Traveling south

Purple Martins on June 30

Purple Martin house on Aug. 30
We have five Purple Martin houses at the end of our street. In June, they were all full occupancy, with parents raising families and busy eating insects. Now they are empty. Gone to winter in Brazil.

I'd planned to go back to Columbus this week, but the weather forecast was fabulous, so I decided to stay. This is Senior Venture Week at Lakeside and the theme is "Ohio history: from the Ice Age to Ice Cream." There are two days of lectures on Ohio canals, two on various ice age topics (our under a glacier period for you g-warmists), and lectures on our 8 Presidents and Toft's Dairy (my favorite ice cream). Maybe there will be samples? Love that Moose Tracks!

Last night after the movie, "My sister's keeper" based on a Jodi Picoult novel, we had a discussion on biomedical ethics led by a local pastor. Some people in the audience had read the book, and weren't happy with the change in ending. SPOILER--don't read this:

"The Book: Anna wins her case, but before she can announce whether she's decided to give her kidney to Kate, she's involved in a car accident and becomes brain-dead. Her lawyer, who has power of attorney over Anna, grants the kidney to Kate, who lives -- believing that she was given a second chance because Anna took her spot in heaven.

The Movie: Before the case is decided, Kate and Anna's brother Jesse reveals that Kate no longer desires to undergo operations. Their mother comes to terms with the impending demise of Kate. After Kate dies, Anna's lawyer visits the house with legal papers claiming she has won the case and now has medical emancipation from her parents."

But it was a good discussion even with the movie ending. Sept 3-6 is "Julie and Julia" at our movie theater (the only one in the county). Our book club is reading My life in France by Julia Child this year, and so far I've barely been able to read a page, so maybe the movie will help.