A DAY AT THE COUNTY FAIR

This Osprey nest has been in the parking lot at the Fair Grounds since the first fair. They don't seem to mind all the noise and people around them.

The entrance to the Fair is cluttered with the local TV satellite truck.

Quilting displays are a large part of the craft area as the Sisters Quilt show has generated a lot of interest in quilting in the area.

This is Kendell Johnson my neighbor boy. Giving instructions to a competitor on how to show her rabbits. Kendell won first (again) showing his rabbits.

This is something Mary and I should try. At least we would stay dry.

A family tradition at the fair. Eating hand dipped "corn dogs". This was Gloria's favorite thing to do at the fair.

I am getting finale instructions (or last rights) before attempting to ride the bull. I am trying to become "country".

Not too shabby for a fat old man.

A perfect dismount after a wild if stationary ride on the bull. The guys let me fake the ride at no charge. Had you going didn't I?

This young lady won with her pig and will auction it off at the end of the fair. Her family are friends of Rick and Ali.

Rick took mercy on this cow. She was trying to eat the hay that was on the near side of the bars. Her head would get stuck and she had eaten the bail down so far she couldn't get an more. When we left her she started mooing for him to come back and give her more hay.

The All Alaskan Pig race. When they blow the trumpet (just like at a horse race) these pig run to the starting gate to run around the track jumping hurdles. It a lot of fun to watch.

This is another tradition. Rick likes to "dunk the cheer leaders" he dumped this poor girl three times. Should have been four but the trigger malfunctioned and he missed with the extra ball.

At the end of the day Ali had to take a rest. I didn't stay to see if she bought the bed. It was a great day at the fair. (again)

View from my wind shield, Bed delivery, Bike race

I am now parked at the Bend Elks lodge. Not as nice a park as in Westminster CO. But a much better view. This is the sunset I had the other day. It was beautiful. Sunsets are one of my favorite subjects to photograph. Always changing.

A close up of the Middle and South sister as seen from my front room.

Next time I stay here I will move one site too the North and have a better view of the Mountains.

On Sunday I went with Rick and Ali to deliver Grandmas antique Brass bed to Carla. As you can see she was very happy to have it. (now all she has to do is polish it)

After delivering the bed we walked to the Saturday market in Portland. Note, not many men.

Saturday Rick, Ali, Ken and I attended the bike race in down town Bend This is the start of the womens race. Must have been fifty or sixty racers going at thirty, thirty five miles an hour on the city streets.

They really get bunched up in the curves and that is why we always set in front of Goody's Ice cream parlor. To see the crashes on that corner. (not to have the best Carmel Corn and Ice cream and candy in the world)

Bike racing is a painful thing. These two ladies got tangled on the curve and crashed and burned.

In this photo you can see the lady on the right has a bunged up right arm and a lot of blood on her face. She did walk away from it but was out of the race as her bike was damaged also.

Sun Valley for Renee's Birthday

Went to Sun Valley to join Renee my youngest daughter and her daughter Carla for Renee's birthday. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the birthday girl but did find this. I have many photos of her with others but this the only one I have of her alone.

We went to the Sun Valley Lodge for an excellent dinner paid for by Carla. We were seated in the center of the dinning room near the piano bar.

We had Escargot for an appetizer. Carla was very excited to try it. (as you can see) She did eat her share of two. We also had stuffed squash blossoms, the were stuffed with cheese and baked.

Carla and I had stuffed chicken breast, stuffed with cheese and basted with a red sauce. Very good.

Renee had "giant"Scallops in butter. Every this was delouses, served perfectly and we were well watered as the buss boy hovered around our table. Making sure Carla didn't run out of water.

They were giving Fly fishing lessons on the lawn in front of the dinning area.
After dinner we attended a "Glen Miller" touring orchestra concert. It brought back a lot of memories.

The next day we went to the Sun Valley Gun club to shoot Trap. Carla wants to learn how to shoot. Has expressed an interest in deer hunting also. We had an instructor to show her how to hold her gun.

When we weren't shooting they had us rest the barrel of the gun on the ground. (I had a problem with that)

I didn't shoot as well this year as I did last year. I only got eighteen out of twenty five where last year I got a respectable twenty one.

Carla didn't do as well either. But she has good form and with practice she will get better. She also wasn't really awake as it was 10:30 AM.

We had a good time and for dinner Renee brought crab and salad fixing so we could have Crab Louise for dinner and Crab omelets for breakfast here this morning before they went home.
I am staying on for one more night and will head back to Bend in the morning so I can go to the bike races Saterday with Rick and Ali.

My day with the girls

My last day in Colorado Mary invited me to join her and her daughter and sister for brunch in Golden. It was a fun day with three women. After eating we went window shopping in several stores in old town. Denise bought some things for her children. We then went to a bar that was a family favorite. Mary didn't have anything to drink but the rest of us had a beer (at 11. AM ?) A first for me. I didn't take my camera but Denise was kind enough to send me these.
After seeing this one of Mary and I. I think I might stop wearing shorts. My legs are a mess.

These are the three girls I spent the day with Denise, Rita and Mary. After shopping we returned to Rita's home for good buys as Denise, Mary and I were all leaving Colorado.

I hope I don't see Rita for a while. At least until she for gets I posted this photo. She doesn't like to have her picture taken.

Rocky Mt. Park with Steve's family,

On the seventeenth Steve and his family gave me a tour of Rocky MT National Park. The first stop was Grand Lake a small tourist trap no the West end of the Park. The streets are lined with all kinds of shops selling things you don't really need. But it was really bussling.

They even have wild life on the streets. These swallow chicks are about to leave the nest.

More wild life.

The lake is very popular boating destination.

Tow of my companions for the day. Kris and Delaney in front of an information sign.

Steve and I at the entrance to the park.

Kris fixed a large traditional picnic lunch. Chicken (Cost co) and pasta salad and brownies. We eat near the head waters of the Colorado River.

The head of the Colorado River.

Looking down into a large valley on the Colorado. Note all the bug killed Lodge Poll Pine. Bark Beatles are building a huge fire hazard in the Park.

This center is on a ridge top at 11,000+ Ft. It wasn't too windy up there as it can be at times.

This is from the Visitor Center looking down the Colorado drainage.

The Elk were all far away from the roads today. We did see this small group of bulls from the Visitor Center.

We saw lots of wild flowers on this trip. I don't know any of their names but the are very pretty.

These are daisy looking flowers but only about six inches tall.

There were more of these than any other flower.

These flowers were more brilliant colored than all the rest but there weren't many of them.
It was a fun day. That ended in Estes Park where Delaney bought some (salt water taffy?) that far from New Port.