Yes, it’s a funny little potion, Felix Felicis,” said Slughorn. “Desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavors tend to succeed… at least until the effects wear off.”
“Why don’t people drink it all the time, sir?” said Terry Boot eagerly.
“Because if taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence,” said Slughorn. “Too much of a good thing, you know… highly toxic in large quantities. But taken sparingly, and very occasionally…”
“Have you ever taken it, sir?” asked Michael Corner with great interest.
“Twice in my life,” said Slughorn. “Once when I was twenty-four, once when I was fifty-seven. Two tablespoonfuls taken with breakfast. Two perfect days.”He gazed dreamily into the distance. Whether he was playacting or not, thought Harry, the effect was good. - JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Johnny Carson used to have a a dream that he was flying over Los Angeles after particularly good shows. As far as I know, my health is fine, so quoting Lou Gehrig's retirement speech might appear strange. But, it's one of those quotes that swims to the surface when I'm having a good day. My girls' cross country team qualified for the state finals last fall: There was Lou. My son and I climbed the bell towers of Notre Dame and photographed the gargoyles up close: Lou.
The world of oxen also produces "Lou worthy" days for me, with surprising frequency. I am (slowly) collecting interviews with teamsters for a book project, and they always make me think of Lou. A dozen master teamsters or more have gifted me with their time and expertise. Each time, I feel like I've gotten to witness something special and nothing but dumb luck made it happen.
This week, I fell into yet another Lou day. Tillers International was hosting the Farming with Horses and Oxen class and I was helping out for a day, mid-week. While it hasn't rained yet this week, the oppressive heat of Monday shifted to an 80 degree day with blue skies, wispy clouds and low humidity. A scone and a good cup of coffee (possibly unwittingly spiked with Felix Felicis?) on the way and I arrived before 9:00 AM.
At this point, I'll just list the Lou moments. Narrating fully would just be bragging.
- A nice chat with various Tillers' staff as I went looking for the class.
- A visit in the Draft Animal Barn while the horses were harnessed.
- An hour spent Yoking Blue and cultivating the corn while the horses clipped a pasture across the lane.
- A visit with the Wengerd kids, Brian and James, who had ridden up from Pioneer Equipment in Ohio for the day, and were on their way to go fishing in the stream.
- An introduction to Claude, who was there from Cameroon, in Central Africa, to see animal-powered farming with the hope of returning with new ideas for crop production.
- A fencerow visit with Duane Westrate, Elise and Domenico Musumeci while watching the horses work.
- A smashed hand when the wrench slipped while trying to remove a broken seat from the mower (this is included because the list is starting to sound like an overblown travel brochure and to prove that I didn't take Felix Felicis- an illegal potion in the magical world)
- Lunch
- A couple of hours spent trying out a new set of finger weeders on the Pioneer Homesteader.
- A chance to see Richard Roosenberg driving the oxen while cultivating, always a clinic in an effective, minimalist approach.
- A walk up to the Spring Hill barn with Chris- a student in the class who practices living history near Dayton, Ohio- driving the yearling steers.
- An interview with Elise and Domenico about the Jourdant, a French, vineyard plow they are testing.
Lucky. Where have you been lucky with oxen?
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