Cymande is Thirty!

Cymande's sister Shannon thoughtfully sent us some previously unreleased photos of Cymande's childhood. In celebration of her birthday I present age 5 and 9.

1981, Rooftop Elementary, San Francisco. Favorite activities: counting and pretending to be a pigeon or ant.


Four years later, still at Rooftop. Madonna's influence has clearly been established. So damn cute!

Pears, Birdwatch, Pressurewash

The annual pressure wash nearly coincided with Cymande's annual birthday. For her 30th celebration multiple items were presented including pear scones baked in JB's Boston apartment. She also knit a couple of amazing little pears.


After pear consumption we went on a birdwatch with Four Rivers Audubon. We were allowed access to PCS (a land owning company that that extracts phosphorus from the earth with massive torrents of water) and saw some lovely birds including: avocets, greater yellow legs, white pelicans, terns, tree swallows, snowy egrets, great blue herons, common yellow-throat warblers, swamp and song sparrows, hooded merganser ducks, pied-billed grebes and a harrier. Until you see beyond the gates of PCS you will never know what a strange environment exists out there.


After the bird watching ended the ritualistic chicken temple construction commenced. Modest progress was made followed by an evening of tapas and wine in Gainesville. The next day was all about pressure washing.

The Chicken Temple Nears Completion

We will begin with the obvious. I am soley focused on the construction of a chicken coop (recently refered to as the chicken temple) that may actually rival our home in terms of structural integrity and luxury. I am finishing this project soon. With its completion I will search for further meaning to my existence.


Existential condolence to my previous statement...


Our field is home to bobwhites, turkeys and deer.


The lawn tractor with a steaming cup of coffee.


During the summer these stands held our peas while the sun burned them to a post-vegetable crisp. Now they stand as a monument to rural minimalism as the WDO's (wood destroying organisms) dismantle them slowly.


Our field becomes congested with equisetum every fall. Equisetum is actually the only scientific name I remember from my plant physiology course fifteen years ago. I also remember the term 'xylem' and 'phloem' and I'm pretty sure they involve moving sap. I'm also pretty sure my professor had a vanity plate involving one of them.


Our winter bird population has returned. Goldfinches, towhees, chickadees, tuftedtitmice, cardinals, mockingbirds, etc. They enjoy their bath (built for Cymande's 28th Birthday.)