Saturday Slight

Hints of fall are showing up around the place, in the air and in the kitchen. 

I now have four jars of bread-and-butter pickles, prepared yesterday, along with a nice supply of brine in the refrigerator, waiting for more cucumber slices.

And, the tomatoes are coming on at a nice pace. 

There was a nip in the air this morning, suggesting many more nips to come. 

Leaves are beginning to fall, and the maple in the front yard is changing slightly toward those fall colors. 

I love the weather we've been having.  This year we have been able to enjoy outside time for many more hours than usual.  The bees haven't been too bad.

We're also grateful that only the morning fog cuts down on our visibility----in a very temporary and beautiful way. 

No smoke.  No complaining. 

After tending to some projects around home yesterday, I'll probably spend some time at the fair today.  

Debbie and her Food Bank staff have a booth, as do my sisters.  

So, it will be fun to mosey around on this last day of the fair and just enjoy whatever's happening.     

A beautiful sight with a beautiful building means a beautiful story for Sandpoint.

When I was little, this was Sandpoint's post office.  Later, it became the public library.  For several years, it's been a title company. 

In fact, my mother signed off on a real estate sale several years ago inside this building.

This week, we learned that the Mahoney brothers, Duffy and Mickey, who established MickDuff's Pup and later MickDuff's Beer Hall, have purchased the building.

Their plans involve offices on one level AND a restaurant/pub on another.  They're really excited because they'll have a much larger kitchen.

Plus, they plan to maintain the historical character of the building.

Food at MickDuff's is always good, especially their beer cheese soup.

Last night while walking to MickDuff's for dinner, we passed by this building and thought about the good times ahead for the building and for Sandpoint.

They hope to open the new facility in 2020.

Guess that's all for now. Update on Annie's trip below.

Happy Saturday.

Annie Photos from Portugal . . . .

This colorful cool cat can be seen in Lisbon.  I believe it's near the train station. 

Annie arrived in Lisbon last evening, Lisbon time.  Already this morning, she has taken the train to Porto near the coast. 

She'll spend the day in Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, known for its port wine and its historical world heritage site.  

She's already found a lovely room with a view. 

You are seeing the sum total of Annie's belongings for the Camino, all organized in that backpack on the couch. 

Tomorrow,  Annie will officially begin walking her third Camino from a small coastal town near Porto. 

To keep updated with her perspectives, be sure to visit her blog at 

https://adventuregirlannie.com/

Her last entry was yesterday, and she'll continue to update each day as wi-fi allows. 

Face Time at the Fair

LONGtime friend and Grandma Jayne with her adorable granddaughter. 

Bob and Wanda Gooby. Our friendship history dates back further than I can count on all my digits.  

This year's Bonner County Fair theme is "The Bounty of the County."

And, for sure, the event features bountiful exhibits of items produced in the county or displays of talent from throughout the county. 

The best part of the fair, to me, is the faces, always a bountiful supply and usually a story in every expression.

I had a fun time strolling throughout the grounds yesterday, watching the action and people associated with the action, either as participants or spectators. 

It would be easy to fill a complete memory card with all the wonderful (not always happy) expressions I witnessed. 

In many cases, I knew the people; in others, I did not.  

Regardless of familiarity, I loved imagining the emotions associated with every special story those faces were experiencing at those very moments.

A bountiful and beautiful overall experience, indeed.
   

    

Former student and friend Jeralyn with her children Christy and Daniel.

They brought cattle to the fair to "relive their youth." 

Robin (Spade) and Tom Wright and Pam Finley Brockus.  The Wright's were home visiting from Connecticut. 

I hadn't seen Shannon Abromeit for a long time.  Neat visiting with Shannon and retired educator Linda Van Dellen. 

This young lady named Addison has become a fixture in my sisters' Arabian horse booth.

To say she loves horses would be an understatement.

A delightful young lady. 

Young Miss Huguenin, daughter of JP, was participating in the cupcake decorating contest. 

My friend Pat Gunter is a great grandpa.

I don't mean he's that old; I just mean he's great.

His grandson may not agree, but that's okay.

Pat does a topnotch job on changing diapers, even the dirty ones.

Just ask him!

These lovely ladies, Barbara and Krista do their Curves exercises so well they can indulge in a few calories every now and then. 

I snapped a photo of this gentleman because I can remember him as a youth a bit older than I during fairtime at the old fairgrounds.

I doubt that Butch has missed a fair since.

Happy Friday. Go see the fair.

Lots to do. Lots of friendly faces.  

Finally, in the "Annie's bored in London" category . . . . 

Yesterday afternoon, Annie received word that her flight to Dublin, connecting her with a flight to Lisbon had been cancelled.

Not good news since she was supposed to fly out last night.

Ever the efficient traveler, though, in the time it took me to walk into the main exhibit building until I strolled around briefly and walked out the door, Annie had found another flight, leaving at the same time and getting her into Lisbon about the same time this evening (Portugal time).

Instead of Dublin, though, she flew to London, arriving there a couple of hours ago.

Her main disappointment besides the "middle seat in the back of the plane":  she had planned to meet one of her Camino friends "Irish John" during her long layover in Dublin.

Instead, she's in London for several hours and already bored.  So, if you happen to be in London, go say hi to Annie.

Hoping the rest of her trip goes smoothly. 

At the Fair: TBT

Twas a busy day here at home yesterday, catching up on the stuff I'd neglected for a few days.  

Once the latest rounds of pickings were in the freezer or at the food bank AND the lawn was completely mowed, I headed to town for a quick visit at the fair. 

I'm hoping each day to circulate in different areas around the fairgrounds, and today looks like a good one for relaxed fair-going enjoyment. 

Lots to see there, and, of course, an abundance of opportunities for visiting with other longtime fairgoers.  

I walked out of the main exhibit building yesterday afternoon to see tables with bouquets and plates of cookies.

Turns out it was a fair board venue where members of the board were there serving lemonade, ice water and cookies and visiting.

Chair Eddie Gordon (wasn't he just playing Little League baseball yesterday?) told me their purpose included getting to know the fair goers and being available so fair goers could bend their ears with suggestions.

A nice touch, indeed, to this year's fair. 

Many, many years of friendship marked this gathering at my sisters' Arabian horse booth.

At least 50 years, and probably more have passed since the  day I first met Mardette Lewis riding Firefly in the Fourth of July parade.  Her husband Dave was riding Mardette's beloved Doc.

The Lewises had recently moved from Colorado, and, by golly, we soon learned that they lived in our neighborhood.

On that particular day, I was riding Tiny, with her dark chocolate color, made a perfect match for Mardette and Firefly.

A long and continuing friendship was born on that Fourth of July.  

Soon the rest of the two families became acquainted, and through all those decades, one topic of conversation has always reigned supreme:  horse judging, horseback riding, horse showing and mainly horse loving.

Loved seeing Mardette who immediately told me that four generations of her family (who would, of course be horselovers) were there. 

Her daughter Kim was with her in the booth visiting with laurie, and just outside the booth, her granddaughter Bea stood with her 13-month-old daughter.

Great seeing them all.

Lotsa legos

Kevin Bristow and John Dana putting on a demonstration in the tractor exhibit. 

My classmate Lee Burnett told me yesterday that this pickup used to belong to his father Art Burnett. 

A fixture at the Fair:  Jim Wood--90 years young. 

Thursday Throwbacks, Etc.

I think the picture of Annie was taken in Missoula when we made a trip over that way to visit Kevin and Joyce.  At the time, our Uncle Frenchy was there with his adorable little pooch.  

Annie was happy to go dog walking with Frenchy's canine friend. 

Speaking of walking, she's headed out this evening for Portugal to walk her third Camino de Santiago from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 

You can follow her adventure by checking in on her blog at the link below. 

https://adventuregirlannie.com/

Emma of Berlin when she was a bit younger.

Below:  Emma yesterday, doing what she loves, back in Berlin.

Yesterday marked the first anniversary of our meeting Emma for the first time.

She flew in to Spokane Airport on a smokey August day.  She quickly made herself at home, and that year sped by SO fast.

I love hearing from Emma now that she's back in Berlin, going to school and, of course, riding her horse. 

"Just Cuz They Warm my Heart: TBT's: