Only in New Hampshire...

We went to Riverview Farm in Plainfield this morning to pick up some pumpkins. We got some good ones - don't worry, we will have the annual Jack-o-lantern post as soon as they are carved. But Ann overheard a very funny conversation:

Mom (to worker): I want you to know your cat just scratched my daughter!

Worker: Well, your kid shouldn't have touched the cat. We don't call him Mr. Bitey for nothing!

Mom: (walks off in a huff)

Only in New Hampshire.

Award Winning Beer

My Belgian-Style Strong Pale Ale was the overall winner at the annual Lebanon Health Food Store homebrew contest! Granted, there were only 9 other entries, but I still got a $75 gift certificate out of the deal. Anyone reading this who wants a bottle should let me know, I'll put one aside. Although at around 9% alcohol, I'm not drinking them that quickly.

Beer Business

Here is an interesting article (from the always entertaining Lew Bryson) comparing the beer business of today to the wine business of yesterday. It would be really amazing if, when Sadie is legal, the #1 selling type of beer in the US isn't light lager but pale ale, or even something else. Although, I would put money on Anheuser-Busch brewing it, whatever it is - they seem to be catching on to the craft thing in a big way (Michelob makes a great Hefeweizen), and the amount of money they can throw at it would be unbelievable. The only thing stopping them might be the inability to swallow their pride and have Bud no longer be their flagship beer.

Blue Steel

...is what I like to call this look:

This is what happens when people take your picture without telling you as you stare into the sun. It is from our lab retreat on Squam Lake, and was taken by Franck Mennechet, a member of my lab.

More France Pics

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but here are a few more pics I took while in France:

The Institut Pasteur. Louis Pasteur is actually interred in a tomb below this building. The tomb is very elaborate; the entire ceiling is a tile mosaic depicting Pasteur's achievements - studies on the fermentation of beer, the spoilage of wine, the rabies vaccine, an anthrax vaccine. Also in his tomb is his plaster death mask...that's got to be my favorite 19th century tradition.

A sculpture on the grounds depicting the boy that was the first person successfully vaccinated for Rabies.

This is the Tour Montparnasse, which is the tallest building in Paris. (The Eiffel Tower counts as a structure, technically).

It is a little known fact that there is a small branch of the casino in Paris.

Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley. This was a summer home for French Royalty. Now it is a tourist trap (but a pretty nice one).

The gardens on the grounds of the Château.

Well, that's it, I'll try to get back to posting on a more regular basis, because I know you are all dying to hear from me.