What do you do on Sunday?

We attended the North Sound Vineyard Church which is located about two miles from Anna's home.  I located it by an Internet search.  They lease space in a former lumber yard building.

The church was started about eight years ago. 

The pastor is also the lead musician in the praise band.  During the regular service he announced that the building has been sold and they would conclude their time there in November.  They will take a three months break to see what God's plan is for them.

 Good ideas are wherever they are found.  This is a "Benevolence Bag" 

Description.

What else do you do on a Sunday?  Of course you may watch football in a "fan cave" that Chris has created.  He is a die-hard Cowboys as well as a Red Sox fan.  How do you explain that for a fellow who grew up in Virginai?

Of course there is a second large TV screen that Al had to us as it would have been "left out".

Seattle to Victoria, British Columbia

  Today we moved from Seattle to Victoria, BC, by ferry. We started out is fog and that lasted most of the way.  Breakfast may be purchased or one may bring what they want with them which we did.  

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 This is the Victoria Clipper returning to Seattle.  It will make a another run and will return at about 6:00 PM.

The package includes a one-night stay at the Inn at Laurel Point.  It is very close to the ferry landing and also downtown Victoria.  There is a nice walk next to the water that leads most of the way downtown.

 The city of Victoria was founded in the early 1800s and saw a great boost in population and commerce with the Fraser River Gold Rush.  It has always had a strong tie with the Pacific Ocean that is accessible through the Strait of Juan de Fuca which we crossed coming from Seattle.  There is still a lot of maritime activity.

 Persons called Native Americans in the USA are called Indigenous in Mexico and points south.  Here today a learned of a new name, that of First Nations.  A member of the Cowichan Tribe, master carver Cicero August carved this totem in 1990.  A plaque reads, “The loon, fisherman, bone game player and frog represent lessons of the past and hope for the future.”

 A strip of the bayside walk is dedicated to First Nation craftsmen and women for selling their work.

 The Fairmont Empress Hotel was built in 1904 with additions later for  the Canadian Pacific's steamship line, whose main terminal was just a block away. Later as the Canadian Pacific ceased its passenger services to the city, the hotel was successfully remarketed as a resort to tourists. Victoria emerged as a tourist destination beginning in the mid-to-late 1920s.  Note “Plasterman” in the foreground.  A man holds very still and people wonder if he is “real”.  Then he moves!

 We found some interesting tree sculptures.

 This is Bastion Square, a shopping neighborhood with a lot of specialist artists.  What did Sue lose?

 We made a stop for lunch at a McDonalds and as we were eating a very special woman walked in dressed totally in white.  She sat down near us and soon we were in a spirited conversation.  She has deep religious convictions and we found a very special person.  She agreed to meet us for dinner at a very nice resturant.

As the sun set, the British Columbia Parliament building lights up.  What a sight!  I worked hard to get some kind of a photograph and it was almost beyond the ability of my camera.

Minneapolis to Seattle, Washington

 We are in Seattle, actually Bothell, Washington.  This is our base for the next week as we do things with Chris and Anna.

Chris picked us up at the airport.  He is a store manager for a Rite-Aid store, a western competitor to Walgreens and CVS.  They met when Anna was working in the Washington, DC, area.  Chris' relatives live in Virginia.

 These are the "kids" in the Chris and Anna house.  First we have Boogie, who is the boss dog of the pack.  When he hears something, he barks and all the dogs go into action.

 Darius is the "senior citizen" of the group and is 13 years old.

 Foxie is the only female of the group and also the youngest.  She is Anna's favorite.

This is Peanut who competes well with all the dogs and the rest of the family.

Our hosts, Chris and Anna.  We are eating Mexican and just renewing our relationship.

Fergus Falls to Minneapolis

This trip is dedicated to Sue's sister, Ruth, on left, who had planned to go with us on this trip but medical problems dictated that she remain close to home and medical support. We will miss her and hope that we can make up for some of the things she will miss in this blog.  Get healthy, Ruth!

No trip to the vicinity of the Minneapolis and St Paul airport is complete without a visit to the Mall of America.  When we lived in the Twin Cities we walked most Saturdays in the mall when the streets outside were slippery due to winter conditions.



 In the mall is a memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001, attack on the buildings in New York.

This plaque is in memory of Thomas Burnett who was aboard the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania. 

Minnesota State Fair

The symbol of the Minnesota State Fair
We moved to Minnesota in 1963 and that fall we attended the Minnesota State Fair for the first time.  Since then, we made visited perhaps 40 times. We have developed a pattern that takes us to the familiar but also to see how it has changed. Just ask Anna, she knows the routine.

Rolls provided by the bus company
For the third year in a row we have taken a bus from Fergus Falls to and from the fair.  This saves a lot of wear and tear on us and saves us from having to take a motel.

Some of the crowd
Lots of folks arrive by bus or car but the lowest daily attendance so far this year is about 101,000. Ten days of this and more than a million persons will pass through the gates.

Walking the path
The bus always comes on the first Monday, Senior Day, with entry discounts. This day has stock dog trials at the Coliseum.  A handler, a dog and three sheep provide the drama as the dog works the reluctant sheep through obstacles and finally into a little pen.

At the other end of the fairground is the Pet Center where the Australian Shepherd was featured.  We found a shady spot to watch enthusiasts work with their dogs.

I have never seen dogs being trained to balance.

This is high political time with the elections coming up in November.  Often during the weekends persons seeking office will walk through the crowd shaking hands.  We did not see any.  Perhaps that is due to an overabundance of seniors at the fair.

Democrats

Republicans

Freedom of speech

An interview with a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Food is important with many varieties offered.  Most are deep-fried, on-a-stick or just plain high-calorie.  We have liked the offerings at the Dairy Building for most of the years we have gone to the fair.

The Dairy Building offering malts, cones, sundaes, cheese and yogurt.

Al and Sue with favorites.  That raspberry is good!

A finalist of the Princess Kay of the Milky Way has her likeness done in butter.

Nothing calorific here.

If you feel guilty, you may get a diabetes check here.

No visit to the fair is complete without a visit here.

What is it?

What a good job!  Such small stitches!

A now permanent fixture at the fair.  He opened his bakery to amateurs on Saturdays

Memories of Machinery Hill

The 2:00 PM parade.

Crossroads Chapel. Entertainment is offered during the day and services on Sunday.  

An outreach of the Twin Cities evangelical community,

Just can't take it anymore.