Let's Make America Great Again!

The newest addition to my collection of Red, White, and Blue.

This is the first vote I cast.

I was more than glad to do it.  

I just wanted to get the failure out of the White House.  

I wasn't alone then.

I am not alone now.

Ryan is another Irishman.

And he is another winner.

Let's make America great again.

(I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of seeing her kicked around.)

Color at the County Fair!

The craft barn is a favorite and the 4-H entries such as these are a work of art!

A beautiful showing of purple in the zinnia display, a color I haven't ever had.  

Perfectly scrappy and just like I want my quilts, this was in the craft barn, they are all displayed from the rafters.

An entry with four holidays presented...so beautifully.

A couple paintings that evoke a country feeling.

My favorite breed and color...captured all these photos with my old iPhone 4.

The only thing on my mind on the way home from the fair is a wonderful feeling of joy; and here's why.

A county fair is joyful simply from the formal recognition of the really, truly good things in life.

It's the happy sound of summer in the country, kids riding on the fair rides, moms and dads visiting with each other as they wait for their kids to come down the ramp when they're done.  Something time will not change.  That's a comfort.

The look on the face of a beautiful nine-year old with big brown eyes and wearing her barn boots, proud as she can be of her calf, asking me if I'd like to come up and pet her.  

The pride in a little boy's face as he leads his pig to the show barn, his dad's face beaming as well as he follows his son down the path--farming extends generations and for that I am so thankful.

On the way home, with a full tummy from the glorious elephant ear I just ate along with a cold pint of milk mixes perfectly with the sound of the crickets, the clouds moving across the moon over me, the smell of a damp field of alfalfa...a satisfaction like none other.

Life is good because of farmers.  

Joys of Summer: Frankenmuth, Michigan

Famous Covered Bridge

We meandered the streets of Frankenmuth Sunday afternoon.

The weather took a turn for the better after a rain last night and we had normal temperatures:  low eighties.

I just about did some cartwheels.  Except I didn't.

Because I CAN'T.

Frankenmuth is a small German farming community/tourist attraction not too far from our hometown.

It's something that we probably take for granted, and we don't go up nearly often enough.  I've shown you Frankenmuth in the winter, but I don't believe I've ever shown you her beauty in the summer.

Beautiful flowers and gorgeous gardens are everywhere in this "neat as a pin" small Midwestern town.

The main attraction for most of the year is the CHRISTmas store, the largest in the world, open almost every day of the year, and gigantic superstore of everything CHRISTmas, but we didn't set foot in there today, it's too darn pretty out to go inside.

There was a pleasant breeze blowing and the skies were beautifully blue and puffy clouds danced around.  Flags and pennants are everywhere and the stiff breeze made them snap crisply.

Stroll along with me, won't you down the hill and into town?

It's called "Little Bavaria" and has strong German and Lutheran roots.

A war memorial.

See all that red, white and blue?

Zehnder's Famous Chicken Dinners...

A beautiful front veranda extends all the way across the front of this grand old building.

I am just in love with that vintage red, white and blue neon sign...

And how neat is that sculpture of a CHICKEN made completely with flowers and ornamental grass?!  

Even on top of those grain silos is an American flag flyin' high!!

Town is just loaded with beautiful oldies like this charmer...everywhere you look.

This LOOKS like a statue here, but it was a street actor.  If you put money in his basket, then he would bow, or give you a fist bump, it was fun watching people be shocked by him!  

I wanted to stand and stare a while longer to see how he got those permanent wrinkles in the suit elbow, etc....I want to know how.

And the famous Bavarian Inn...right across the street from Zehnders!  And they both are world famous for their chicken dinners!

And a fun old-fashioned General store...with a room FULL of old-fashioned candy.

Is your mouth watering yet?! 

There are riverboat tours, carriage rides...

Almost every weekend is some sort of festival or other.  This particular weekend was a farm festival. 

Pleasant scenes everywhere and a wonderful meal if you care to eat after all your walking, sightseeing and shopping.  Don't need a meal?  How about some taffy or fudge?!

On the way home, we took the back roads.


Farm after farm, all neat as a pin...

Our sweet corn isn't ready yet, so we stopped to buy some from this little stand for dinner.

And we found a cute little schoolhouse in a country park on a back road that I'd never seen before.  (Is it not adorable?  A great destination for children's black and white pictures.)


I made a mental note to bring Levi and Audrey here next time they are in Michigan.  

I hope your Monday goes well and it's sunny and pleasant in your neck of the woods!  

PS:  All photos today were brought to you by iPhone 4.  I tell you, one day the big, fat camera will be phased right out by these awesome cameras. There are a few kinks that need to be worked out....but it's so much more pleasant to wander a town for hours with a camera not much larger than a credit card tucked into your pocket --much easier than a three or four pound camera hanging from your neck!