WHAT BETTER PLACE to spend America's birthday than America's Cave? You may remember, from my last missive, that I had been dreaming about a cave (or, rather, a "hole") that would fit me especially. I didn't find that cave, but I did go to a cave. America's Cave. It was very cool. Temperature-wise, and experience-wise.

America's Cave, which is better known as Meramec Caverns, is a short drive from St. Louis, where we spent the 4th of July weekend. When we got to St. Louis it was approximately one bajillion degrees and humid as heck. So I lobbied hard for going to a cave. A cave is never more than 50 or 60 degrees. I was definitely the most excited person in our family to go to a cave.

Our guide was a young, matter-of-fact woman who told us many interesting facts about the cave as well as how to remember the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite (a stalactite stays "tight" to the ceiling).

Here are some facts we learned:

1. Meramec Caverns is part of a seventeen-mile network of underground caves. (Apparently there are more caves in Missouri than any other state.)
2. The cave had once served as a hideout to Jesse James, as well as countless bootleggers making moonshine.
3. Union soldiers used the cave during the Civil War until Confederate soldiers kicked them out, because the cave contained an abundance of saltpeter, or potassium nitrate, which is used to make gunpowder.
4. Saltpeter is made of bat guano.
5. We did not see any bats in the cave, because bats are shy.
6. People used to party in the cave by driving into it and leaving their cars on so their headlights could provide illumination until they realized that the carbon monoxide was perhaps slowly killing them.
7. They filmed a scene for the movie version of Tom Sawyer in that cave—specifically the scene where Injun Joe falls to his death from a cliff into the river.
8. They also filmed a scene for the television show Lassie.
9. The cave periodically floods, severely in 2017 and most recently on July 1, just a few days before our visit.
10. The cave is almost certainly, actually most definitely haunted (says our guide, who was clearly terrified of the cave and mentioned how terrifying it was a number of times).

When we got to the "Theater Room," where a truly spectacular geological formation ripples across one wall in a manner that, yes, resembles a stage curtain, we all sat down on bleachers which had been installed for people to sit on. We then watched a video that included scenes of happy families holding hands or running across fields interspersed with shots of a waving American flag while a soprano sang "God Bless America." We may have been underground, but we were still in Missouri, and damned if we were ever to forget it.

Three Things That Kept Me Going This Month

1. I seem to be drawn to British authors lately, particularly if they are writing about women of a certain age. Tessa Hadley's Free Love ostensibly is about a May-December romance between an older married woman and young man, but it unfolds into a study of intergenerational conflict during the 60s, and how hearts can still be broken even when love is "free." The period details alone make it worth reading. I have been a Hadley fan since reading "Funny Little Snake" in the New Yorker in 2017, one of the best short stories I've ever read.
2. I have long been flummoxed by the NYT's coverage of trans rights (Are the gays really to blame for everything that's going wrong right now? Is support for the conservative right surging because pronouns?). Though I'm not an avid fan of the podcast A Bit Fruity, the most recent episode features an excellent interview with trans-activist Chase Strangio. Strangio dismantles the troubling arguments made by the Times in the gentlest, clearest way possible. Trans rights are human rights, period, full stop.
3. I was floored when I read that a Chicago teenager taught algebra and chemistry to her classmates at Clemente High School after the teachers of these subjects left and were never replaced. I was very happy to read that this same teenager is now headed to Northwestern, which offered her a hefty scholarship.

Plus a bundle of social experiences: Seeing (and touching!) Natalie Clark's beautiful textile piece at the Peggy Noetebaert Nature Museum with my mom; taking sewing classes with Michaela; drinking wine in our backyard with Bianca and Chad and marveling at all the fireflies. (So many fireflies this year!)

Bonus thing: Greek Frappes. I use an electric milk frother to make mine and they are delicious.

This Month in Mushroom News

From the "didn't they already make a movie about this?" files: "An Australian woman is found guilty of murdering her in-laws by toxic mushrooms." This story made me lose my appetite for Beef Wellington, not that I had much of one to begin with.

PSA:

I am finding it harder than ever to keep Mushroom Head going right now. We have had a number of out-of-town visitors, both friends and family, and it's been wonderful. But in order to maintain my sanity and also ensure that I spend as much time with the people I love as possible, which I need to do now more than ever, I will have to take a short break from content generation. I will be back sometime in early September with more content derived from my life and the things I consume—and I sincerely, truly hope that you'll stay with me to read it. As always, please let me know how you are doing. Is your summer equally crazy? Also fun, I hope? Do let me know.

Last but not least:

Special thanks to Marnie Galloway, an extraordinary artist-writer, from whom I got the idea to visit Meramec Caverns in the first place.