Celtic Festival and Games 2011

Last year I took quite a few pictures at the Celtic Festival so there is not much point in repeating them. There were a couple of noteworthy things today in addition to rather fearsome heat. As I was sitting in the shade, trying my best to cool off a bit, I looked just to my left and noticed a statue of a large bird sitting nearby. Then I noticed that the statue was breathing! He was a huge bird, with large talons and a hood on his head.





We were sitting just behind the booth where young folk were allowed to challenge and fight the giant.








A couple of times brave Sir Andrew and brave Sir Duncan donned their 80+ lbs of knightly garb and demonstrated some feats of arms for us. Sir Duncan dressed more in the fashion of Scottish knights, while Sir Andrew dressed in the English style. Just imagine leaping around in a sword fight while dressed in glorified tin cans on a 90 degree F. day!





At the end, a spectator asked, "After all that, are you really friends?" One of the knights answered, "Even better than that! We are family!"

Later while visiting with some of them, they mentioned that they do a great presentation on putting on the whole armor of God.

As I walked past the stage once, I noticed a bunch of girls...or are those lassies? or maybe colleens? Anyway, they were preparing to dance. My goodness did those girls have a lot of curls!

Alaska Reunion 2011

Today was the day of the reunion and picnic for local folks who have lived in Alaska. It was great to see old friends as well as meet some new ones.





Even the flower garden was decked out in Alaska colors.



Didn't get pictures of many...especially the children as they almost instantly gravitated to the playground.

















In addition to singing the Alaska Flag song, we learned a little about each other:

1. What Alaska towns were represented by the group?
2. Who has shot a moose?
3. Who has caught a halibut weighing more than 50 lbs.?
4. Who still has a pair of bunny boots
5. Who homestead in Alaska?
6. Who came to Alaska in the military?
7. Who has been to Kodiak?
8. Who lived in Alaska during 'the Earthquake' (1964)?
9. Who has met 'Jewel' (Kilcher)?
10. Who has seen the Northern Lights?
11. Who has been frostbitten?
12. Who has panned for gold?
13. Who has crossed the Arctic Circle?
14. Who has experiences volcanic ash fall?
15. Who has had their garden eaten by moose?
16. Who was born in Alaska?
17. Who graduated from high school in Alaska?
18. Who has seen a forest fire in Alaska?
19. Who has hit a moose with a car?

Then we tried to answer some trivia questions. How many can you answer without looking them up?

1. What Secretary of State signed the purchase of Alaska?
2. The Pribilof Islands are known for the harvesting of what animal?
3. What common mineral, when mined and sold, has been more valuable than gold?
4. What are 'Hooligans'?
5. What is a 'williwaw'?
6. What famous aviator was called the "Glacier Pilot"?
7. What river in Alaska is 1,979 miles long?
8. What is muktuk?
9. In the 1960s what was the Katmai National Monument used for?
10. What is the Alaska State bird?
11. What 2 cities are the beginning and end of the Alaska Railroad?
12. What well-known poet, born in England, became famous for his poems of Alaska?
13. What is the official state motto?
14. What is the name of Alaska's largest lake?
15. What singer became well-known for his recording of "North to Alaska"?
16. Who drove the last spike of the Alaska Railroad in 1923?
17. Where is the greatest concentration of bald eagles in Alaska?
18. What are the unseasonably warm winds that cause thawing in the middle of winter?
19. What mountain range borders the city of Anchorage?
20. Who was Sydney Laurence?
21. What is the largest herbivore in Alaska?
22. What is the northernmost city in Alaska?
23. What insect is humorously called Alaska's State Bird?
24. What was the Alaska Highway formerly called?


It was fun discussing and figuring out the answers.

Granddaughter projects

As it gets close to the end of summer and the beginning of the school year, the last of the summer grandchildren visits happened this week with the older granddaughters. They have been a big help to me in accomplishing a few projects, like dusting and cleaning everything in my curio cabinet. They also spent some time helping their aunt prepare some food for her freezer.

It is always fun to do a project with them while they are here. This year we decided to make aprons. They are great for beginning sewers!



I think they did a great job! They wanted to make them long so they would last just in case they grow taller!