Grandma Grace Remembers

Grandma Grace has a great memory and because she lives with us, we get to listen to her memories of things she has done or has seen.
Today as Russ and I were talking with her, Russ told her of how he had gotten some elderberries from the hike he took with his Scouts this morning. He planted it in a container, to see if he could grow some for a Native Southern California Plant Garden he plans on having. Grandma repeated the word elderberry and then told us of how Grandpa had gotten some elderberries from someone he knew and he tried to make some elderberry wine. He left the elderberry wine fermenting in the kitchen and he and grandma left to go somewhere. When they got back, they found the kitchen splattered in pink as the fermenting elderberry wine had exploded!

A County Fair with Ocean Air

Sierra's artwork won first place at the Ventura County Fair! Who knew that what started out as a soccer player doing a drop kick would end up as an award winning skateboarder done in chalk pastels.

After Sierra enjoyed the fruits of her artistic labors, we had to go and have lunch. We just didn't know we would have to take out a second mortgage just to buy a hot dog and drink for each of us. The we included, Russ, me, Carly, Ian, Sierra, Susie, Dad and Norma.

Ian practically swallowed his lunch whole and immediately went to the climbing wall, where he successfully scaled the faux mountain for a mere $5.

The kids did all of the usual fair rides - mostly Ian & Sierra - Carly would rather try those wonderful games of chance. She did win a stuffed animal! Woo-hoo!

We did all of the traditional fair things like eating cotton candy, popcorn and ice cream, visited the the 4-H animals, horticulture, agriculture and the gem and mineral building which held model trains, collections and of course rocks and minerals.

Grandma Grace couldn't go with us today, so we brought her back a yummy treat of salt water taffy. I didn't buy too much, because after she eats one or two pieces she'll just put it in her candy dish to tempt the rest of us with it.

Despite the cost of food, Wal-mart-buying public in attendance (it was dollar day) and the fact that the Plain White T's weren't playing until tomorrow night, we had a great time and we all want to go back next year, even if Sierra has no artwork to enter.