I read a notice in our little weekly newspaper the other day about an upcoming presentation at Rainwater Observatory in nearby French Camp, Mississippi. “Sizing Up the Summer Skies” was to be presented by David Teske, “a recently happily retired science teacher.” The notice suggested that we might want to arrive in French Camp early and partake of the monthly “Steak Night” at The Council House Cafe.

Seriously? Who could pass that up?

And so… we all piled into the truck and drove down the Natchez Trace Parkway to French Camp where we enjoyed Steak Night at the Cafe. [Okay, okay. The J-Man stayed on the Farm to do some ethical business– and I had the chili– but forcryingoutloud, I’m trying to tell a story here.]

The steak was great (or so I’m told), the service was amazing, and what a place French Camp, home of French Camp Academy, is!

Of special note to those who love crappy old things is this: the Council House was built in 1820 by “Greenwood LeFlore, last chief of the Choctaw Indian Nation east of the Mississippi” making it (retrieve abacus… … … ) nearly 200 years old!

Following supper were 10-15 minutes of driving about French Camp admiring the village and Academy grounds. [Okay, okay. We didn’t know where the observatory was located– and I only had 3G– geeze, I’m trying to tell a story here.]

We asked a kid student of the Academy for directions. Go back. Turn right. Found it!

What an idyllic place on Earth ca., 2016! (That’s the moon up there.)

Teske’s talk highlighted distance. How far away are moons and planets and suns and stars from Earth (talk about geocentricity!)? “Sizing Up the Summer Skies.” Of course, on August 12, he talked about the Perseid meteor shower. And he took us on a tour of the August sky– pointing out landmark constellations and explaining how we should orient.

It was very much an audience participation presentation. There were about two dozen folks there, I’d say. (We recognized some from the Cafe.)

And along the way he talked about The Greeks and how they’d named the constellations– with no written language– and how they’d figured out– with no technology!– that the Earth was round, and how they had managed– with no modern technology whatsoever but I might add, a quite fundamental grasp of shadows and angles… .

Let me just say that there was some squirming in the seats occupied to my left and to my right. And we– Mr. Big Food, Daughter C, and I– were no longer sorry that the J-Man, a true Greek-o-phile if ever there was one, had stayed on the Farm.

On the other hand, he missed a good steak (or so I’m told).

All of this nitpicking aside, WE SAW FREAKING SATURN!!!!!!!!

They pulled the roof off of one of those buildings and exposed a telescope and invited each and every one of us to look into the Heavens. And we did! The children went to the front of the line on account of the fact that they were worried the heavens would pour down rain upon us! And we wanted to be sure the youngin’s had a chance to see.

It was the right thing to do. Always make is so that the youngin’s have a chance to see.

We’re getting a telescope.