Aftermath of the Fourth

Getting ready for the Fourth

When I passed this stand the other day it was not open--don't even know if it was stocked yet. Fireworks sales are limited to one week before the 4th of July. In fact, Grandview is the only community in Yakima County which allow sale of them--other than those on the Yakama Indian Reservation. When I pass by later today I know the place will be surrounded with people.

In solidarity

City Daily Photo Bloggers around the world are today posting in solidarity with the people of Iran. A daily blogger from Teheran went missing about a week ago--I just learned on the Teheran 24 blog (from Meade, who is currently studying in Portland) that he has been released.

I chose these balloons from last year's Prosser Balloon Rally for the post because they all are primarily green. The theme of the day is green. People of Iran and around the world set loose green ballons on Friday. (Also explained in Meade's blog: "Sky is ours if they ban us express ourselves on the ground. ")

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

another " 'tis the season" shot

The season for car wash fundraisers.

tutu

Downtown Yakima was awash in tutus Saturday night as the season of dance school recitals is underway. How exciting to perform at the historic Capitol Theatre! When my girls danced, it was a the local school auditorium.

Gap to Gap breakdown

Today is the 25th Annual Gap to Gap Relay. This cyclist was having some problems as I drove by. (Couldn't frame a better shot because the light changed to green.) The Gap to Gap includes several divisions. Teams can do it as a relay or individuals can do the portions of the race themselves. The kid's division includes roller-blading as well as running, biking, and kayak. The adult kayak arm of the race was cancelled this year for the second time in its 25 years. The waters of the Yakima River are running very high and very fast, making it unsafe for the competition. The kids kayak on a lake.

More Gap to Gap details are at the event's website.

Ringing a chord

Last night we traveled to the Tri Cities to join friends at the Columbia River Chordsmen's Barbershop Extravaganza--themed: Love is in the Air. While most of the show was simply enjoyable and fun, the headliners were extraordinary. Can you tell which of the "3 Outa Four" are related? Since the two boys on the right (Eric and Ian Christensen) grew up singing with their dad Duane (left) you can imagine how well their voices blend. But it takes four for a quartet, and Lowell Smith is the perfect complement to the family. (In fact, he had previously sung with their uncles.) This group from the Portland area won regional competitions last month and will go on to sing in the international barbershop contest in Anaheim. They'll be hard to beat.

"Ringing a chord" -- The program for last night's performance explained: When the four parts each sing a pure note--perfectly on pitch and without vibrato--the chord will actually produce overtones. the listener can hear more than the four notes written in the music. When the voices product this full pure sound, it is called "ringing a chord."

100 Year Portrait

Grandview is one hundred years old this year. This past Saturday the streets in the center of town were blocked off for the taking of a Community Portrait". Grandview Fire Department's Laddeer 18 engine was ready for the photographer, Teresa Kollmar, to climbe to the top to take the photo. According to last week's local paper, "Kollmar has already had a 'practice climb' last week near Grandview Middle School with instructions from Grandview firefighters so she won't fall off the ladder when reaching out to snap the shot."

It was a good thing they didn't ask me to take it.

A Christmas Message

Unto us is born our savior, Christ the Lord.

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to each and every one of you!

After the Parade

The Union Gap parade took place the evening we went to teh Arboretum.

Luminaria

We went to the Yakima Arboretum for the Luminaria Walk last night. Unfortunately, the wind and snow apparently extinguished most of the luminarias. I had hoped for awesome photos. We did get to hear the St. Paul's Fifth Grade choir sing. I hadn't seen the kids since I retired.

Christmas Apples

Yakima's Christmas Apple decorations throw and apple shadow on the nearby business.

Parade entry

We weren't able to go to Sunnyside's annual "lighted farm implement parade" last night, but earlier in the day we did see this new pickup being readied for the event. A lot of cities have lighted parades during the Christmas season, but so far as I know, Sunnyside is the only one where the emphasis is on all sorts of tractors, harvesters, sprayers--anything to do with agriculture. Yes, there are a few floats from local organizations and nearby communities, a fire engine or two, and maybe a Model T--but most of the entries are usually found in the field.

Haunted!

Scene from the Toppenish Railroad Historical Society Haunted Train.

Tonight is the last night--6-9 p.m.--at the Toppenish Depot.

Be Scared!

Gaston meets Belle

You can click to enlarge this one and see that the cast members of this production of Beauty and the Beast are...

...a little older than you might expect.

-

That's because it is this year's offering by the Over the Hill Gang, a local amateur theatrical group which has lowered its minimum age to 45 to be sure of enough players to put together a cast. They have been putting on an annual musical in Sunnyside for about twenty years.

-

Here Belle, her nose in a book about a charming prince, is immune to the charms of Gaston while all the village look on.

-

I was charmed by the only full page ad in the program. It proclaimed: "Belle works for us!" with a picture of the star.

A Fair Evening

And so, after a successful run of ten days, the sun sets once again on the Central Washington State Fair in Yakima. Until next year!!!

All Ears!

Well, then there is the cute twitchy nose as well.
~
Here to represent the animals, both large and small, which are being shown at the Central Washington State Fair: a very alert gray rabbit.

Bouncing into Fair Skies

Not my cup of tea, but a chance at the fair to get a good sky shot of the "Big Sling" shot.

~

For other Skywatch participants, stop by here.

The Commercial Building

I love watching all those demos in the commercial building, such as this one which slices, dices--no really it does. Most of these items which we have purchased at the fair in the past we used for a short time and they are now tucked in the back of the cupboard. We passed this year, but it was really fun watching.

Theme Day: Lines--Fair Day--Line Up

On the opening day of the Central Washington State Fair, this view from the second floor of the Agriculture Building provides the graphic lines of the window panes to frame a number of food booths where folks are lined up for their favorite Fair treats. Attendance was up for the first weekend of the fair over last year's numbers--and there were plenty of lines to wait in.

~

I'm not registered for Theme Day--I've finally figured out how but too late for this month. To see Theme Day posts from around the world stop by the City Daily Photo Portal or any participating City Daily Photo blog.