Tappahannock

 We left the city for four days. On the freeway going south, I could see from horizon to horizon. It reminded me of driving through Oregon and California, except the open spaces were full of corn and soybeans instead of grass.

We stayed in a house built in 1751. The strain of historical places in the South is that you know that slavery happened there. A Customs House is better than a plantation house, though, I think.

The house has a second story (almost third story, if you count the semi-basement) balcony that looks out over the Rappahannock River. It's next to a loud bridge, but we watched osprey and cormorants and seagulls for hours. It's high enough that the breeze keeps mosquitos away. It rained every day - soft, cold, drizzly rain that was perfect for the balcony. It dampened the sound, dampened the world, and I wore a sweater for the first time in months. 

I brought a fantastic issue of the London Review of Books. I read almost every word. On the last page, there was an ad for an "aging French rock star" to write you a song, in "English, French, or Franglais (recommended)." Only $200. I'm considering it. 

The monthly farmer's market took place while we were there, and we picked up a few vegetables. There was a Blue Lives Matter bakesale, but most people wore masks. I went into a tiny thrift store and bought new shoes. 

On the first night, our friend made us a curry. Every night I ate it I had wild dreams. I wonder if it was the beet greens, or the coriander, or some other ingredient. Vivid, colorful dreams. 

Our friends cooked a lot. Sometimes it was hard - I'm used to 20-minute meals, and I'm usually quite hungry by the time I notice that I'm hungry at all. But, the food was incredible. The best tacos of my life (and huevos rancheros for breakfast). A fabulous beet salad. We made fondue as well - our friends' first!

We went on hikes every day (except for the first day, our settling in day.) On the first hike, we saw tons of boletes, just past their primes. On our second hike, I saw my first Destroying Angel, plus a Luna Moth just drying its wings for the first time. We hiked to the Potomac River, through marshes and forests and hills and creeks. Each hike had so much variety in trees and underbrush (and fungus!). Our last hike on the way home we saw a black snake and a massive hairy spider. 

I haven't had anyone to tell about my trip, so it's already fading from my memory faster than it would have if I'd told my colleagues and friends. 

So that's why I wrote it here.