Busy Sunday

Sunday we got up and all went to Muskegon, in two vehicles, for the 'Lakefront Spectacular'. The paper made it sound terrific.

We couldn't find it, the art & craft fair. We could find the lake front. We eventually saw a Fire Station and asked for directions. While we waited in the vehicles another pulled in and a lady got out. Just then a fireman came out pointing in the direction we should go. The lady asked the same question and he said, "Just follow them."

So off the three vehicle caravan went, blindly following the leader. Only the leader heard the directions. It was quite a ways that lead to a tent full of folks. I think we disturbed their Sunday service. We all backed out of the lot and drove around to the other side of the park

It wasn't as big as we expected. Nor was it as 'spectacular' as the paper made it sound.


These wooden roses were the most artful thing I saw there. They were made from wood shaving rolled up and dyed. Or dyed and rolled up. (Click on any picture to enlarge it)


Then we walked to the channel. There was a lot of boat traffic.


Then back to the house for lunch. Quaker like the girls made lunch on one side.


The guys waited on the other side.

The covey scattered like quail. Some went to the antique mall, some tried to recover. Roger and I went to the Grand Haven lakefront to take a walk. The weather was great again. We were both there to 'take a walk' so we didn't poke along.


The beach was lined with people.


As we walked out to the lighthouse the beach was loaded all the way out to the park we were at on Saturday.

As it turned out Roger had also wanted to take a walk. His company is sponsoring a wellness campaign and he is supposed to walk every day. We went around 10,500 steps. He now knows that he needs to start farther away to reach his 15,000 step goal. that is a big goal.

Labor Day In GRAND HAVEN, MI

Know by the Light that this IS Grand Haven.

The sky was sapphire, the sand was soft, the wind was west and the waves were warm.


Not my kite (yet). It looks like it would be a good traveler with no battens. It flew for hours. Many folks like to just run up a kite and anchor it while they are on the beach.


Some just sit to be irradiated. Some play in the lake. Some make shade. There are a lot of ice chests. It wouldn't surprise me if the commercial ice capitol of the world is Grand Haven, MI. Some set the baby in the sun. And the Grand Haven beach has 25 or more volley ball nets. Don't for a minute think that it was the Olympic mania or NBC's love of beach volley ball. This was happening before that.


Most of the courts were full of beautiful young people who appeared not to have feet. Yes, I said NO FEET. I took many more photos of folks buried to their ankles in the soft sand than I caught in stride showing their feet. But they all showed a lot of skin. I hope they were dipped in SPF 85.



This house is just across the street from the beach. A beautiful view of beautiful Lake Michigan. I wonder if they appreciate the setting as much as I think I would. Or do they grumble about the traffic, the hoards and the constant, consistent views.


But here sits the council of former 'beautiful people'. We sit in the shade (or the crazy ones in the sun) and converse about our kids, our grand kids and our health, diagnosis and prognosis. We are old and immobile, but enjoy the mix of views, opinions and counsel of friends. We don't get together as often as we did when we played a 'volley ball like' game in our youth. I need the balance brought, by good friends, to my cynicism.


The wind died down so that I set my kite loose to climb readily into the beautiful sky. And this blue sky is not aided by polarizing filter! It would have been nearly black with a filter.


As we left the beach we saw a wedding on the shore. Or perhaps just the photos were being taken there.

The remainder of the weekend was fun. I was too busy living it to take a lot of pictures.
Thanks to great friends I am renewed. Ready for another 50 days of work.

A Stay at Home Week-end

Saturday after I mowed the lawn I sat down to enjoy the pond. To my surprise we have a frog again. We had a large one and a medium one in the old pond. Alas they were disturbed when the pond was rebuilt and we haven't seen them since.

Now suddenly here is a medium sized frog in all his glory. Where has it been? Did it walk here or is there a frog bus? What ever! Here he is.



The plants are doing well. They are not all over the place and the pond is clean. Only clear the skimmer net every couple weeks and it is so easy now. It has experienced some evaporation in August. Not much rain in weeks now. I added a couple of inches a couple of times. The sounds are good and visually it is very pleasing. I sit on the garden bench and wish that we had friends to share it with. We are going to have to plan somethings.



There is some algae and it is getting 'naturalized' the fish are thriving now. They are getting more brave and come out to feed. They have areas to hide in the rocks. I usually sit down and throw the pellets in one or two at a time. The current sweeps them into the filter if I just dump a bunch in before the fish can eat them. If I sit and throw them in they get almost all of them in 5 minutes.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

The full Lincoln Family. These excellent wax figures stand in the court of the museum. You may photograph only in this atrium area; not in the exhibits or theaters. Many visitors pose with these life size figures for pictures. That always seems odd in a way. Obviously we are not contemporaries; but, people want to make a connection with history (or is it greatness).



In this theater, the story of or is it the portrait of Lincoln is told. There are screens on the left and right and ancillary images are displayed there as the story is told. The seating has motors connected underneath that shake you as the cannon fire and the cavalry charges. The stage apron opens and smoke rings from the cannon float through the theater. It is a very entertaining presentation about Lincoln's image and how it was shaped by events in his life.


This theater presents Ghosts in the Library. Done with special effects that uses projection to bring to live images that seem so real. The plot is explaining the function of the library and museum. How the artifacts are acquired and shared. You really ought to see it.

We have seen it twice and I would gladly see it again.



There is no photography 'in' the exhibits, but I took this photo from the atrium. This is Mary Todd Lincoln's dress. Also in that exhibit were dresses of Mrs. McClellan, etc. They are displayed in the open so you can really see the detail in fabric and construction. There is NO touching and NO photography.

There were people who think that doesn't apply to them. Invariably it has been middle aged to older women. It takes only moments for security personnel to reach them and reprimand them for their transgression. Last visit it was touching the fabric or leaning into the space too close and the sensors go off the guards are guided by and observer to the offender.
This visit it was a woman about forty taking pictures, the guard made her leave the exhibit.

This is a temporary exhibit area. The last time was dresses of the first ladies This time it was of Mrs. Lincoln and her contemporaries.

One of only five Gettysburg Address in Lincoln's own hand was also displayed. It is really a well done museum.




Here McClellan and Grant have coffee on the porch of the white house. I could walk right up to them and stare at what would be a offensive distance. They look remarkably real. The skin detail, the hair.


John Wilkes Booth evil wretch! Obviously guilty even here.





Across the street is the restored train station that Lincoln gave his farewell to Springfield address at. It is now used as a visitor center.

It's A Great State Fair -- Just like the musical

The Illinois State Fair
August 16th, 2008


The carnival used to be down in Happy Hollow. They still call this 'Happy Hollow' but 'tis not in a hollow as can be plainly seen. But we don't do rides.

But a lot of folks do.


We do the Dairy Building,

Where we found the butter cow. This year the cow expanded to a pastoral scene with tree, log calf, and skunks. The lady who make these travels around the land creating these for over forty years.

We also 'found' a delicious cream horn. It was wonderfully flaky French pastry stuffed with rich, buttery, ice cold whipped cream. It was outstanding!


These are called the '25 barns'. They are lettered from A to Q, are all brick with concrete floors except in the two strips of stall area in each.

When I was sixteen I got a job at the fair for the summer. I was on a crew of laborers who worked twelve hour days preparing these and other buildings by sweeping the floors day after day using floor compound until we brought up a shine on the concrete. Some of the buildings had over 3 acres under roof. An acre is 46,560 square feet. That is a lot of sweeping.



Here sits Sally on a huge bale of hay. I'm glad I never bucked bales this size.


Here's 'Turkey in the Straw' in picture rather than song.


This horse was perpendicular to the aisle. The little girl grabbed a lead and swung it gently round and round just brushing his flank and he kept moving over. When she stopped he started to step back into the aisle and she just leaned against his flank until folks passed. He didn't have a clue he could knock her out of his way. And she had no trepidation at all.


This is an Ayrshire cow. I always liked their markings. It's as if the dye bleed on the cloth a bit. You can see the 'shadow' around all their markings.


These were pretty heifers. I like the soft blending of their colors.


LINE UP -- I bet the farmer recognizes each one.


This little girl is ready to enter the show ring. Another child who is growing up around stock and is completely comfortable controlling an animal many times her size. Good for self-confidence.


This is a picture of two things. 'Happy Hollow' today which holds a handful of hokey shows like a 'gator rassler' and a petting zoo, and a small menagerie. And the exhibition hall on the hill. the original hall burned many years ago and was rebuilt. This is one of those three acre buildings with a mezzanine. I think the architecture of the buildings on the fairgrounds is really remarkable.

We rode the sky trams from one corner up to the grandstand and back. This is the crowd at the high dive show. It was a big draw. As we rode over I could not for the life of me see the folks talking, singing or diving. Must have needed to get the 'special glasses' to make them visible.

This is the Fire Museum now. In my day it was the public safety center. The fire and first aid station were here and the windows under the canopy were manned by state police who would take complaints and give directions. The action there was always impressive to me with the police coming and going.

'Tex' found him some shade to stand in. It just seemed like a good image to me. Notice the sign in front of him, "No golf carts beyond this point". Also notice the golf cart just past it to the right.

These signs are all over the fairgrounds but so are the golf carts. I don't understand.

This is down the street in front of the Coliseum on the left and the row of '25 barns' on the right.

The Coliseum is used for horse shows.

As you can see the grand stand is practically empty. The sprint cars were done racing and they were setting up for the stage show. They have top name acts through-out the fair.

This is looking back to the East, carnival on the left and Food-O-Rama on the right. We do food rather than the rides.

These are $3 farm trains. You can pay your $3 and ride them around the grounds all day.

This is looking South to the Main Gate. It is just by the brick building in the distant right top corner. The Ethnic Village is to the left and the Exhibition Hall is the brick building on the right.

A two tractor parade at Farmarama Lane. Look at the gray tractor closely. He is driving one handed and talking on a cell phone. Wonder what that sounds like on the other end?

Sonshines Birthday

The Birthday Boy, my sonshine, was ready to do the rebook of our Fathers' Day fishing charter. We all had so much fun before Kyle's wedding that we wanted to do it again. It took us until now.

Father's Day was stormy and we couldn't go out. This was the first weekend that we all were available. Since Brad and Don weren't going we were able to include Geoff and Alex.

So we left Waukegan harbor about noon on Drew's birthday. It wasn't too hot and it was gorgeous weather.
Steve, Kyle's father-law, was ready for the trip. We had a few pops and talked while waiting for the fish to wake up.
Geoff wore Julieanna's favorite hat and was looking forward to his first fishing charter. No one got sick or injured or died; so, we didn't need Geoff's professional services.
Kyle was part of the young muscle group. Someone had to carry the cooler with the pops. Apparently Sally purchase some new kind of ice made from heavy water. That was one HEAVY cooler. I was glad I took the cooler with the sandwiches (and WHEELS). Kyle always complained as a kid that the only reason we had children was the slave labor. Right! All you parents know better, don't you?

Alex wanted to go last time; but, they have a six person limit and it was Kyle's wedding party. We made sure to take him. He had a Dramamine before the trip and it made him really tired. He didn't get sick and he did have fun.
Captain Tim on the left, of Seamates II, and the rest of the team watching the wake. We did a lot of that. It clouded over a bit and the waves kicked up a bit. We got a lot of exercise riding the waves.
We did see some unusual craft. This one was really haulin'. he came out of the West toward Great Lakes, turned to the North and passed well aft between us and the shore. He disappeared in the North in about ten minutes total.
The Adoxographi out of Evanston was out for a sailing lesson, I believe. It is a play on words. Adoxography is a term coined in the late 19th century, and means "fine writing on a trivial or base subject." It was a form of rhetorical exercise. Anyway, I think they were out for a lesson because they were under Main only and he was sitting on the cabin roof explaining trim and handling. A good looking boat.

Benita and Tricia and Alex enjoying pretty Logan. Kyle and Sarah's baby. I got the back of her head because you couldn't handle her cuteness.
Geoff and Julieanna's baby Cora is a cutie too. She was under the weather. Sore throat, cough and feeling punk. Pretty good natured for a sick baby.
Ashley and Drew with party beads and you can't see the glo-bracelets. Preparing for dinner at Uno's. Can you tell they had a softball summer? Sun damage.

A full day enjoying kids, friends and grand kids. Geoff caught a nice big brown trout. It was his first. I reeled in a Coho that we dragged to death. It was on a while before anyone noticed. Tim was re-setting lines and noticed the down rigger was flexing a bit. As he was reeling in the line he realized he had a fish on so he handed it off and I was there on the rail so I got it. I lucked out because he wasn't fighting it much. But the eating is still good.