Christmas 2011

Happy Happy Holidays Everybody!
We hope 2011 has been a worthwhile time for you.  It has been pretty good all around for us. Friends and families faired trials and tribulations as well as weddings and babies and bliss, but we’re just hanging in there in a steady state for the most part. 
Parker graduated from college and we’re all proud as punch for that.  We’re also happy that he and Lindsey get along so well because we’re really fond of her.  Parker works all the time but is career seeking on the side.  He did find time to take advantage of his brother’s offer to fly him out to Tempe for a visit.  Lindsey was in Tempe town at the same time so a good time was had by all. 
Ian learned to play cribbage and he and Michelle are going strong but mainly going for the music:  Stevie Wonder, Jam Cruise, Phish, Moe, many more and maybe an Alaskan cruise later on.  We were happy to see them here at Thanksgiving in between String Cheese shows.  They are so happy. 
Pris had a busy good summer that started with a trip to Tempe to see Ian and Michelle.  She had a venture to China and Viet Nam on a teacher tour with friends Cheryl and Ginna.  She was taken with China but Viet Nam took her further.   We still don’t understand how her passport ended up in a squat toilet, but… Later she went to Door County to visit old pals Pat, Patti and Ann.  Summer ended with a trek up Mt. LeConte to celebrate our 30 year anniversary.  28 years ago she hiked it while 8 months pregnant with Ian!  After celebrating Sara and Brad’s beautiful Kansas wedding in October, winter had her heading to Gatlinburg with her mom and Forrest and Amy for the annual save money on sales trip.  She would like to retire but time and I won’t let her.
I should retire from beekeeping because I can’t keep a bee to save my hide, but I’m still trying. It was a big morel year, and bigger yet for old time concerts – Flaming Lips, Bonnaroo, Barefoot Jerry, and Adrienne Belew, but Neil Young kicking “Rockin’ in the Free World” with Buffalo Springfield ate my soul.  Not burning bulls anymore, but Solstice fires and car painting parties are still happening. Ian flew me out to Arizona in July to visit him and Michelle and I got to meet her terrific folks, Jim and Carol.  After that it was off to Minnesota to canoe the boundary waters, the 30 year anniversary with Precious Pris, New York City with the art kids, and the usual puttering around here.  I did try to make a Chinese garden out of storm blown trees, but it looks more destructive than a meditative.  This year I plan to move the forest from the flatland to the hillside and try to avoid a depression from cutting trees by hanging on hopes of long term tended timber and wildlife sustenance.
Speaking of sustenance; we surely do appreciate being able to sustain this touch with ya’ll.  We’re hoping ya’ll have a wonderful last year on earth and join us in celebrating the crazy misinterpretation of Mayan jibber jabber by finding yet another year on the other side.     Love- Mike and Priscilla, and (still) Ian and Parker and all the animals

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