With folks gone on various trips, it has certainly been quiet and mellow here at Sandhill. I've been catching up on a backlog of reading and doing all the organizational jobs I've put off during the growing season. With the upcoming holiday, things will probably be bustling this week.

Gigi and Cory Renay got back from New York on Thursday evening. Cedar, Sol and Skyler are due back from their trip to Tennessee and North Carolina this evening(Sunday). It's always interesting to hear everyone's news after they return to the farm.

Laird is also due back tonight from a quick trip to New Hampshire this past week to attend a parents' event at Jo's school and to see friends in Massachusetts. Jo is coming back with him to spend this week with us. Ceilee has been up the past two weekends from Columbia to do some deer hunting and has been having some luck.

Last weekend was a bit busier than normal. Stan went to a three day Biodynamic Agriculture conference in Ames. Natalie and her girls did the Kirksville Women of Today craft show on Saturday and Michael and I were at the Christmas Tree Fair in Clarence on Sunday.

Stan did an inspection of an organic dairy in Fairfield before picking up Gigi and Renay in Ottumwa Thursday. He is now certified to do inspections of organic processors as well as of organic farms and this has given him additional job opportunities during the off-season.

We had the good luck this past week to see a vivid display of the Aurora Borealis on Thursday evening. Michael, Natalie, Persephone, Francesca and I spent some time watching it. The green and red shifting colors in the southeast part of the night sky were certainly the most brilliant that MIchael and I had seen since trips to Canada and Alaska some years back.

Sandhill and Dancing Rabbit had a joint harvest dinner on this past Saturday evening. It was the first time that we have gotten together in their new common house. Our assorted cooks turned out some very yummy food and desserts for everyone to feast on. The evening included a rousing send-off for their work exchanger, Liberty, who is leaving this week. There was even a cheer-leading squad made up of various Rabbits. It was a fun evening and we really enjoy these neighborly get-togethers.