Get ready for a tsunami of photos.

When i first moved out to Knoxville, it was in part to experience Yee-Haw-- a real life, honest-to-gosh still working antique print shop. Lisa might have had her equivalent experience in the wonderful state of Tennessee!

We drove down to experience The Farm (as in, "THE" farm), which Lisa could tell you about much better than i could. Essentially, in the 1970's, a group of San Francisco hippies started driving around the country on a school bus, giving lectures and generally loving it up. Since a lot of the women became pregnant, one of their members, Ina May Gaskin started to "catch" babies, and eventually became a de facto Midwife. She is one of Lisa's heroes.

We didn't get to meet Ina May, but we did stay with Marilyn in their wonderful yoga studio/contradance space/mediation room/guest house. Full of sunlight, and Soren quickly made himself at home with his '45s.

We toured the farm in a golf cart, i went swimming in a natural pond at 8:30 in the morning, Soren shot some hoops and met all the cats, and Marilyn made us homemade meals each day with blueberries and corn that they grew on the property.

Leaving Cincinnati

It was pretty special, all in all. Something about putting pictures with a place is really wonderful, and it's nice to discover a place that is special to someone who is special to you. In fact, sometimes it is more fulfilling than just pursuing something on your own that you love.

AND, in Nashville, Lisa finally got to meet Doug and Mim, plus their 3 year old boy Graham! They were unbelievably kind to let us stay with them and experience the chaos of two boys meeting. They were beyond kind-- i basically invited myself down and Doug and Mim, being incredibly southern and hospitable, said "Of course!!"

Getting home!

How can i explain all the layers of surreality that happened there? For one,  Doug and Mim first encouraged me when I started dating Lisa again, so it was great for them to FINALLY meet her. Mim is a nurse, and she and Lisa got to chat about that, motherhood, being married to sloppy men (just kidding, doug), etc. Doug is now a dad, so i got to see him in a new context.

Soren and Graham got along as well as they could have, i think. Soren was out of his element, so he had to adjust to different surroundings, and Graham wasn't used to having another boy trying to use all his toys, etc. But i think they got along well, and they seemed to have hit their stride the night before we left (which is better than the reverse, I think).

Marilyn's house in the woods

Soren plays DJ

The guest house!

Soren loved their cats!

The old unused silos.

I went for a morning swim here! The next day was overcast, still, and cool.

"Say, what is that thing carrying my truck?

Marilyn, truck, Lisa, and Soren.
Lisa loved taking this photo so much that she forgot her wallet. D'oh!

I know, you're thinking how sporty he is. But this is actually the pinnacle of his shot.

Soren discovers... television.

This is probably a "No, that's MINE!" moment. Believe it or not, it is
incredibly difficult to take pictures of two 2-3 year old boys running amok.

Mim! Soren actually wanted to dance with her instead of Lisa.
Kind of made Lisa sad!

My friend Bryce from Isle of Printing insisted that we take this for Soren's room.
Bryce's style makes his shop one of my favorite letterpress studios, and certainly
the best in Nashville!