Van Tour and Gaza

Set off for Wells Mills Park in Waretown with Susan and Barb H. in tow.  I had packed a lunch, but then found that this van excursion was scheduled for only 9 to 1.  No matter, I ate my sandwich when we got back.
We drove to West Creek--ironically, it's only ten miles or so from home but more like twenty from the park--to a private cranberry bog owned by John and Erin Headley.  This is way, way, out in the woods and the Headleys are young, energetic farmers with three beautiful little boys, 9, 7, and 22 months, who were there also.
We were fascinated--and slightly alarmed--by the fact that the little one just roamed free.  Most of the time, he was in the company, we hoped, of his older brothers, but this is a big property with water hazards.  A ditch surrounds the bog and a creek flows next to it and it was a little scary to see the toddler running around, jumping over the ditch, throwing stones in the creek, and acting like a much older child.  At the same time, it seemed wonderful that on this bright, clean, autumn day, the baby was receiving from his parents a priceless gift: self-reliance.
Considering that John has a full-time job, it's mind-boggling to realize the amount of time and effort he puts into growing cranberries (or anything else, I guess).  He told us that he had bought the bog when he was 16 and has been working it ever since.  I knew cranberries were both dry-harvested and wet-harvested, but didn't realize the same bog could be worked either way. Anyway, it was a fascinating trip.  They had a little stand set up and I bought cranberries--natch--and butternut and spaghetti squash.
Made a new friend, too.  Pat P. teaches anatomy and phisiology at Middlesex County College and we hit it off well.  Exchanged e-mail addresses and will get in touch with each other.  Home before 2:00 and spent a quiet rest-of-the-day.
WIDER:  From Chris Floyd:
Hell is coming. Hell is near. Thousands upon thousands of troops are massing for the ground invasion of a small patch of land crammed full with human beings trapped without any defense against the steel that will destroy them. Several children have already died in the preliminaries. Many, many more will die when the real feast of death begins.

http://www.chris-floyd.com/