July 10th, 2019

I hope everyone had a good fourth of July. Joy and I took two days away from the farm to visit with old Colorado friends who happened to be in the great state of Wisconsin. Our friend’s brother was hosting family and friends at his place by Castle Rock Lake, so off to the lake we went. This was our second year at the camp and to call it an adventure would be an understatement. There is every conceivable motorized toy you could imagine, boats, four wheelers, jet skis, motor homes, motorized bikes, a side by side, and oh lets see what else, a golf cart. The only item on that list that interests me, however, would have to be the boat. Climbing aboard a boat is magical. The rocking of the craft on water, even just walking on the dock to the boat is something close to pure joy. Prior to last year, I had never been on a pontoon, just saw them from afar, nor had I operated a jet ski. For the record, I’m definitely a pontoon kind of guy. The jet skis were fun, but in the end, I really just want to spend time chatting with people who I don’t get to see often enough. And so shoot the breeze we did, and laugh, oh god did we laugh. Two sisters and a mother with identical cackles, Joy’s full hearted devilish laugh, Ryan’s loud one or two “ha has, and my hyena- like manic spasms combined in joyful chorus. Then there were the fireworks. I’m not kidding you, this place had it all. Our gracious host seems to be a bit of a pyro or at least he was this year. I’m not sure if the fireworks tradition will continue into next year and I would be just fine with that. The sheer power of the fireworks we are allowed to buy these days blows my mind. They are elaborate, multiple shapes, colors and size. Man, are they strong. It should go without saying, light them and run! Don’t stick around to see what happens, or man alive don’t hold onto the launching canister! Let’s live to see another holiday, another day on a boat. Parting with friends and returning home was hard to do. I could use more time on the water. Water time has been scarce this year. That has to change! 

~Farmer Rufus