These guys are going to Deerfield Fair...

... and so are we. Carol and I will load up the camper and drive to a campground not to far from the fairgrounds. After a year's absence, last year we did the Loon Mt. New Hampshire Highlands Games, now we'll be back at Deerfield. All day Saturday we'll wander around the exhibits, visit the livestock barns, watch oxen pulls, eat foods that aren't very good for us but taste great and generally enjoy being part of a mass of humanity crowded together doing these same things. Not something I want to do frequently but once a year I'm into it. Truly the day revolves around food. The base plan, subject to change, goes like this - breakfast at the 4H booth, sausage with green peppers and onions for lunch, a steak and cheese for supper and everything else in between including other food goodies like french fries, sweet potato fries, ice cream, fudge, bison burgers, fresh roasted nuts of all types, soup in a bread bowl. I guess that's why everyone keeps walking, got to burn up a few of those calories somehow.

Here are some photos from earlier years

Deflating results

Aaron Rodgers ready to let one fly downfield.

Stayed up to watch the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football play the Chicago Bears. Things started out pretty well with an early lead by the Pack but signs of the Bears getting their act together and the Packers losing their edge were indications for a poor second half for the Green and Gold. 18 penalties finally did the Pack in as a late fumble by WR James Jones led to a winning drive by the Bears as the Packers self-destructed with a couple of personal foul penalties totaling 30 yards was the final straw to what began as classic battle between these long-time rivals. Frustrating lost (20 - 17), at least it's early in the season and still a lot of football to be played. Last game of the season is January 2nd... Bears come to Green Bay, should be a drag out knock down affair, I wouldn't miss it.

Books on deck

After a slow start in 2010 the list of books I've read and am reading has reached twelve. Given what time I've had I'm pretty satisfied at this point and am expecting to read three or four more at least by years end. Funny thing is, I find that I have had two or three ongoing at the same time. That's a little hard to explain as I'm not quite sure it makes a whole lot of sense myself. I think some of it is that I've been reading a few non-SciFi books which though interesting don't feed the space opera beast within me so to compensate I'll grab a used purchase of mild interest read a bit of it now and then. Since beginning that practice I've continued it regardless of what else I'm reading that I consider my "main" book. The books pictured below are what I'm now actively reading. Alastair Reynold's "Galactic North" is the first ebook I've bought and am reading it on my computer, it's a collection of short stories which so far seems to backfill story lines in his following books. The program I'm using is from Borders and it works very smoothly and am surprised at how easy it is to read this way. The "Reality Dysfunction" by Peter Hamiltion is a tome, its 2 inches thick though the height and width of a standard paperback. That's a wine cork standing next to it. I bought it used from a online book reseller. The book itself is the first of a trilogy which is comprised of two books each that I had already purchased the remaining parts of the series used at Anne's Bookstop none of which are quite as thick. The last one is the present long term ongoing book, Robert Heinlein's first book he tried to get published and wasn't, "For Us the Living". It was found long after his death and then published. I've read most of his books and this one pales compare to the main body of his works but I feel obligated to complete it. Found it in a used book store.

When work isn't work... at least for a little while

One of our project managers held a photo session/lunch get together for his project team to celebrate the re-procurement of the ongoing contract with a big client of ours. I was invited as I provide frequent graphics support for their efforts. The photos of the members of the project team are used as part of a calendar and a holiday greeting card (both done by yours truly) to the department of the client that we work directly with. Today was that day and late this morning we car pooled to Portland Headlight, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States which we used as a backdrop for the group photos.

Next we went to the Lobster Shack at Two Lights where we had lunch at picnic tables overlooking the rocky coast and the ocean beyond. All in all not a bad mid-day at the "office".

I had the Lobster Roll Boat
(photo of roll shows one bite taken).

Sign of the season

National Football League season that is. Tonight is the first game of the season, the Minnesota Vikings at the New Orleans Saints. I'm sure I won't stay up until the end of the game though I'll be rooting hard for the Saints as the Vikings are in my beloved Green Bay Packers' NFC North division. They'll be duking it out for the division title, both have potent offenses while the Vikings defense is quite good and the Packers' is getting better in the new system they began using last season. Unlike the other major American sports the NFL is the only one that I'll watch most every game I can and if the Packers are on I'll stay up for the late games. I don't have Direct TV and the NFL package so I can't watch every game they play so when Green Bay plays on one of the regular channels I try to make sure I'm in front of a TV.

Labor Day Weekend Sightseeing

Sunday Carol and I were out of the campsite before 9am for an early arrival at Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory. We paid $5 each to visit both venues which was quite a bargain in these days when many places are squeezing the be-dickens out of our wallets. We headed straight to the observatory where only two vehicles were parked. I'd figured getting there early would avoid waiting to go up the elevator and maybe sharing the view with very few people. It couldn't have worked out better as when we arrived at the base of the observatory's tower the Park Service Ranger directed us right into the empty elevator. A forty story ride in two minutes where we were met by another ranger who pointed us to a narrow flight of stairs two stories to the top level and it's 360 degree view of the Penobscot Valley. We had the place to ourselves for over a half hour before other people began arriving. We used our time looking around us and taking some pictures. As recommended in the literature I viewed online I had brought binoculars. We also watched an eagle flying along the riverside. You have to bear with us as the photos from the observatory have reflections from shooting through the windows. The bridge that the Penobscot Narrows River Bridge replaced has as of yet has not been demolished as you'll see it in several of the following pictures.

That's Fort Knox in the foreground.

Looking down at the old bridge

Compass directions inlayed on the floor.

Yep, I was there.

Afterward we to drove back to the park entrance parking lot and proceeded to Fort Knox. I expected to make short work of this visit, was I wrong. I think we spent over two hours wandering over almost every square inch and though there was nothing particularly stunning it was nonetheless an intriguing visit itself along with the wonderful view around us.



















After leaving we grabbed some lunch and headed back to the campground for an afternoon of kicking back and reading before I fired up the charcoals to grill a large steak to go along with the potatoes and corn on the cob Carol prepared followed by more reading into the evening by the campfire.

One dark day in the middle of the night...

Sort of describes the effect that (now) tropical storm Earl (the former hurricane) had on our first day at Balsam Cove Campground. Waves of rain started moving through the region around 1am with increasing variations every couple of hours. At about 5am I found a spot where water was coming into the camper so that needed attention to keep it under control. A combination of a couple of small pots and the occasional toweling masterfully managed by Carol. The forecast for clearing skies this afternoon was the case and actually began well before noon. To celebrate we took a drive around the peninsular area encompassing the towns of Penobscot, Castine, Brooksville, Sedgewick and Blue Hill, much of it with views to the bays and small harbors surrounding them.

Daylight view with the rain coming down.

Mudflats looking out over Penobscot Bay.

Maine Maritime Academy's training vessel.
I've seen this docked in Portland Harbor also.

These are more photos of the Castine Harbor

Overall view of our campsite.

So this blog's title is from a little ditty which I learned at some point of my childhood that goes like this:

One dark day in the middle of the night
two boys got up and started to fight.
They drew their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman across the street
heard those boys and came over and shot those boys
and if you don't believe me just ask
the blind woman across the street,
she saw the whole thing!

The things that stick with you from childhood.

Seasons change, as does life

This past weekend Ian finished his summer job with the White Mountain Forest Service and moved into a house near UNH shared with three other guys. He began the week as a teachers assistant working with a dendrology class and since has added working with a Wilderness EMT class. He was also hired today to work at a vineyard part-time. What's next, who knows...

Walk this way

Paid a visit to a podiatrist this week. A small lump developed in the middle of the ball of my right foot a few weeks ago and wasn't about to go away on it's own. My foot was x-rayed from two directions then I met with the doctor. He scrapped it down a bit with a scalpel, turned out not to appear to be a wart, that was good to hear. So I guess the diagnosis was that I had a small lump on my foot. The doctor described it as something that may have started as a small indent that filled with dead shed skin that calloused over forming the bump that became a discomfort. He cleaned out the indent then used an irritant to encourage the skin to push the indent out of the surface of the skin. Since then the area stings a bit particularly as the day wears on. By evening I can't wait to get off my feet. It does seem to feel a little better today, I hope it improves a lot by the time Carol and I visit the observatory.