Olivia Love, and Renaissance Festival, continued.

Dave chowing down on a fruit and cream pastry at the MN Renaissance Festival.

Pat and our girls have been staying with Melanie and her girls, and this is the type of thing that happens to Molly and Annie. Molly was shut in here for about four hours and we thought she had run away and would never be seen again. Not true. She was sleeping in the play oven.

This is Isabel, 4, with Annie and Molly. Isabel has a thing for doing things with (to?) our dogs.

Pat with Olivia Love.

Olivia, about 5 days old.

Melanie with Olivia. Annie has bonded with Olivia and wants to be with her all the time.

Grandpa Dave with Olivia.

Olivia.

Melanie and Olivia, still at hospital.

Mel with all her girls.

Melanie, Jason, Meghan, Isabel, Bailey, and Olivia, the whole family.

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

While this has been mostly a summer of work, we have still found time for a little fun and relaxation. Pat has been recently helping Melanie, our youngest, by helping take care of her kids while the new arrival, Olivia, adjusts to life outside the womb and her new family.

The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is the largest of its kind in the U.S. We have watched it grow over the years, and while it is much the same each year it is still different enough to keep people coming back year after year. We've attended, on and off, for over 25 years.

This is only part of the parking area. If you have Google Earth it might be interesting to take a look from orbit. Oct 2 is the last day of this year's festival.

You can see what the dress style is, at least for the performers, from this photo.

In addition to "why", a more pointed question might be "how?"

As he balanced this ice sculpture he is spouting poetry. Mostly rather ribald verse.

This photo is included mostly for our friend Shirley in Washington.

The musicians and dancers add a lot of flavor to the festival and help set the mood for the day.

We have watched this performer do the same act for as long as we've been attending. He said this is his 29th year at the MRF. And he still looks about the same as he did when he was 18!

This trio is really into the festival. Not performers, they are attendees.

Some of the costumes are (more than) a little strange.

The landscaping and village scenery is worth the visit. And yes, jackets are needed. This is Minnesota at the end of September, you know.

The quality and large choice of food types is a large attraction.

Musicians are everywhere and playing constantly.

One activity that we can't get away from wherever we go.

Are you starting to feel the theme and atmosphere yet?
We'll be adding more to the blog real soon with more MRF photos and photos of our new grandbaby, Olivia.

Minnesota State Fair

Last week we filled our days off (usually Mon and Tue) with lots of activity. We went to the Minnesota State Fair on Monday - mostly because it was senior day and that makes it a twofer for us, but also because we wanted to go, again after missing it for most of the past ten years. As usual, it was too crowded, too huge, too much to see, and somehow we just can't seem to eat as much junk as we used to.

Every street on the fairgrounds is as crowded as this one. LOTS of people.

These guys are cooking our MN Wild Rice and Beef Burgers. Yummm!

You want walleye? This booth will fix it for you any way you want it.

And two booths away, you can get a spaghetti and meatball dinner - on a stick. Really.

Peel 'em, slice 'em, slicker than you'd ever believe. The demo makes it look soooo easy.
At least the cutters are made in Switzerland, and not China.

We're going to have coleslaw at our house soon. What a slick tool.

The Spam competition is an ongoing event at MSF. Love these open face Spam sandwiches.

If you have never tried Spam, don't knock it. Maybe it's a cult thing.

There was a long line for the ladies' room. Pat had to wait a while.

We spent about six hours at the fair. Add another two for finding a Park and Ride lot with space available and the bus ride and it's the whole day. Enough fun to last for at least the next year.

Our house needed a little work in the living room. It was either replace the carpet, or replace the carpet (with something else). We chose faux wood planking because it's easier to keep clean. We made it into a two-day project and are pleased with the outcome.

Here I am laying some of the planks.

Had to tear out the old carpet and put down an underlayment before installing the planks.

That's all for today. It's Labor Day and we're working instead of being 'off'.

See ya.

County Fair Season

We've been stuck in "work-mode" most of the summer. Consequently, we haven't done a lot of traveling and visiting - but there has been time for some. Had we been back "home" in Washington, we would have been involved in the county fair there. County Fairs have been a part of our life for many years, and fairs are something that one does during fair season if you are at all interested.

We managed one visit to Rochester MN to visit with Dave's daughters, Amy and Lyn. Adults, LtoR: Dave, Brian Swancutt, Amy Winkler Swancutt, Lyn Winkler Everly, Joe Everly, grandkids Brady Swancutt, Brian Swancutt, Noah Everly. The Everly's live near San Francisco CA.

Our son, Steve Taylor, making eyes at a Brown Swiss at the Jackson County WI Fair.

Some of the vegetables on display at the Jackson County Fair.

Pat Examining some of the quilts on display at the Jackson County Fair.

Pat & Dave in the machinery section of Jackson County Fair.

Steve's kids, Daniel, Malwina, & Maciek comparing their heights to some of the Wisconsin corn on display at the Jackson County Fair.

A typical 4-Her on barn duty at the Jackson County Fair.

The summer seems to be winding down. Today is a rainy day, which allows some time to get a blog posted without feeling guilty. Whatever summer weather we had is probably history as there is already a feeling of autumn in the air.

If you build it, they will come

Here's Dave grilling brats at Hixton KOA. Grilled and served over 200 in one hour. It was a cooperative promotion sponsored by Johnsonville Sausage and KOA. Many of our guests this weekend were here for the barefoot waterskiing event at The Blue Moo. Read on.

Remember the Kevin Costner film, "Field of Dreams"? The voice kept telling him, "if you build it, they will come." The phrase can certainly apply to this facility located in west central Wisconsin, surrounded by corn fields, and little else. It's the BLUE MOO, and it's the site of championship barefoot waterskiing contests. Maybe you have to see it to believe it, but trust me, it's real, and it's working to attract members of the sub-culture of barefoot water skiing.

Imagine this - you dig a trench in a corn field roughly 100 feet wide and about 3/4 mile long. Berm the edges to make for wind shelter and then fill it with water. Invite barefoot waterskiers to come and use the facility.

Many of the skiers stay at the KOA campground where we are working. It's within walking distance. Who knew!?

Not championship form - this is more of an "oops"

Coming off the ramp, just before the "oops"

Skiers are moving at about 40 mph

You can see the full width of the trench and the cornfield beyond

Entrance to The Blue Moo

Our KOA is located on Silver Mound and attracts many hunters of Indian arrowheads and artifacts

That's all for today. Check back often. See ya.

Dave & Pat