 Here's our row of tents, set up last night: mine, Allison's, and a friend of Amanda's on the right. |
 I don't even know what it is anymore, I just love it. Grassy fields! Trees! Red sumac! |
 I thought this was really neat! A hand pump! I bet if I had to rely on one daily I wouldn't be so charmed. |
 This is a bench Amanda made. She's working with concrete now. She makes these things out at the farm and can't bring them home just 'cos they're so heavy. |
 As well, Amanda made this birdbath. I had no idea she was up to this kind of tomfoolery, I was quite impressed. |
 Late Friday night someone set up a couple telescopes by which to view Mars (it was so close) and the moon. A lot of fun! |
 A singularly tall thistle that either grows really fast or managed to survive a recent mowing. Which is the less worrisome answer? |
 Beautiful farm equipment! Gears and levers! The pinnacle of form dictated by function! My heart pines for it. |
 Look at all this cool-ass stuff! I can't even guess what it was used for, but I love it! |
 I love dilapidated farm equipment, it looks like a triumph of technology. Nowadays it's incomprehensible but back then it was brilliant. |
 Mike was into making his own working submarines. This is a bubble domed two-seater, the vehicle is facing to the right. |
 This was his first creation, also a two-seater, just less obviously so. And yes, these things really worked. |
 Valves and nozzles mounted on the back of this blue submarine. |
 The sub is encased in concrete. Observe the portals and one of a pair of tanks I assume was either a pontoon or a guidance system... |
 We were all pleased to discover this vehicle was called Shadowfax. |
 I've never heard of a "thief hole" before! I assume it would need a cover. This whole thing is so cool! |
 Sorry, a blurry shot of a grasshopper. My camera doesn't do closeups, apparently. |
 The granary. There's no such word as "grainery", but granary is pronounced GRAN-uh-ree or GRAYN-uh-ree. This was a hotly-debated issue this weekend, though no one seemed to know where to find a dictionary, or else they weren't that interested. |
 Golden fields of soy, beyond which lie golden fields of corn. And then trees. And then monsters. |
 Yes, I know, another large tree and another spreading field of grasses. Ah, but there's a telephone pole too, this time! |
 ...I don't know what to say. What can I say? I just love this stuff. Everything looks better out on the farm. |
 Uh-oh, here comes trouble. I was attending Katze's grave when I saw her climb in, so I ran over 'cos I knew this would be a photo-op. |
 She's getting the handle of it... not entirely dangerous, yet... |
 Sorry for the blur. Mike collects antique pharmacological products from an old distributor that shares his surname. |
 Rob practices his tie a few times, but no one can get it straight except for Mike. |
 Andrew can somehow do his own tie but not Rob's. It must be the fabric. |
 Amanda, Collin, Lila, and Dan all line up and get ready for the professional photographer. |
 Here we all are, milling around with our cameras, starting to get excited... |
 Amanda, Collin, Val, Mike, and Erin (Collin's sister). |
 Val forgot she had shades on, and everyone remembers to smile brighter. |
 Mom oversees the hour of photo shooting with pensive concern; Rob's unknowable, impenetrable thoughts are his own. |
 Aunt Lou, mom, Amanda, Collin, Val, and Mike. The merging of two great families each wondering, "What are we getting into?" |
 See, I get these cool shots by hovering right behind the photographer! |
 The bride flanked by bridesmaids. A little funk, a lot of class. |
 Look at the size of that freakin' train! We'll need the front-loader just to get her down the aisle! |
 Quick! Everyone mosey slowly over to the pergola for more photos! |
 Rob and Julie, all dressed up and just riding it all out. |
 Why, Grandma Fredrickson! What a surprise! "Don't take a picture of me... that camera will never work again!" |
 Amanda staves off a panic attack by lounging around in her bridal Fluevogs as Aunt Lou talks her back down to earth. |
 Aw, someone got that big rack of Norwegian beef to smile! |
 Jesus, look at all these flowers! Did somebody die or something? ...oh. Oh, right. |
 Evidently I think "Robert Palmer" is wedding-formal. |
 Someone said something funny and we're both smirking about it. Aunt Lou's cool. |
 Ha ha! Such an innocuous looking little table of gifts! Oh, just you wait... |
 The attendees slowly trickle in, doing very well for themselves. The crowd will get much larger than this! |
 Jarrin's truck. I wondered what he'd do with the hood, and now it's a masterpiece. |
 Andrew and Rob speak with some Fredrickson-side relatives, including the Face of Evil himself (far right). |
 Can you believe it? Bobble-head PEZ dispensers! This is the coolest wedding to which I've ever been. |
 In a moment of free time I take my friends over to visit Katze's grave. They all knew him, too. |
 Ursula, Jarrin, Allison, and Troy - I lead them on a merry romp all over the grounds, showing them everything I find interesting. |
 Andrew, Missy, and Jeremy admire Mike regally ushering in two kegs of oh-be-joyful. I think Mike's fantastic. |
 Here, Allison has discovered the hazards of "permanent soap bubbles", a phenomenon previously unknown to us. |
 Aw, look at that Jarrin! Who can even guess what he's thinking about! |
 And Ursula's got her beer! Now the party can begin! |
 I just wanted to keep abreast of my fundamental particles and interactions, as does the stuffed goose below. |
 This is my wedding dinner! Roast beef, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, carrots... a regular "thanks-giving". Get it? I slay me. |
 Rob shares social grunts and gaseous emissions with his friends in the corner. They just want more beer. |
 Wow, look at all these people! Collin and Amanda must be really popular or something! ...oh, right, the wedding. I keep forgetting. |
 ...Did someone snatch my camera away for a minute? Why is there this shot of the Cash Wise van? |
 Dan (our honorary "cousin") steps up to say a few words about Collin and Amanda. The DJ sets up unobtrusively in the background. |
 All married-up, Collin and Amanda ride the Tractor of Fortune into a glorious future. |
 Look at them, so rustic and cute! |
 Eh... just checking out my zoom feature on the moon. |
 Aw, look at the happy couple dancing! It still makes me grin. |
 The reception tent! The lights make it so pretty! But right now I really wish I had a tripod. |
 Yeah, this is also what they mean by a wedding party. Come on out and dance a couple more times... |
 When Allison has a little too much to drink she phase-shifts on the quantum level. |
 Andrew's explaining something to Allison, but it goes over her head. Get it!? Get it!? Two in a row! |
 Aw, man! Look at who's going to be the next bride! Who could've predicted? |
 Oh no, and here's where the DJ (class act that he is) makes our couple do the garter-thing. |
 ...Yes, with his teeth. ...Yes, with his family and relatives in the background. |
 Oh good, now everyone's drinking and getting funky! "Let's get this Music In Motion (tm)!!" |
 Ursula (whom you can't see) spins LED-strobe poi. |