Mount St. Francis annual picnic

I have no photos, but a couple of comments about this year's Mt. St. Francis picnic, which, because I used to participate in Art in Speed Park on the same weekend, I have missed for the past many years. The food is the thing at this annual picnic near our home. First - I won a cake and a basket of fruit! Hurray for me. Second, they added a silent auction this year and I saw but didn't bid on a beautifully constructed nightstand stained in wild berry made by the wonderful carpenter who remodeled my kitchen, Andy Gawlak of LaGrange, KY. That was a nice surprise to see. Third, after making small talk with us for a few minutes one of the monks told Steve and I that we looked happily married. Last, I acted as waitress for a man and gave him correct change for his hundred dollar bill and got the first tip of my lifetime - $2. for a $3 cup of beverage. Hurray for me, ha ha! (I was just being a 'nice guy'. I've never been a waitress in my life unless you count putting dinner on the table for my family every night for many, many years.) We had fun, and the country style food was fantastic. The weather was perfect!

Before that I made a mid-day run to Louisville artist Gaye Medbury's studio sale - open only to friends and friends of friends. I took home a sack full of loot and memories for another year. Gotta love Gaye, a fabulously creative woman who lives her artistic life every day. Enjoyed as well seeing Pat of the Artkerfuffle blog, a friend I see much too seldom. Gaye's home is so wonderfully unique I have nominated it for home of the week for the local newspaper's fashion section.

Tomorrow I will visit and most likely spend some cash at the annual Art in Speed Park art fair in Speed, IN. Kim Johnson and her team have juried many fine artists to participate and I am anxious to see all of them...many friends from years past, and many new ones I'm sure. This show is a little jewel with fine juried artists and craftsmen of a high caliber. I will participate again next year - just far too busy this year to manage to create any new work...I have a year to work toward having a full booth next year. And I bought cool stuff at Gaye's that I will incorporate into some new pieces...creative juices are flowing. It is fun to be around creative people! Even more fun when they are also friends.

"Maxi is Growing" and 2009 KY State Fair photos

Maxi-million is growing. He's losing the puppy look and today I notice that both of his ears are standing at point (one used to flop over like in this shot from a week ago.)


My bougainvilla - memories of Spain for me - is doing beautifully, isn't it!



Steve and I had fun at the fair. First off, we headed for our annual corndog. Slathered with catsup, yum-yum! We passed up the livestock this year, something unheard of in years past. Then we walked the midway as in our young days, then looked at the art exhibits (I hadn't entered anything this year, but I can still say unequivocally that I wouldn't have judged many categories the same way.) After that we gave a quick run through the commercial exhibits - not stopping until I ran down my favorite fudge...and since Sunday I have systematically, piece-by-piece, eaten the whole pound minus one piece of chocolate pecan fudge from Hodson Farms. It's so much better than the other vendor's...firmer and more like the Hershey cocoa fudge my daddy used to make. There is very little left. It will be gone by tonight. Hurray for me. I'm really good at that! I could take a blue ribbon in fudge eating probably. And after I kill the last piece I will be green and won't want another bite until next year's fair. And then we headed home...and the traffic wasn't nearly as bad as on the way in.

Here are a few sights from the midway, beginning with the living statue. I saw my first one of these on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, and another in the celebrating crowd at the Running of the Bulls. The Spanish ones were gray rather than white. This one must be marble.




I believe this little tot could have won "Best Dressed" at the fair. How cute is this little blondie? (She reminds me of my niece Natalie when she was that age.)


After I took the second of these two photos, Steve asked, "What is it with you and these toothless guys?" LOL - I said I was just trying to capture typical fair images.



Last but not least is this budding photography winner. We both liked the blue cat she had in her viewfinder. I liked her intent pursuit of the perfect photo even better.


And then we went home. 2009 KY State Fair runs through Sunday, but it's now over for me. Big weekend coming up too. ART in SPEED PARK Saturday & Sunday, Mt. St. Francis annual picnic - hello chicken and dumplings! - and Gaye's art yard sale where I will snatch up too-good-to-be-missed bargains of things I don't need but can't live without. You know, what other people would call 'junk'. Looking forward to all of it!

Goodbye to What's His Name

A couple of weeks ago we bid farewell to our friend, Barry. Here are some photos from lunch, beginning with the posse.


Catherine, Nate and Angie -


Ify, Elizabeth and Erica -


Jick, Sam, Laura and a bit of Barry -


Barry, Tie wearer, Kendra -


And here is the entire group - photo courtesy of our waiter at Pesto's. [December 2009 notation: I'd have to remove photo and alter it to remove the photo of one of my 5 least favorite people in the world, but I can easily add this note...if it were in the dictionary, your picture would illustrate 'jick'!]

Here are a few snapshots from an after work get-together beginning with Mac's mugging face that looks rather sad to say goodbye.


Diane and Mark -


Newly engaged, Scott and Rachel -


Rob with LC -


Sam and Rob -


Angie and Mac - not looking like they're in a happy place.


Happier Angie.


Anonymous.


Things get rough when people are forced to wear neckties...a tribute to Barry who wore a necktie almost every day at work - until his Hawaiian shirt day!


He's Happy Now!


Marie and Elizabeth - You are going to miss this bunch!


Elizabeth and Diane -


Goodbye from Nate.

Here's Lookin at You, Kid! (Barry with Catherine)

Neighborhood excitement 2am

The fire engines didn't wake me up, but the idiot neighbor did at 2:10AM when he called to ask me if I have a dog - because though fire engines had waked him up, the dog was whining in the backyard. (I was sound asleep and didn't think to tell him that his truck wakes me every morning at 5 when he leaves for work. But NOW I have his phone number! Ha! Called him at 3 to see if he was okay.) I also have a headache that won't quit, which is why being waked up is bugging me so much. That was the first respite from the headache I've had for two days.


Here is a snap of a couple of the fire engines that came in response to the fire across the street, and one of our new pup Maximillion...so named because Steve says he'll be a million dollars worth of trouble. I said his name should be Lotto, because in finding soft-touch Steve, he'd won the lottery.