Big Leaves

Evening sun chard in the community garden. 

Retired!

 

I started working part-time for Penland School of Craft sometime early in 1995. I went on staff in 1997, and it's been my place of work, my second community, and my second home ever since. My last day on staff at Penland was May 29. I shared my last day with Penland legend John T. Renick III, a.k.a. Big John, paragon of kindness, all-around good guy, and a crucial and calm presence in the Penland kitchen for 26 years. 

John is moving to Athens, Georgia--for love! I will be staying home, having even longer conversations with Tammy, going on longer walks, playing more music, reading more books and New Yorker articles, spending more time in the garden and more time with my excellent friends, and also doing some work for Penland (mostly from home). 

 Someone asked if I had big plans for my retirement, and without even thinking, I said, "No, I have small plans." 

 Thanks, Penland. It's been great.  

Ohle's Pond sunfish redds

Each spring, male sunfish make round depressions in the pond by vigorously thrashing in shallow water. The female then lays her eggs in these 'redds' (from the Old English words for "to rid of encumbrance" and "to ready"), the male fertilizes and guards them, and we watch and remember that not all is lost.