", was one of the stars of the show, as were the two beautiful daughters of my cousin "Smelly Melly". Maddie, the elder of these, has christened me "the monster", and somehow, that seemed to fit. Maddie is quite the charmer, and I'm pleased to report that she has demonstrated 100% less biting of my nose than her mother did at the same age. As usual, our good friend Rogers was there, and we hope to have him back for many years to come.

My forest management/dominion over nature project continued with a few more hours of vine-slashing, mimosa-maiming, and the transplanting of a white oak, red oak, maple, and magnolia sapling-- digging each up from an "untenable position" and re-planting them at more pleasing places on the farm (all of which met with my dear ole Mom's approval, btw). The beech and wild cherry trees I transplanted at this time last year are thriving, and hopefully this batch will do as well.