Pair o' Parasols

One of my favorite parts of working the Calaveras County Fair was meeting all the other vendors, and having a new set of neighbors for a day. It reminded me of when I was a shopkeeper and greeted all the other shopkeepers each morning as we swept our sidewalks, opened our doors, and hoped the customers would stream in.

So when I went to work the Frogjump (as the Calaveras County Fair is fondly known) each day I brought coffee and got to know people. I was not in that mode with any gain in mind, but people got to like it, and returned little favors...free fudge was popular with the kids for instance.

And there was Mr. Lee. He sold massagers and imported stuff from China. Amongst his other goodies was a popular line of pretty nice parasols. Since the fair is REALLY hot, the parasols were a huge hit. I got a white one for Elizabeth.

I've been telling her since the fair concluded that she couldn't play with it until I managed to get a picture of her with it. She's got to the end of her patience and today made me take the picture.

Actually we took a few. She had a good time. Elizabeth is quite the ham.

Thanks Mr. Lee for making my daughter smile so much. I hope I see you at the Frogjump next year.

Load of Crap

Calaveras County is truck country. Most everyone here has a pickup, even if it's not their primary vehicle. For those of us who will admit to being curious, or even a bit nosy, this gives us an opportunity to look into those truck beds and get to know our neighbors just a little better.

You can tell a lot about somebody by what they haul around. First of course is what they think's worth loading. Sometimes the more subtle and telling point is what they don't think is worth unloading.

If you were to look into the back of my truck, you'd find a mixed bag...fertilizer for the gardens, feed for the animals, sometimes you find the animals themselves, there is usually some kind of photo equipment of course, and sometimes you'll find me sleeping back there. I carry a nice old wool blanket just for napping emergencies.

These two shots were notable for the simplicity of the loads...just one item in abundance in each truck. This is a single-mindedness about loading and hauling I don't often find in my own life.

Simplicity is nice, and makes nice pictures.

Perhaps the changing and mixed nature of my truck's bed reflects the changing and mixed nature of my life...or maybe that's just a load of crap.

Dry me up, Tie you down

It's a bit hard being away from home. I'm off to shoot an out-of-town wedding, so I miss the kids.

And Robin too.

So I look alot at the pictures I have here of home.

Two things come to mind, and since you're here with me, to your eye;

Food...Robin and the kids decided to dry mushrooms and strawberries. I don't know if there's a dish planned for both together, but now that I think of it...that could be really good. Sweet and savory is quite something.

Family...Ellie decided to make her own shoes, so we got slippers from potato sacks.

And pictures of both make sweet and savory memories to carry me until I can get back home.

I love you kids. I love you Robin. I'll be home soon. Save some dried fruit and 'shrooms for me.

Patrick

I AM Martha Stewart

Elizabeth, our youngest, is rather proud of her squash. I don't particularly like to eat squash but find them beautiful. Ellie kept at me to get a photograph of her harvest amidst all the other wedding and portrait projects I've been busy with.

So here's your Calaveras food photography pinup of the month. Squash with daisies.

Calaveras County has had a really odd few weeks of colder than normal weather, including some really strange summer rains. Angels Camp and the surrounding area usually don't see much but sun and very hot days through June, July, and August. 100 is not unusual. 110 happens every year a few times.

So 60 and raining is odd. Up in Arnold, just a few miles up the hill past Murphys Ca, they've even had some snow...at least that's the report; Snow in June in California. Strange.

All this makes us wonder about the crops this year, and makes all my Calaveras farm friends a bit anxious as well. There's a lot of talk in town about weather. Such is rural life.

So while we do have a magnificent pile of food here, some things may have already decided to stop growing or got off on the wrong foot. Potatoes are doing fine, leafy greens are great. We're probably going to lose our corn. So up and down with farm life...but the key really is that a couple of days ago I had lunch and the whole plate was from home. I get this at least once a week.

That's pretty cool.