Sunday Snapshot - weekend events

Saturday was a big day in many ways!

Enkutatash is the first day of the  Ethiopian New Year. They are celebrating 2003 which is different from our new year as the country uses the Julian calendar. It happens around the end of the rainy season and is marked by many celebrations. I had hoped to find some locally this year but failed to gather enough steam to make it happen.

It was the first day of meet season. It was a relatively low key mock meet that only lasted a few hours. However, it's the beginning of many weekends spent in a gym, watching hundreds of routines and listening to the same floor music over and over and over again. Don't get me wrong, I love being a judge. But I am really enjoying my last weekend of laziness for a while. 

Taking advantage of the free time before meet report time, Riley and I walked down to the Linden Hills Woofstock. It was a gorgeous morning and we wandered around looking at the various booths (me) and sniffing dog butts (Riley). It always amazes me how different dogs can be and still be dogs. Tiny chihuahuas and huge great danes, all mingling and enjoying themselves. We picked up some treats and chatted with friends and neighbors. Riley even got her picture taken by local photographer Leslie Plesser of shuttersmack. I can't believe how old she's getting (Riley that is, not Leslie).

Also happening yesterday was the 911 tribute at the Lake Harriet bandshell. I'm sad that I missed out, it is a very moving event. I did see some of the fireworks from my window at least. I can't believe it's been 9 years. In some ways it seems like it's another lifetime. I remember the quiet of the skies (I live under three flight paths, not far from the airport) and the almost silent drone of the fighter jets circling high above Minneapolis. With freedom comes responsibility and I hope we never forget that. 

All that activity yesterday has made for a lazy day today. I will have to get moving if the lawn is going to get mowed and the laundry done. Oh for another three day weekend...

Check out the great snapshots over at Ni Hao Y'all...

Sunday Snapshot - from the garden

A few years ago, I picked up a few dahlia tubers for my garden. I thought I'd attempt overwintering them in the refrigerator. Turns out, it worked! Well, mostly anyway. I had about an 80% survival rate. But since one tuber in the spring makes many tubers in the fall I always end up with more than I had the previous year.

Of course I still have to buy some new ones every year because the catalog comes in the middle of winter, when the whole world is white and brown and cold. It's all bright and shiny and flowery. sigh. This year I picked up a few new varieties and they are just now coming into full bloom.

Tomorrow is the last day of the Minnesota State Fair. I'm contemplating going one more time because the Dahlia Society has their show in the horticulture building. While I'm not up to showing these beauties, I have in the past and have one little ribbon to show for it. These people are *serious* about their dahlias and I'm just not. But it would be fun to see the show! If only I could helicopter in and not deal with parking or riding the bus or whatever painful combination of both gets me to the door.

Anyway, here's what's blooming in my garden this week...

Check out the other snapshots over at Ni Hao Y'all...