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.
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| 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!
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| SnoCones and henna |
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| 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.
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| Isaac with Mike and his coach Val |
Last weekend
was another favorite summer event, the Historic 25th 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.
