The rain stopped just in time for the fun to start! Here is a shot of the Ferris Wheel in the evening light.
L waiting with friends for his turn on the YoYo. This ride was called The Flying Swings back in my day.
Here it is in motion, if you look carefully you can see the blur of swings.
Ferris Wheel at night.
Fingernail Moon over the Fair.
I have actually fit in knitting fairly regularly this summer. I squeeze it in at the end of the day. I have knit on several long car rides this summer. Paddy says that this is dangerous because if we had an accident and I was holding 5 pointy metal sticks...well you get the idea. I guess that is my way of living dangerously.
I am about to finish a pair of socks made of yarn purchased in Germany. I love how they are coming out. The colors are great as you can see and I wish you could feel them! They are wonderful. I am knitting them 2 at a time, a little trick I learned from my friend Mary Jane. That way you have 2 socks done at once not that disappointing feeling of having to start all over again as soon as you finish.
Mary Jane is full of knitting ideas, info & inspiration. I am not the only one who thinks so! She is interviewed in the latest issue of Interweave Knits and has just started her own website. Check her out @ http://maryjanemucklestone.com/
Enjoy the day.
I love when the purple cone flower is at this stage.
Early morning sun & fog. When I wake up and look out the window to see the light like this, I tend to jump up & run outside in my PJ's to snap a few pics.
The Hayride.
The kids love this! They put quarters in the sawdust and then give the kids 1 minute to find as many as possible. Never mind stupid plastic toys, this is cash. It is harder than it looks, and this year it was only quarters last year they had some 1 dollar coins as well. It must be the economy.
This was a new addition this year, making homemade ice cream. I thought that this was a great idea but L was not very interested and so I had to move on before the finished product. I loved this simple, old design of this ice cream maker. I wonder where I could find one. 
We arrived at the pond, the sun shining and the temperature warm. I went for a swim and then lay down in the sun to relax. My little summer interlude. I had my knitting, a book to read, L was busy jumping in repeatedly and after a few minutes of exploring Charlie lay down beside me on the blanket and went to sleep. Ahhh...
Well as it turned out we weren't the only ones who thought it was a perfect day to go for a swim. Soon, it turned into a dog party with children! The puppy had a blast and so did L. I got off my blanket to mind the puppy and watched him tear around the place and play. L did cannonball after cannonball, stopping only occasionally to burp (how to teach him NOT to take in water while jumping?) loudly.
What a day! It felt like summer, which was nice for a change.
We went to the local organic strawberry farm- the picking was a little slim but we managed about 6 pounds. They are not perfect looking but they are delicious.
L helped a little with the picking.
Pippin & the trout.
Incredible family party last Sunday. Music ,fun, food, friends, & family. It was one for the record books!
I find myself at home, on my own today. I was supposed to go to a couple of parties but instead I am trying to recuperate from a sinus infection. I have never spent the 4th of July alone. Never.
When I was a child this was one of my favorite holidays. We would get up early and decorate our bikes with red, white, & blue crepe paper, that was all you needed to do in order to be in the parade. After the parade was over my family or another in the neighborhood would host a party. Friends, cookouts, swimming, red chicken, I loved it all. When nightfall approached we headed for the lake to view the fireworks. We always had to park far away and I remember being very small and getting a shoulder ride to the fireworks. I loved that feeling-I thought I was on top of the world!
Things have changed and I have celebrated this holiday in a variety of different ways. Today, I am getting some much needed time on my own. Not really what I had planned on or wanted but I don't mind the quiet day, not one bit!
I even have had time to FINALLY finish up these socks that I started in February. Yes, February!
I will enjoy the quiet & tomorrow, a must attend party!
This was at the chocolate museum, we only looked at these ones.
Not cake. The best cup of hot chocolate I have ever had in my life. I would like another one. Right now.
Cakes through the window in Bonn. My reflection is visible in this shot.
Rhubarb cake at the coffee house right on the Rhine river. This one looks quite humble but it tops the list! 
Mmmm. Same place and more yummy cake.
Someone(?) stopped by the local baker's that afternoon and bought a selection. How to choose which one?
Cake at painting class.
More cake.
Cake again at painting class! I miss painting class.
My brother took me here yesterday. The picture cannot even begin to show this magnificent structure. It was huge and imposing and detail all over.
Fleisch und Wurst. Mmmmm.
Such a cool old bus. This is for Uncle Paddy.
This is a shot from the plane right before landing in Munich. The bright yellow fields are canola flowers, the seeds are used for oil and Bio-fuel. We had a good flight, they GAVE us wine as well as a hot dinner (It was good too!) then we were lucky enough to sleep for a few hours and then the sun starting coming up and we woke up. It was about 1 am. They gave us hot towels and fed us breakfast and we loanded at 9 am (3 am).
Here is an old cloister that is being renovated. This is where my sister in law goes for her painting class. She asked me to join her.
What a place! I even joined in and painted, I don't think I have made a painting since Kindergarten. I was given everything I needed to paint plus tea and the company of all these amazing women. Everybody was speaking German and I was striving to understand and occasionally I could. I watched them critique a painting, I am not sure what was said but it was lively!
And then there was cake! Oh and whipped cream!
