So long, summer

School is just around the corner. How did it get here so fast?  Time does fly, and the older you get, the faster it flies.

With the Big Horn County Fair a thing of the past, it’s state fair time.  Funny thing. Looking through the 1924 Standard, and thumbing ahead, I see the BHC Fair was headlined in the September pages and it occurred on Sept. 5. And the theme? Oh, the theme. An exciting one: “Farm and Factory.” 

But the fair in Basin brought people to town. On Wednesday last, cars were lined up along Greybull Avenue, which is unusual on a summer weekday.

Joni and I took Javin to an early supper and the restaurant was bustling at 5 p.m.

That evening brought back to me, clear as could be, the importance of a college education.  We sat down, and I struggled to get my heavy chair a bit closer to the table. Joni helped. No dice. Nothing worked. Javin finally stood up and said, “Why don’t you let me move the table four inches your way?” Problem solved in a couple of seconds. And he’s just a sophomore in college; already a problem solver. Think of how bright he’s going to be when he gets another three years of “higher education.”  My daughter and I both left the restaurant much smarter than when we got there.  And all it cost me was the tab for his dinner.

The winds were crazy last week. Some called it a “micro-burst.” But it took all four of the patio chairs on the back deck, and they all landed atop the flowerpots on the most protected corner of the deck.

Understand yards were filled with branches and huge limbs. Neighbors reported hauling six or seven loads of “lumber” out of their yards.

The flowers survived; trees got “trimmed” thanks to Mother Nature. And Mother Nature has been treating us to a strange contradiction of weathers for the past month.  Just don’t tell me it’s “climate change” and we need more “green” projects quicker and quicker.

Enjoyed a trip to the Amish store outside of Buffalo last week. What a treat.  A new store has been added since we were there last time.  Beautiful furniture.  Sheila, Sharon, Joni and I spent three or so hours there — and could have spent more — but we got hungry. They had all sorts of fresh baked bread, rolls, sweet rolls, all calling out to us, but no table and chairs, at least the kind they would let us eat on, so we gathered up our purchases and went to Buffalo.     

Beans, cabbage, squash, zucchini, cucumber, and so they tell me, even a few tomatoes, from the garden. Can’t tell you if the tomato sightings are true or not. I have yet to see one. But nothing is better than veggies fresh from the garden. Anyone want to argue about that?

Have a good rest of the summer. I know, summer isn’t over yet, but once those school bells ring, that has always been the signal to me that it’s time for fall — and sports, speech, concerts. Lots of activity and the town is just more lively.