We're BAACK

I know it's been awhile since I've posted.  During the silence, we went on vacation - taking the sleigh to St. Louis to have headlamps installed (the old fashion kind that uses real candle power), picked up some big stuff to bring back, visited our kids, grand kids, and friends celebrating three birthdays and Mother's Day.  It was a great trip!

Upon our return, we've worked on the garden, which I'll talk about in another post, milked the neighbors cows, and drove to Marquette to pick up farm stuff.  I've also attended a two-day weaving workshop, so we've been VERY busy.   Today and tomorrow I'll be making cheese. 

Instead of me writing this blog today, Mark is going to be a guest writer, for he has an "Official Report" on the farm that I think will make you smile.

Report on the Continuing “Archeological Dig” at Cold Comfort Farm

Last week, a not so rare find was discovered during the continued excavation of the stone barn floor at Cold Comfort Farm.  An atypical, but curious, find was made after strenuous digging.  A mandible section of the elusive and very common Horreum Solum (Latin: barn foundation) was unearthed.

Its condition was in remarkably good shape considering the short time it has been buried under the barn floor - at least 80 years.  On close examination, one can discern from this section of “teeth” that the floor had a steady diet of bovine egesta (common cow shit).  There is marked plaque buildup due to the complete lack of available dental hygiene services in the early history of the U.P.  Additionally of note, is the lack of dental carries possibly due to the high pH of the local soil and the availability of, “so damn many rocks” in the soil that slowed cow grass consumption and digestion. 

From an orthodontic perspective, a good set of dental braces would have helped align and straighten this section of teeth and help to position them with regard to a creature’s bite.  After the computer modeling is complete, I am positive that we will discover that this horreum solum had a very irregular smile which contributed to its already ugly appearance. 

With the continuing excavation of the barn floor I am sure that additional unremarkable discovers will be unearthed, covered in bovine egesta!