Cookout at John and Cynthia's

We had a really nice time at John and Cynthia's last evening - they had a cookout around their firepit, and two of Cynthia's grandnephews were there, Paris and Josiah (called Jo but who last evening wanted to be called "Nobody"). Also their friend, Angelina (who lives much of the year in New Mexico but summer's in Vermont), and we not only had a lovely meal of corn-on-the-cob, fresh asparagus (grilled over the fire), potato salad, cole slaw, salad and bean/cheese tortillas, but there were S'mores as well, and ice cream with rhubarb sauce and fresh strawberries. What a feast! And we not only talked, we sang around the fire, with Cynthia playing the guitar and Paris playing the drum. We sang old favorites like Goodnight Irene, She'll Be Comin''Round the Mountain, and I've Been Workin' on the Railroad. What fun! It was a beautiful evening (though it got pretty cool as it got toward 10p.m.), and there were birds singing (e.g., Veery, Thrush, Catbird), and the first fireflies were out. Sort of a magical evening.

John grilling asparagus

Around the firepit: John, Angelina, Cynthia, Ellen and Paris

Jo ("Nobody") and Paris roasting marshmallows with John

The firepit blazing away