Pictures from the Festival, Part Five and Final

This was my favorite of the exhibits. You can see Thomas and Eler Beth enjoying checking out everything too.

Pictures from the Festival, Part One

We've had a few nice Spring-like days in a row, but tomorrow will be cooler again. I can handle 40s and 50s, though, because I know that Spring really is just around the corner.

I mentioned on Facebook that my cousin Mark had a severe heart attack Sunday morning. He is doing very well. I do worry about him though, because he is only 40, and he has already had several heart attacks and bypass surgeries. I'm not sure they could do another one or put in a stent if needed. (His father was my first cousin Mike who died last year.) Thank you to everyone who expressed concern. He says he actually feels better right now than he has in ages, but I hope that lasts.

Here are a few of the pictures that I took on Saturday at the Maple Syrup Festival (see previous entry).

There was such a crowd we had to park way out in the "lower forty"! That's Thomas and Eler Beth in the pictures above.































Freshly made Pure Maple Syrup. We bought some of the Dark Amber and some of the Light Amber. It is SO delicious. I don't usually have syrup on my pancakes, but I have been eating this syrup. It is really good. Thomas used some in his home made BBQ sauce Sunday, and it was great! Have you ever had maple cotton candy? DELICIOUS!!! And the maple hard candy was pretty devilishly wonderful, too!

There were various demonstrations, like this one, showing how the Native Americans made syrup using logs and stones.






















The Sugar House. The first weekend we went, it was a good place to go inside to get warm. We didn't have that problem this past Saturday.



















The first Saturday we came, we had breakfast in the dining hall. We had pancakes and sausage, and we bought BBQ chicken and pulled pork lunches to take home with us. (Their home made cole slaw was the best I've ever eaten, by the way!) This past Saturday we ate before we came, and it's a good thing, because look at these lines. There were three entrances into the dining hall and the lines were long at each of them.
































More pictures to come . . . .

This Time it's Saturday This and That

We have been having such gorgeous weather lately. I hope it lasts for a while.

Last weekend we went to the Maple Syrup Festival near Salem, Indiana. It was freezing cold, but we still had fun. I forgot to take my camera though, so we went back today. It was absolutely gorgeous, though very windy, so pictures will be posted soon. We had a wonderful time again. There was quite a crowd there today.

Thursday, March 26, Eler Beth finally got her ocarina!! (If you are a reader of her blog, you already know how excited and happy she was when it came!) She has been saving her allowance for an ocarina for many weeks. When she finally had enough and ordered the one she wanted most, she was disappointed to find that it had been a special edition that was no longer carried. But she ordered and received her second choice, and I think she's just as happy with it. She is already playing several songs on it. It is a 12-hole sweet potato ocarina. She can play some songs from tabs (tabulated music) and some by ear. I do want her to learn to read music, so I have hired Andrew to give her music lessons two or three times a week. During the first lesson I listened in for about 10 minutes and was impressed by Andrew's teaching style as well as Eler Beth's aptitude. Andrew says she is a quick learner. He is going to make a good teacher some day.

She wears that ocarina around her neck all day long, and plays it all through the day. I'm hoping soon she'll let me videotape her. Here is a link to one of her favorite songs and ocarina players. She met a Native American gentleman at the festival last week who played his little ocarina for her. Here is a link to his web site, where you can hear some more ocarina music, by clicking on the first box.

Good news on the job front. Two Friday's ago, Thomas' company put out the word that there were no more layoffs on the horizon. They let all of the contract workers go. The rumor had been that they would then let 200 company workers go, but after getting rid of those who were still on their probation period (and giving early retirement packages to several foremen), they decided they didn't need to do anymore layoffs. So, so far so good.

I did a pork roast in the slow cooker last night, so when we got home today, dinner was over halfway done. We all took a little nap, then I finished up dinner with mashed potatoes, a very simple salad, and some crusty rolls. It was SO good!! The pork was so tender! Now I'll take the leftovers and make BBQ sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. I think we'll go out for dinner tomorrow.

I have a lot in mind to write about, but I want to read some blogs and upload my pictures from today, so I'll try to get back on here tomorrow with more news.

Hope everyone is having a very good weekend!