Summer in the City

When, oh when, is life going to slow down so I have time to actually write the many blog posts I compose in my head? May was gone in a flash and June, full of summertime activities, is already rushing by. The month started with a busy weekend at a favorite local event, the Ogden Music Festival. It’s organized by a local non-profit, Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music, and features two nights and three days with full line-ups of bluegrass and acoustic music artists and groups. I only discovered this gem of a festival last year and can’t believe I didn’t go sooner! Not only is the entertainment first class, the location makes it even more appealing. It’s held at Ogden's Fort Buenaventura, a lush, green campground and park along the banks of the Weber River. The fort was the first settlement by people of European descent in the Great Basin area. It was established in 1846 to serve as a trading post for trappers and travelers. 

Ogden Music Festival at Ft. Buenaventura

This year I wasn't there only to listen and enjoy. I was working! Yes, me, working on a weekend. Mike has a new business venture. He partnered with the owners of our favorite local coffee shop, Grounds for Coffee, and turned a former SnoCone shack into a mobile coffee cart. The festival was the maiden outing for the cart and an opportunity  to see how functional it was. Since the title of barista isn’t one I have on my resume' I worked the cash register, which was actually an iPad. Gillian did a brisk side business (really, she was set up right next to the cart) selling snow cones. All in all, it was a great success. It also gave me a new appreciation for my cushy desk job in an air conditioned office. My legs and back were killing me after two days of standing for hours at a time!

SnoCones and henna

Me with Gillian, Day 1

While we were busy slinging coffee at the music festival, Isaac was in Idaho fighting in a boxing match. He won his fight with a second round TKO and is now the Idaho State Champion in the 145 lb. division! We convinced him to pay us a visit at the fort, bringing his champion belt with him.

Isaac with Mike and his coach Val

Last weekend was another favorite summer event, the Historic 25^th Street Classic Car Show. Three blocks of the street are closed with classic cars lined up on both sides of the street. The local arts festival was also going on at the same time and in the same area, so O-town was crowded and busy that night. My employer has been the presenting sponsor of the show for the past several years. Sponsors get to pick one of several winning cars, which means I get to pick a winning car. Not being any kind of a classic car expert my criteria is pretty simple, typically based on the cool factor of the car and maybe the color. This year my pick, a 1936 Buick Wildcat, won based on the cool factor. It had two engines!

On a more serious side, last week I had the honor of meeting a father who is walking across the country in honor of his son Jadin, who killed himself in February of this year. He is walking to raise awareness about bullying, homophobia and teen suicide. He started his walk in LA Grande, Oregon and will end in New York. Here’s a link to a local story about Joe’s Walk for Change. My dad and I listened to Joe share his story with a group of youth at the Ogden OUTreach Center, a community center and support group for LGBT teens. It was a very emotional experience, and one that left me in awe of the human ability to overcome crippling grief and to turn a horrible experience into something that helps others.

Yard work is also consuming my time this summer, although from the look of my yard it would appear I haven’t spent much time in it. I seem to mostly be fighting a battle to keep my lawn green and the weeds from taking over. So far I’m losing. At least my tomatoes, herb planter boxes, and flower pots are flourishing. Now I just need to find time for another favorite summer activity-- relaxing with my BFF on my back patio, enjoying a batch of Mojitos made with some of my fresh mint.