So…we are returning to normal here after Delaney’s wedding.  For those of you wondering how everyone fared on the morning after…here’s a picture of the wedding coordinator/director.   She’s doing great.   We’ll have her off life support in just a few days.

We’d really hoped Helene would be able to help her, but she’s on life support, too.

It was such a beautiful wedding and what a gift she gave Delaney and Chris by hosting the authentic farm wedding.    She’s pretty gloriously...just so  happy.  Words are difficult to describe the great event that took place last night.

Some comments following the wedding… “It was so much fun.” “The food was good and it was healthy.”  “So much fun.”   “Never seen such support from a community.” “So much fun.”     “Delaney and Chris are so lucky.”    “So much fun.”  “The mother-in-laws actually really like each another!”  (They’ve opted to be called “outlaws…just sounds more fun!)… and when we ran short on food this morning for the brunch and went to get eggs…the question….”Do eggs really come in mailboxes? — they do in Mendota. (Of course…you’ve always wondered about what comes first…the chicken or the egg…the reality is that it is all about the mailbox.)  And then…”so much fun!”

We’re returning to normal. It’s raining this evening, and it doesn’t worry me at all.

It’s just an opportunity to make sure my laundry is rainwater soft.

This afternoon, I’ve been doing what my honeybees are doing…just hanging out.

And in case you’re interested, I’m back to killing Japanese beetles. Two rounds a day with my bucket seems to do the trick. Miss a day and they return. It really helps killing them as they emit a pheromone which attracts other beetles. That’s why you see them in groups. And then…shamelessly, they mate right there on the vines! Sluts! I especially like disrupting the honeymoon and seeing the mating beetles drop in my sudsy bucket. Here’s the damage they did while I had my head turned at the wedding

In spite of the beetles and the 150+ plates Barb Leonard and I washed this morning followed by about 450 pieces of cutlery, I am so thankful to be a part of the Mendota community where a neighbor’s celebration becomes my celebration and vice versa.   We are rich in Poor Valley.

Thank you for reading RiverCliff Cottage!