County Fair

The Malheur County Fair is 100-years old this year. It was originally known as the Corn Festival. And by the looks of these square dancers they could still be corn growers. There's lots of corn grown in this country. The old-timers say that during hot weather you can go out in a corn field and hear it grow, it grows so fast!

A bunch of family went over on Wednesday evening to watch the County Fair Talent Contest, which my niece Santana competed in. She won first prize and $300 and the right to compete in the Oregon State Fair. She sang some country western song, something about losing her man, smoking a cigarette and drinking a six-pack of beer. She hit the high notes though.

I had alot of fun with my photography. The three photos posted here just might make my triptych collection. They're my favorites. I've posted more in a slide show and hope you all enjoy them. Click on the slide show to the left to view them in larger scale. Hope you all enjoy your county fair as much as I did.

Prey-Man's Thunder...

Prey-Man's Thunder by Patrick Braniff

My friend was born to fly
Through billowing clouds of sky-home.
And with wingtips stretched in freedom's search
Others joined
In the soaring brotherhood of life.
And all thinking the wing-flight
Would endure forever.

Then the Prey-Man's pointed thunder sparked
And mangled wing and fiery pain
Mixed with fearful screams of reason.
Yet my friend lived
Through the tumbling fall of darkness
Seeking to enjoy
The settling dusk of beloved sky-home
Until the thudded thump of impact
Brought blissful peace
And pain no more.

Life to life or life to death?
My friend still soars
And the Prey-Man's thunder
Speaks no more.

200 Model T Fords...

200 Model T Fords recently drove through Vale. They were on a road trip from New York City to Seattle. My friend Rosann called me up at 6:30 a.m. to inform me of this earthshattering event and we agreed to meet at the Livestock Sale Yard to view the parade of cars as they drove towards Unity and John Day.

The Model T Ford was manufactured from 1908 to 1927 and was known as the Tin Lizzie to the masses. 1908 is the historic year that automobiles came into popular use. It is the first affordable automobile that put America on wheels.

The Model T was designed by Childe Harold Wills and two Hungarian immigrants Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas. Before starting a Model T with the hand crank, the spark had to be manually retarded or the engine might 'kick back'. The crank handle was cupped in the palm, rather than grabbed with the thumb under the top of the handle, so that if the engine did kick back, the rapid reverse motion of the crank would throw the hand away from the handle, rather than violently twisting the wrist or breaking the thumb.

The car's 10-gallon fuel tank was mounted to the frame beneath the front seat; one variant had the carburetor (a Holley Model G) modified to run on ethyl alcohol, to be made at home by the self-reliant farmer. Because fuel relied on gravity to flow forward from the fuel tank to the carburetor, a Model T could not climb a steep hill when the fuel level was low. The immediate solution was often to drive up steep hills in reverse.

Consistent with the practical-mindedness of folk in those 'make do' days, the cost of the car was rationalized by added duty. The vehicle was used much like a farm vehicle by taking off the rear wheel and uysing belts, etc to power commonly available belt-driven equipment of the time. An example is a wide belt, powered from the rear hub, used to move hay from the ground to the hayloft in the barn.

Small Town Patriotism...

I don't think there is anything more special than witnessing our nation's birthday in a small town. Vale has a long tradition of celebrating the 4th of July, always with lot's of family, flags, parade and rodeo. The Vale 4th of July parade was 101 years old this year. The Vale Rodeo turned 95.

The citizens in this part of the country have a strong sense of national pride. Sure they're opinionated, when it comes to politics, and they'll all tell you that government should stay out of their business! But when it comes to loving our country they are willing to die for it. Many have sent their sons and daughters to war over the past many decades to defend America's freedom and liberty, and die for our country is what many have done.

I rode in the parade with my dad in his 1942 Chevrolet pickup, throwing candy to all the kids on the parade route. Put on my best 'Great Gatsby' look and had a great time. Also spent a couple of nights doing some photography at the rodeo. Hope you all enjoy the pics.

Must say, I'm grateful to be an American! No matter what our problems, I'm very very grateful.