Magic Realism, Forensic Medicine and Dickens...

Five days with friends brings on a variety of experiences.   First the plays:   We saw "Winters Tale" on Thursday night, then Dickens' "Great Expectations" yesterday afternoon.  It began slowly, but built to its dramatic end with the the fall of Pip and death of Magwitch, his transportee-benefactor.  Love, anger and deceit in it, of course.   Then last night a magic realism play, "River Bride" about a dolphin in the Amazon who has three days to be turned into a man to find true love and spend the rest of his life with her.   A sad play where he doesn't find true love and is forced back into the water.  Much like the work of Gabriel Garcia-Marques.

The meals:  Dinner last night at Harvey's Place.  Ben had scallops, John a fine meat loaf--this, of course, was after lunch at the Stone Standing Brewery of cobb and caesar salads and local pale ale.  We had dined the previous night at Amuse, a long-time favorite in their garden.  The wines  last night were Irvine, a local Rogue Valley chardonnay, and  Rex Hill pinot noir from the Willamette Valley   

 We spent yesterday morning at the National Wildlife and Fisheries Service Forensic Labs, the only one of its kind in the world.   We learned about various endangered species and the development of evidence to stop trade in it.   The lab works with countries all over the world to stop the trade.   We handled pieces of ivory, horn and wood, and even bottles of DNA used to identify species.  Fascinating stuff.   The DNA Ben is holding is a huge amount even though it is a tiny test tube.  We got the invitation to go to this center that does not offer tours by serendipity.  Our host, Peter, sat next to the director on his flight to Medford (nearest airport) from San Francisco.

Lastly, we had lunch with the wig-maker for the OSF,Cherrell Guyton.  A delightful woman who, after a career  in banking, moved here three years ago from the bosom of her South Carolina family to this city where there is significant racism and no support mechanisms for African-Americans.   We are going to a conference on the issue this morning.

So, we aren't stopping to smell the roses, they seem to be coming our way.  Today we see "Twelfth Night" and a technical rehearsal of "Richard II," with OSF executive director, Bill Rauch.  It opens after we leave.