Ditto on the Airport Dike Trail this morning. Song Sparrows to beat the band. I was hopeful for lots of waders; but they apparently have not shown-up yet. Most migrants have come and continued on their way.
Last evening was quality supper and fire pit time. Doug and Alison made fried chicken. The chicken was brined and then double-dipped with buttermilk and a very light batter. Wonderful! I believe the recipe is from the world-renowned French Laundry in northern California wine country. Definitely a keeper.
Tonight is the first "serious" Republican Presidential campaign debate in New Hampshire. I may watch it. It appears that Mitt Romney is beginning to take on the aura of front-runner. On the one hand this is not surprising. He is hands-down the most rational, experienced, and qualified of what can charitably be described as a diverse group. On the other hand, Republican primaries are not necessarily known for placing a premium on rationality, experience, or qualifications. So we'll see.
One also gets the sense that the real money in the Republican Party is getting nervous about the freak-show aspect of their candidates' behavior thus far. Again, Romney is the safe haven for the traditional monied elite of the party.
Still, there is that pesky cult thing. Will the rank and file really plump for a practicing Mormon? Last go around the answer was clearly "no" as far as much of the evangelical Christian right was concerned. Will they hold their collective noses and go along this time? Hard to say.
I for one, find the continued suspicion of Mormons appalling. This is not to say I have any regard for their beliefs which I find preposterous; but certainly no more preposterous than the beliefs of Christians or Jews. And I have known a fair number of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to be fine and estimable men and women their religious views notwithstanding.
The LDS crew just suffers from the fact they are a new outfit - there is actually an accurate secular historical record of their origins - which is a distinct disadvantage when one is pitching the supernatural or defending the character of the founders of one's religion.
On the other hand, Christians have had over 2000 years and the services of some of mankind's best and brightest to polish and hone their dogma, myths and beliefs and the Jews even longer. However at the end of the day there is little in my mind to distinguish between golden plates and seer stones, virgin births and rising from the dead, and Yahweh's instructions written to Moses in stone. It's all nonsense.
On a lighter note, I received the pic below taken from a recent trip to Minnesota from Mr. Greely. And while I do not claim any close relatives in that neck-of-the-woods I am sure that the town must have contained some distant cousins at one time. I am not in the market for more relations however...
My good buddy Marla looks amused
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