Tag Archives: Chelan County Fair

Oct4

Oh No! It’s October!

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Oh No! It’s October!

October is here. The temperature is cooler and the days are shorter. The leaves are just beginning to turn from green to glorious shades of red and orange. I admit it. Fall is my favorite season.

September flew by in a blur. Here are some highlights. I volunteered at the Chelan County Fair where I checked in baking and preserves. I also volunteered at the 9/11 service in Cashmere. And I volunteered at the Essentials Bank at a church in Cashmere. I also attended the Autumn Leaf Festival parade in Leavenworth and went to writing group in Wenatchee. I ventured out on the Apple Loop Trail in East Wenatchee. And of course I enjoyed spending time with my friends who I will miss dearly when I head back south for the winter.

October is going to be a busy month. It is already. Yesterday was writers group. Today was book club. This weekend so far has a craft fair at my church, a book fair at Pybus Market, a book sale in Cashmere and we’re also going to see the movie White Bird.

Activities for the next few weeks are already beginning to fill my calendar. One thing that I always procrastinate doing is booking a flight back to Mexico. It will be more of a challenge this year as the marathons I used to run through airports on my own two feet will now be done in a wheelchair instead. While the sciatica has eased up considerably, walking long distances is still not an option, especially when I need to go from terminal to terminal in a short period of time if I am to make the connecting flights.

I’ve decided to stay here until after the November election. I’m hoping that the snow will not arrive before then. But if it does, I still have the Columbia ski jacket and the Sorrel boots I bought when I was stranded here over the winter during Covid. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the beautiful weather and the colorful leaves on the trees.

Sep9

It’s Friday Again

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It’s Friday Again

I really should be practicing Spanish on Duolingo or researching flights to Mexico but I’ve been in writing mode most of the day. This morning I actually slept in despite the fact that there is a war zone outside my window. They’re putting in new water pipes and the whole street is torn up and there are piles of dirt everywhere. There are also at least a half dozen pieces of heavy equipment clogging up the street. But that extra hour of sleep was most conducive to writing today.

I sorted through mounds of poetry I found when I was back in Canada last month. Apparently I used to write a lot of it. But somehow I stopped when I got pregnant with my son and then I never wrote another word after. And I still don’t write poetry. I wrote exactly one poem about fifteen years ago for an artifact for one of my college courses.

This afternoon I wrote a story about my experience renewing my passport this summer. It needs some editing and then will be ready to present to my next writers’ group meeting. I’m really going to miss this group when I’m in Mexico over the winter. I plan on keeping in touch with some of the members. We always go out to lunch after the meeting where we continue our discussions. I will really miss those while I’m gone.

Yesterday was Chelan County Fair. My American friends tease me because I still get excited about going to a county fair. They all grew up with them but I never had that experience. I love looking at the animals and fruits and vegetables and quilts all vying for ribbons. However, I must admit that I’ve tried funnel cake and don’t see what all the fuss is about. Just give me a good old American Hershey bar and I’m happy.

I watched TV for a while today which I don’t do often unless bingeing on Lincoln Lawyer or Virgin River with friends. Today was two episodes of The Rifleman. Both were from 1960 in the days of black and white. Chuck Connors was very young back then and the story lines were corny. And the shows are a little on the violent side with lots of shooting and killing. But back in the day those were considered fine for kids to watch. Brace yourselves… I’ve mentioned before that I was a tomboy but I actually had a cap gun which was one of my favorite toys growing up. Toys? Hmmmm.

Duolingo is calling.

Have a great weekend!

Dec25

2022 Part 2

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2022 Part 2

I spent the entire month of July in Winnipeg. I’ve written about it in other blog posts so I’ll just touch on this month briefly. July 4th I found myself out at a cabin rather than celebrating with parades or fireworks as I usually do in the USA. It was nice to get out of the city. I enjoyed spending time with my son and my friends but on a more sad note I attended a funeral. I also replaced my laptop finally. The old one had died during Covid back in 2020 and my tablet had become my best friend.

The first week in August I was back out at the cabin and the following week I flew back to Washington. Leavenworth Summer Theater was in full swing and I enjoyed The Music Man and The Sound of Music. The latter production is a favorite and I try to see it every year. The mountain setting makes this show even more spectacular. I also began teaching four SAIL classes a week instead of the usual two in Leavenworth. The two new ones were in East Wenatchee.

The September long weekend this year was really special as my daughter and granddaughter came from Kelowna. I enjoyed showing them some of my favorite places in Leavenworth and Cashmere. The County Fair began right after they left and I hadn’t been to one in three years due to Covid. September was also the 9/11 Ceremony in Cashmere and Autumn Leaf Festival in Leavenworth. Sadly it was also time to start thinking about returning to Mexico for the winter. Every year it gets harder to say goodbye to friends for six months of the year.

Three flights and a short bus trip and I was back in Aguascalientes. I love my neighborhood. Las Flores doesn’t change much even though I leave for several months every year. It was nice seeing friends again and catching up. I really dived into my writing too. The lure of the new laptop was definitely a factor. My characters were also quite talkative and that certainly helped as well. The internet has also been much better this year too.

November began with the celebration of Day of the Dead. This is one of my favorite holidays in Mexico. The catrinas are always outstanding and even the tiniest shops have colorful decorations. The alters in remembrance of loved ones are also prominent. This year I opted not to go to a cemetery but merely admired everything as I strolled through the streets. The entertainment was amazing and venues were set up throughout the city.

Suddenly it was December and the last month of the year. Festivities were now geared towards Christmas and the Centro area turned into a magical fairyland of colorful lights. Music was an integral part of this celebration and I saw dancers, heard bands and watched children performing. The tienguis was larger than usual with more vendors. I didn’t trim a tree this year. Just didn’t get around to it. Writing occupied much of my time instead. I went to Christmas posadas and Christmas Eve was spent in church. The inevitable fireworks lit up the sky in Mexico as well.

A new year is just around the corner. Here’s to a fabulous one filled with Health and Happiness for all.

HAPPY 2023!

Sep11

9/11

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9/11

Amber Alert. Silver Alert. Extreme Fire Alert. Air Contamination Alert. The smoke is rolling in.

We went to the Chelan County Fair on Thursday. My friends here tease me because I get so excited when I see kids getting ribbons for their prize pigs. They grew up with 4H and animals. Yours truly lived in a city and was never even allowed to have a dog or a cat. The craft displays are also amazing. I especially marvel at the quilts. There is even a building where kids display their creations. There’s a building with fruits, vegetables and flowers. Of course there are jars of jellies, jams and pickles. The rides do not appeal to me but there are so many other little booths to check out. The Chelan County Fair is one of the smaller ones in the state, but it’s just my size. I was already back in Mexico last year, and then Covid was around. So it was nice to be able to attend the fair this year.

Today is 9/11. I still recall that day in 2001 when the world changed forever. Not that the world was ever really a peaceful place. There was always a war going on somewhere. But terrorism became all too common a word. And if people weren’t suspicious of their neighbors before, it became even more pronounced. Personally I detest stereotypes. Unfortunately far too many people don’t. Nonetheless, being here in the USA on 9/11 has become even more meaningful to me over the years.

I’m going to Cashmere today, home of The Spirit of America. At 11 am a memorial service is held every year on this day. Hundreds attend and there is never a dry eye in the crowd. I’m at a loss to find the words to adequately describe this event. You really have to be there to experience this for yourself, surrounded by others who are also overwhelmed with emotion.

The first time I ever attended one of these services, a man was distributing small capsules containing dirt gathered at the sight of the destroyed twin towers. That was a few years ago, and this capsule is one of my most treasured items I’ve accumulated over the years. I hope that someday I will have the opportunity to view that rebuilt area and the memorial in New York.

Never Forget. 9.11.01

Aug28

In Case You’re Wondering

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In Case You’re Wondering

I’m into the home stretch. Saying goodbye to people and places.

My Tree. This spectacular red maple captured my heart back in 2016. Right now it’s still very green and I will miss the vibrant red leaves this year. I’m counting on my friends to send me pics. I know they will. After all, they visit my tree when I’m away for the winter.

Something else I will miss is the 9/11 service at Spirit of America. This is always a highlight of my time in Washington and sadly I will be far away in another country on September 11th.

The Chelan County Fair in Cashmere and the Autumn Leaf Festival in Leavenworth are two more favorite events I will miss this year.

Yes I will be thousands of miles away but I will be in time for Independence Day celebrations.

So now have you guessed where I’m going?

Sep11

Anything and Everything

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Anything and Everything

September means fall which means that it’s time to start thinking about returning to Mexico for the winter. But the last week has just been filled with so many interesting adventures and there is still so much on the horizon here in Leavenworth.

I went to my first ever county fair on Thursday in Chelan. Unfortunately I had no battery left in my phone for photos so you’ll have to use your imagination.

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In the first building the 4H kids were displaying all their animals. I have never seen so many different colored roosters, chickens and rabbits in my life! Some of the kids had them out of their cages and perched on their shoulders. We even saw goats vying for ribbons, some of whom would later be sold at auction.

Next we walked through a barn containing cages of pigs. They were all sound asleep except for one. These animals were much larger than I had ever contemplated.

Another building found the walls covered with quilts. There was such a variety of colors, designs and sizes. There were displays of prize-winning vegetables, jams and baking. A pumpkin weighing 611 pounds was prominently featured.

Other buildings housed children’s and adults’ artwork, as well as a display of model trains in a variety of different scenes. There was also a children’s building where kids could play. We skipped that one but did explore one of the tiny houses.

There was a midway for ride enthusiasts, entertainment on stages including a magician and a levitater. There were booths selling jewelry and clothing. The food vendors were out in full force with everything from corn dogs to curly fries to funnel cakes.

On Monday we drove out to Ellensburg. This is a quaint college town and I did snag some photos of the campus.

Next we headed out to Cle Elum and on the way back drove through Liberty.

Image result for images of liberty washington

On Sunday we went to Snowy Owl for Elder Speak, a program sponsored by the Riddle Foundation. This event is aimed at bringing generations together and takes place on Grandparents Day. Interviews with seniors are filmed by high school students. The seniors then come on stage and engage in a panel discussion. Questions from children as well as the audience in general are answered and discussed.

On Friday I went to the Wenatchee Valley Museum. I had been there last summer and was eager to see the displays again. While I had taken photos and videos of the train on a previous visit, the area I find most interesting bans photography. The history of Clyde Pangborn, aka the upside-down pilot, is depicted here. There is also a country store, a doctor’s office and a few other displays in this area. Here are some of the photos I did take.

Tomorrow I’m looking forward to the 9/11 service at Spirit of America in Cashmere. I went last year and there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience. It was such a moving ceremony with an excellent keynote speaker.

Throw all of the above in with my usual routine of children’s ministry at church, volunteering at the senior center, teaching fitness classes and playing bridge and you can understand why the time passes so quickly here. Friendships have grown stronger and Leavenworth indeed feels like home to me. No wonder I haven’t given much thought yet to returning to Mexico.