In preparation for the Glen Workshop, today I began reading What Gets Into Us, the latest book by Moira Crone who is going to be teaching the fiction track.

I am not going to review the writing or the stories, at least not today. No, today I wish to sing the praises of a well made book.

The University Press of Mississippi has produced a volume that is a pleasure to hold. It is the kind of book that engages you tactily as well as visually. The pages are smoothly cut on the top and bottom, but the right edge is left rough. I found myself enjoying the touch of the pages as much as the story within.

The dust jacket is made of a heavy stock that is wonderously satiny, creating an intriguing contrast to the relatively rough pages. The black background highlights the B&W photo. The spine is covered in black while the cover is a slate blue paper with vertical impressions like a pine-panelled wall.

I can’t remember the last time I was so interested in the object of a book.

I spent yesterday walking long arduous distances between holes at a C-tier tourney held on a temporary course held on the west side of the Hoover Resovoir in columbus. The east side of the Hoover Resovoir houses the National Tour stop known around here simply as “The Hambrick.” We had a beautfiul day for golfing: high around 80, little wind, and sunshine. I got grouped with a good bunch of guys that helped make the day enjoyable even when things weren’t going well.

Suckitude

Before discussing the Hoover-Discraft Westside Challenge in general, I quickly dispense with my performance. The scorecard says I shot 68 both rounds for a final score of 136. Further, that score indicates that I was playing in the proper division. Ken, being the good friend that he his, would point out that in each round I shot above my rating. And at the end of the day I split a $15 prize for a second place tie (out of three). That’s all the stuff that should be making me feel good about my day. However, (more…)

I don’t usually pontificate here on the state of sports in this country, but a story out of Oakland caught my eye.

Seems the NFLPA thinks the Raiders run their summer practices too hard. After the last week of summer practice was canceled due to union complaints, new head coach Lane Kiffin said

“The union has complained about the high level of intensity, player aggressiveness and fast pace of our practices and, as a result, has taken away the final week of our offseason program.”

So much for the mighty Raiders. So much for the vaunted tough guys of the West Coast. So much for the team that, during my youth, was feared even when they weren’t good. This season, when the TV cameras focus on the rabid Raider nation dressed in scary costumes, I’ll finally just be able to chuckle. Yes, your guys are sooo tough.

On the plus side, they were smart enough not to get shot in the groin with a paintball. Of course, when the Raiders are relying on smart rather than tough, you know a sea-change has taken place in the NFL

Even though we’ve been getting veggies from the CSA for a few weeks now, today was my first working shift. It was also my first interaction with Sister Rita this year. One of the things I think Sister Rita does really well is making us workers feel as though we were an integral part of the farm. Whenever I report for my working shift, as we walk or drive to where I’ll be working, she fills me in on how the crops are growing, what’s being done in various parts of the farm, plans for the future, etc. It would be just as easy to hand me a hoe and tell me to go work on the weeds, but she lets me in on the big picture. I appreciate that.

This week’s big picture is that we NEED RAIN. I thought my perception that the veg baskets have been a little light was just my warped view of things. Turns out it isn’t. The lack of rain in Seneca County is really hitting us hard. Thus, I spent my morning pounding stakes into the ground to support the tomatoes (the one crop doing well), and spreading decaying leaves around the green onions so that when they run the drip lines the moisture will have a chance of staying on the plants rather than evaporating.

As for the rain, I’ve been saying that we haven’t had rain in a month. Turns out that’s a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. According to Weather Underground, Seneca County had 1.25 inches of rain during the entire month of May; our average rainfall for May is 3.76. So that’s a shortage of 2.51 inches. Thus far in June, we’ve had .13 inches of rain when we would normally have 2.00 inches. So, for May and June, we’re running 4.38 inches below average rainfall.

The trouble is, of course, that it does no good to make up all that shortage in a few brief rains. A big storm is not the solution. We need some good steady rains that spread out their moisture. And so, we find ourselves doing what farmers have done since Adam: praying for rain.

From the Book of Common Prayer:

O God, heavenly Father, who by thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised to all those who seek thy kingdom and its righteousness all things necessary to sustain their life: Send us, we entreat thee, in this time of need, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth, to our comfort and to thy honor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.