At Patterdale Hall, the work never ends for village residents Chris Wyatt and his wife Karen Russell. (Submitted photo)
The Patterdale Hall Diaries | In the morning light
- Published: December 7, 2025
By Chris Wyatt
Oct. 24, 2025
We have had two days of ground frosts, and all the crops are in.
Well, except for the loofahs. We had no idea just how long it takes for loofahs to ripen and so put them in way too late. They have got to an appropriate size — they’re massive — but remain a healthy dark green. They need to turn the color of an over-ripe banana before we can turn them into bathroom exfoliating scrubbers. Still, we’ll find out whether they are frost resistant soon enough.
It’s early, about 7 a.m., and I’m heading to work to grab and grade cardiovascular physiology exams. Once that’s done, I’ll check on Karen. She is out at the Hall and seems to be having a great time. The fire has been lit two days running and The Hall is cosy. Bob went out and joined her last night. He is reading Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel at the moment, so it is probably best that he is far away from me. I find philosophical conversations with Bob difficult, as I really don’t care about the topics. Karen just tells him to shut up.
I came second in the people’s choice award at the chili cook-off. Not bad given how spicy I made it.
Nov. 1, 2025
Adventure time. Today is a celebration for my friend Robb’s 60th birthday, and his closest friends have organized a roast for him. Robb is a playwright and an actor, and a surprise gathering has been arranged for him at the Dayton Theatrical Guild.
I am currently seated in Branch and Bone Brewery putting the finishing touches to a short monologue that details how Karen and I first met him. It is, of course, all lies. It should make people laugh though, as it is rude and irreverent. However, you never know, people may be aghast at my affrontery — this is the Midwest after all.
Nah, it’s funny and thankfully short. I’ll be done in less than five minutes.
Nov. 2, 2025
An epiphany is a manifestation of the divine. I think these happen every day, all the time. People are sleepwalking through life; we do not register the things around us. I relish the sunrise and I adore the summer rain.
Many of my epiphanies have occurred while immersed in watching live music. I saw Jeff Buckley back in ’94 and I have seen Mogwai many times. Mind blown. However, most of my epiphanies have come from learning something new. Something small and simple. Something that might help us.
We are surrounded by a maelstrom of noise and I’m glad I have the age and ability to filter and critique. I still need to retreat to Patterdale Hall where my epiphanies will be regarding the lifecycle of moles, rather than the quantity of hate that can be held in a human heart.
With that said, I had an epiphany yesterday. I saw a group of friends come together to celebrate the birthday of somebody they loved. They gathered and they loved that person in a way that they knew would delight him. It was beautiful and very, very funny. Community touching and lifting each other is an epiphany in and of itself.
Mind you, I had an epiphany the first time I saw Chappell Roan sing “Good Luck Babe,” so maybe my epiphany threshold is quite low. If you see me wandering around Yellow Springs with a beatific expression on my face, I may simply have epiphanied — give me some space.
Nov. 12, 2025
No updates for a while. I have been in a work hole with four classes simultaneously. Karen has now moved out to Patterdale Hall and is essentially living there full time. She is happy as a clam, and the great room is now a crafter’s paradise. She is surrounded by threads and fabric, and I will bring her food and split wood for her. I have never seen her happier.
I’m happy as can be at home, cooking for the boys and popping out to split wood for her. She really does need to learn how to use an axe though, it’s not hard and the wood we currently have splits easily. When the deep cold hits I’ll bring down some leggy walnut trees and cut back the apple tree. This will be wood for next year’s winter; it is too wet now.
I thought I might miss Karen as she is now out at the Hall, but I see her twice a day usually, and she has a phone now so she can contact me any time. She is so happy; we did the right thing.
Nov. 13, 2025
A crystal morning: cold with clear skies.
Archie has been walked and coffee has been drunk. I shall pop out to the Hall in a moment and deliver a phone charger to Karen. There is little point in her having a phone if its battery is dead.
Then a morning of meetings with students and an afternoon of lecture design. I’m going to take the immunology out of a class and replace it with autonomic physiology and pharmacology. The autonomic stuff is more my wheelhouse and will certainly prepare students better for medical school.
*Originally from Manchester, England, Chris Wyatt is an associate professor of neuroscience, cell biology and physiology at Wright State University. He has lived in Yellow Springs for 17 years, is married and has two children and an insane Patterdale terrier. “The Patterdale Hall Diaries,” by Chris Wyatt, is now available in book format via Amazon for $11.99.
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