Frank reports a pleasant day; Hemmenway came in to speak to his morning class. Today I will work on a proposal revision. I am struck that classes are now over, and for the first time in memory, I am not sick at the end of the semester. But also, for the first time I did not have to teach studios in Hills, which we now understand to be riddled with mold. When I think about all the months I lost due to illness, especially during those years I was assigned to teach double duty in the dungeon of the basement…..with all that mold….but I should stop this rant here. Save it instead for the cinderella chronicles, the fractured fairy tales.

Frank returned home. In the afternoon he visited the waterfall at Pratt’s Corner and spied some mayflowers. I spent the better part of the day completing research training online so one of my students can complete mandated research training in order to conduct some informal interviews as part of her thesis. This is less likely to be needed for any other work I expect to do. The other part of the day was spent at the Renaissance Center with the garden conference there. I explained the mini cultural landscapes created in the edible art of the springerle, a recipe stemming from the 1600s.

Frank left New Brunswick this morning and traveled on to the George School to lecture on dwarf fruit trees. Dorothy, the oldest daughter, would graduate from the George School later. Today we had an oral defense for one honors project, followed by several meetings with students, work turned in for the community service project, and a junior year writing workshop. From this week I do feel very weary.

Frank traveled by rail with his father to New Brunswick today. We had a meeting among our department, building technology, art + design in Hills this morning. It was so unpleasantly cold in the room, it was hard to focus on the discussion after the second hour.

Frank finds no end to the red tape with the new mortgage for the fruit farm. Frost back in 1911, too, gets a note. Today for me was a most difficult day. I am saving all the details for a future memoir.

It snowed a bit on a windy, cold day. Frank attended a baseball game and also accepted a mortgage with Amherst Savings for Bay Road Fruit Co. Today is our last day of classes this semester.

Frank took a drive with his wife in the afternoon. I advised at honors today.

Frank complains about the routine as dull, but notes of his inspiration to write a chapter a week for a book or two. My inspiration precisely.

Frank photographed Esther, Fred and Sidney with chickens today. I attended the honors awards ceremony, then dinner then the play, Twelfth Night. Great to share time with students, alum, staff and faculty. A very proud day for honors!

The landscape gardening organization came out in full force on the B and M RR grounds project. I had our guest speaker as a house guest. Julius Fabos joined us for breakfast. Then I took my company to tour Historic Deerfield.