Benny Pulls a Fast One

A Gathering of Cousins

Yesterday nieces and nephews and a great niece came from Tampa and Charlottesville and Asheville for a quick reunion and to meet the newest member of the clan.

There was barbecue and food in plenty and much talking and laughing on the front porch. The farm has been a special place for these cousins since they were young.

Lily and Ali fell in love with each other when she was here several years ago and there's still a special something between them.

It's a wonderful thing to see the gang together. 

 

Before they all arrived at noon, I made a lemon pound cake and when I went into the kitchen to take it out of the oven, the rich sweet smell and the comfortable warmth suddenly transported me back to my grandmother's kitchen sixty-odd years ago and I wallowed in nostalgia.

And then I realized, with a bit of a shock -- dang! -- now I'm the grandmother! 

'

Feisty?

Willa, whose breed is Mountain Feist, is feeling a little sad now that she knows the derivation of the word feisty.

From A. WORD. A. DAY by Anu Garg

feisty

PRONUNCIATION:

(FY-stee)

MEANING:

adjective:
1. Spirited; full of courage, spunk, or energy.
2. Touchy, irritable, or ill-tempered.

ETYMOLOGY:

From feist, variant of obsolete fist, short for fisting cur, a contemptuous term for a dog, from fist, from Middle English fisten (to break wind). The word fizzle is ultimately derived from the same source. Earliest documented use: 1896.. 

She's fine with the first meaning -- it's the origin of the word she dislikes. She would like it known that she never -- well, hardly ever -- breaks wind.

Unlike her buddy Ali Ali who can clear a room in seconds.

Dog Tussle

Overheard . . .

Lily + Ali

When our great niece Lily visited a few weeks ago, she and Ali pretty much fell in love. He slept on the bed  with her and, now that she's gone, he comes up most days for a quick check of the upstairs guestroom, just to see if Lily might have come back.            

A few days ago we received a really  sweet thank you note from Lily -- and a  handmade placemat for Ali.

He loves it -- but what he really wants is for Lily to come back. . .

Stylin'

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absentee Staff