Skamania County Fair

"The Gorge" is what is referred to as the scenic Columbia River Valley stretching east and west from Idaho across the borders that separate eastern Washington and eastern Oregon on either side of the Columbia River. It is one beautiful piece of country!

Skamania County, where the fair was located, is a portion of the Gorge on the Washington side. They have a "real" country fair in August -- this year was their 99th one! No big commercial booths to take away from the flair of a small town atmosphere. There was free admission and also, a free bus to Skamania that cames to Vancouver to pick up people for the fair and of course, return us back home! The only thing it cost me was time and lunch money. I had both. I only had 2 and half hours at the fair tho but it was enough to get a taste of this small town celebration.

Traveling to the fair, I just sat back and enjoyed the beauty that God provided in the Gorge --I decided I would try to take some photos through the bus window on the way back home. The bus dropped us off at the gate to the fair and continued it's travels to the end of the route.


This is the first scene I saw as I stepped off the bus:

The first area I came to had a children's petting and feeding animals section. The donkey was sure cute

but the poor tortoise was trying to escape constantly -- I think it was too hot for it and wanted some water! It tried to fit through the bars but was too big of course; then it tried to dig a tunnel to go underneath but was also unsuccessful. I felt so sorry for it.

There was the usual kid's art entries and a section for adults also but this was my favorite one. The lady who painted the leaves was there and actually answered my query as to how she did it. She said she gathered some colorful leaves and then tossed them in the air a few times until she got the arrangement she wanted to paint! I loved it! I voted for her entry for the People's Choice Award.

There were numerous quilts but I only photographed a couple. . .the one with the jars of canned veggies and fruit was unique to me. . . I understand you can buy the printed jar material and then you just piece it together. I saw one recently at the Farmers' Market.

The baby quilt was precious and as you can see it won a ribbon. It was so delicate and pretty and I am sure it was a lot of work!

I don't remember who the entertainers were but they were local people who got together for the event. They did mention that some of the musicians also played with other bands. It was a nice variety and I hadn't seen an accordian in awhile.

I did go look at the small animal barn before my time was up. The funniest thing I saw there was two turkeys that the same child was raising. One was called "Thanksgiving" and the other. . . you guessed it. . . "Christmas!" Proof in the signs. . . the turkeys were hiding and who could blame them, knowing they would both be dinner soon.


Most were in cages and it was hard to get good photos of them but here are a few of the animals from this barn:
These were two white turkeys:

These are other birds and one rabbit I saw in the small animal barn:





Winchester, the bunny was being elusive but I sneaked around the other side of the cage and got his picture anyway!


I guess I wasn't there at the right time to see or participate in any of the Timber Carnival events. . . looked interesting tho.

In another blog, I will show some photos for the reason WHY I didn't get to the big animal barn before it was time for the bus to leave the fair. . .I had to make a choice and I think I chose well.

Of course I had to buy some food at the fair and besides Kettle Corn, I had a snow cone and teriyaki steak on a stick. not in that order!

What a nice surprise!

NICE MATTERS AWARD
"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."

JennyMCB over at J's Thoughts and Musings presented me with this "NICE MATTERS AWARD" recently. It was very generous of her to include me. I would present it to her if she hadn't already received it too! Jenny introduced me to this blog site before Google bought it and at first it was hard to write my thought down in it although I love to write. Now that I am retired and have more time, I am enjoying it thoroughly. Some days I like to write without a theme so I haven't joined but one blog interest group and that is PHOTO HUNTERS HOME which I think Jenny brought to my attention also.

Sooooooo even tho she already has the award from another blogger, my first choice to award it to would be JennyMCB. . .

Chloe, over at CHLOE KNITS is the next recipient of my "NICE MATTERS AWARD". She and her hubby are restoring a hotel to eventually live in and they have salvaged and restored many a furnishings for it and shared its progress with all who wanted to listen and look. I hope to visit it one day. Chloe taught many years in the public schools and now teaches men in a prison. You have to be a great teacher to be able to handle those guys! She always has great ideas and shares them freely. I understand she knits a mile a minute. Over at Tnet, we submitted many recipes and she collected them all and saved for retrieval later.

Kim/K/Ca over at LowDawgsLowDown is my next recipient of the NICE MATTERS AWARD. I have known her for years overat Tnet as a Kindergarten educator and full of wonderful ideas but I didn't know she was such a prolific writer ((of essays that hold your interest and make you smile) until she started blogging and sharing her writings. Teaching Kindergarten is a big challenge and she also teaches a college course. Between her hikes and adventures with her array of dogs, there is never a dull moment at her home or on the trails. I love reading her blog!

Julie/VA, another blogger, gets my vote for this NICE MATTERS AWARD also. She has several blogs but I mostly go to her gardening one at IN MY MEADOW . I know her from Tnet also. She is a photo enthusiast, like me and has shared many neat photos on her blog and at Tnet. She has helped me identify some flowers/plants that I photographed.

Jennyi, another photo friend and Tnet poster is my next recipientof the NICE MATTERS AWARD. She has signed up for a blog but has yet to develop it. She is registered at: http://www.blogger.com/profile/08327457955719610357--(Judy's Google Blog) . Now that she has retired from teaching, I might be able to persuade her to blog about her photos there also. I know she would love PHOTO HUNTERS! She and her hubby live in Idaho and are avid camera buffs. She has been a big source of encouragement to me while I was learning to use my digital camera and has also helped me in some personal ways. She and her hubby live in Idaho and I am a little partial to them because I was born (and lived half my life) in Idaho also. I haven't had the opportunity to meet her yet but . . . maybe one day in our travels. ADDENDUM: Judy's blog has a beginning! I am so excited she decided to share her photos with the blogging world. You can find her here: Just Jennyi

The 6th award for my NICE MATTERS AWARD goes to the men and women around the world who blog for PHOTO HUNTERS each Saturday. We all follow a weedkly theme and try to find at least one photo we have taken of the theme . Then we visit each others blogs and leave a comment. There are over 200 that belong to this group now so sometimes it is a real challenge to visit all each week but I sure try. I really appreciate those who visit my weekly entries and leave a comment. I should give a shout out especially to TnChick who started it all.

Last but not least, my 7th recipient for the NICE MATTERS AWARD is my friend, Donna over at RUBY SLIPPERS STAMPIN' . She is the one who got me started stampin' cards three years ago. Not only did she share ideas with me but she sent me supplies to get started along with many sample ideas. I already had several of her cards from our friendship from Tnet. She has a stampin' friend that also shared some stamps and supplies with me to get started with this wonderful hobby. She teaches at a Juvenile Prison school in Walla Walla year round and still takes time to stamp besides a myriad of other interests. She started another blog on Yahoo 360 , as did I, but has recently joined us at Google.

Well, there it is. . . and I thought it was going to be sooooooooo hard to find that many NICE people for this.

PHOTO HUNTERS #11 --TWO

PHOTO HUNTERS HOME

This week, I am late because I have been moving to my new apartment but I am finally here. I have several things to share for "two."

First of all, I have this photo of my twin and I at 5 years of age because we are two! Ü


The second one I have for this theme of two is an old photo I took of two ducks and reflections in a small pond alongside a hiking trail on the Padden Parkway, here in Vancouver.



Lastly, well, I have two that are sorta the same theme. . .one is a bicycle rack -- it has 2 posts, , 2 horizontal bars, 2 circles, 2 base plates, two bicycle wheels and 2 shadows!


And last but not least, another style of our bicycle racks -- this one is TWO because it is a bike rack and it's shadow, making TWO.

Wonder webs on a wet day. . .

I had a doctor appointment last week and arrived extra early so decided to walk down the block and see if I could get any neat photos of flowers. Instead I found spider webs all over the plants with raindrops on them! This is what I saw -- click on individual photos to see bigger images.

PHOTO HUNTERS #10 "In a row"

PHOTO HUNTERS HOME


I was walking home from the bus stop after seeing "The Coats" at the concert in the park evening when I saw this cute line (IN A ROW) of onesies for a baby shower. . .




These birds are definitely IN A ROW on the street lamp.



I took these stools to preschool to use in centers at a table and the kids hauled them out to read books IN A ROW!



Three electrical lines with birds IN ROWS on them this time!



I walk past this yard with the newly installed fence when I walk to the bus stop. Those pickets are definitely IN A ROW.

Sunflowers

I love the variety!

I walked to a different bus stop today and while waiting for the bus, I glanced down a side street and discovered many sunflowers all over the side and front of one yard. These are a few of them:

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Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.

Myrl's birthday celebration

Today is Myrl's birthday. She is a dear friend of mine from church. She had a stroke. She is back living in her own home with a caregiver in residence. She has one foot and one hand that "don't work" any longer so she uses a wheel chair. I wish she could use one of those power ones but she can't because of her arm and leg, I was told.

Every year near her birthday, her family gathers from corners around the US and celebrate with a reunion weekend at a park in the north county. She will get to go to this too. She doesn't speak much but recognizes all and smiles and through her touch, you know she understands and is glad to see you.

When I went to visit her and took my card, several family members were there also. Others were coming in that night from California and Missouri. Her newest great grandson was there. He is a little cutie and 6 months old.

I told Myrl that my card for her didn't have an envelope because it was too big and wouldn't fit in one! I helped her see each panel and she read and read it. . . I know she enjoyed my efforts.

She is doing so much better than 6 months ago. If she could talk and walk freely, she would be the same ole Myrl that was my special friend. Instead, her smile makes me remember all the love that she has shared in her life -- especially the last 22 years I have known her. Yes, Myrl is still the wonderful friend I met so long ago. She just needs a little help now and it is time that we all remember to give back to her what she so generously gave to us without expecting anything in return.

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAT, MYRL and may you have many more celebrations of your birth so you can bring joy in the lives of others as you have done before. Hopefully, you know that joy from us also.