the 4th, odds and ends

We spent the 4th at Lake Junaluska, the assembly for United Methodists in the mountains of western North Carolina. The day included a quirky parade, a gathering that centered around barbecue and bluegrass music, then a nap, and then, that evening, fireworks by the lake, with friends. While waiting for the fireworks I ran into an old friend from Greensboro, Chip Hagan, whose wife is running for the U.S. Senate. Her name is Kay Hagan, and she is an exceptional human being. I have been reading alot, especially Geoffrey Wainwright's Embracing Purpose and a collection of essays by David Halberstam, the splendid sportswriter. And the weather in the mountains has been nothing short of miraculous--on two mornings the low was 49 degrees. I have been listening to Terence Blanchard's A Tale of God's Will (Requiem for Katrina) and a collection of Louvin Brothers songs entitled Living, Loving, Losing (among the contributors are Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill, and Rodney Crowell). And today, the Braves picked up a needed win against the Astros in seventeen innings--the longest game in Turner Field history. We had seen them play on July 1 (they lost to the Phillies, but it was still great). Two days later fan favorite and right fielder Jeff Francouer was sent to the minor leagues. The move made front page news in the Atlanta newspaper. It has been a rough week for the Braves in several respects. Perhaps Jeff will find his swing in Mississippi, and the Braves will do well on their road trip to LA, as they face the Dodgers and former teammate Andrew Jones. The projected high tomorrow in the Asheville area is 82 degrees.