First, you should know that Tom never celebrated his own birthday, but that of his heroine, Emma Goldman, the great, early feminist free-thinker and editor of Mother Earth magazine.  At Emma (and Tom's) party, men wore white shirts and black pants. Women wore off-the-shoulder blouses.  Bochi Ball was played with fierce competition and dinner was served under an old Elm tree.  All this in the middle of Kansas!

Once, Tom took a class in driving a team of horses.  Just for the absolute fun of it!  He passed the test by driving those big old Percherons right through the car wash!  The he bought the heavy harnesses, took them home and hung them in the barn, just to remind himself that he had done it.  That's Tom!

And third: Tom and Barbara, were the most beloved, the absolute center of our community, our lives, in Matfield Green.  Tom and Barbara's door was always open to students, returning students, scientists, children, Wes Jackson of The Land Institute and the famous poet from Kentucky, Wendell Barry.  (Some of this love-fest, however, had to be attributed to Barbara's famous macaroni and cheese.)

 But, the first time I met Tom, Barbara was still in Colorado.  Tom was working for The Land Institute, contracted to restore several older houses for the conferences and meeting to come.  One day Tom came in from the bitter cold to have lunch with his crew.  It was February and we women were making valentines for our sweetherts while the soup simmered.  Tom saw what we were doing, pulled off his stiff gloves, sat down without a word, and with frozen fingers, picked up the sissors and carefully cut out a big, beautiful red heart for Barbara, HIS sweetheart back home!  It was at this moment that I fell in love with Tom Armstrong, myself.