Local Colors 2010

Saturday we attended what I believe is downtown Roanoke's finest festival...Local Colors.



As usual, Elmwood Park was jam-packed.



As luck would have it, the performers I really wanted to see took the stage as soon as we got there.



These girls are fantastic.



I just love their music and the way they move.



Even the little kids got into it.



The main reason I, along with many others, go to Local Colors is for the food. Each of those booths lining the street represent different countries.



This time they had a couple of new ones, including France which had someone making fresh crepes. I had every intention of getting one for dessert but after I had my scrumptious chicken Thai dish I had no room left.

One disappointment was the Italian booth. I can say that because I am Italian. All they had were some crappy pizelles and a travel tour guide book they gave away for "free" if you bought some cookies. The booth was devoid of any Italian experience whatsoever. It was really pathetic. When I spoke to the people running it, a bunch of very senior citizens, and offered some suggestions along with help, they didn't like what I had to say. "You don't even look Italian" one of them said to me. Haha! Another said, "You could be in charge next year!" Okay I will. My daughter and I signed a paper with our name and address which I'm sure they promptly threw out.

On the way back to the car she and I talked about all the neat things we would have in the booth showing Italian culture, art, music, clothes, etc. The food would be a no-brainer, if I could think of a way to keep it hot -- pizza, sausage and peppers, baked ziti, zeppoles, peaches in wine (I don't know if they allow alcoholic beverages so that's iffy) etc. We could dress in togas and sell garland Caesar-like headpieces for the kids, much like the Norse booth sells their horned hat. The possibilities would be endless. If they call, I'll be happy to help. If not, maybe we should think about starting our own local Italian-American group, since this one doesn't seem to have much of a presence in the Roanoke Valley. I'll send in the big gun...who'll make them an offer they can't refuse.

Pond Mystery Solved

Let me start off this post by declaring I am an idiot.

This is a follow-up to the last post regarding the mystery pond visitor that I couldn't make out. I questioned what type of "creature" with a white long neck was sitting in the pond. One of my friends had suggested it might have been a loon, and I quickly thought maybe she was right, especially after I had found a white feather floating in the pond. Once I looked at photos of loons on-line I didn't think that was the culprit.

So I set the camera up again and after the shot I got I realize I am an idiot. The white long necked "creature" is a sundial swan that I forgot we had which sits on the second level in the very back of the pond, and is pretty much covered by the irises. Besides the orbs seen in this shot the real "creature" is that tricky tricky raccoon to the right of the screen! His head is in the pond but his arm is hanging out. Another mystery solved!

Pond Mystery

The night before last the pond was hit again so yesterday I set up the game camera. This morning about eight inches of water was gone, but nothing was knocked over or disturbed. Only one picture was taken. There seems to be something white inside the pond. We all tried to figure out what it is but the best answer that we could come up with to the question, "What the heck is in there?" was my daughter's response...."Ummm, a reason to move?"



Ok, you sleuths, what do you think it is? It looks like something is behind a little grass that's to the left of the screen, inside the pond. I've tried zooming in but the picture breaks up too much so I can't see anything. The best I could do was manipulate it on Photobucket to show different colors...



Maybe one of you has a better photo program and sees something we're missing. If you do, please let us know.

Wild Roses

These roses have grown wild inside my euonymous shrubs. If I tried to take care of them they would be dead. Since I ignore them, they're thriving. Make sure you check out the last shot and look at the little fellow on top of the petal. I have no idea what type of insect that is, but he's sorta cute. Hope he's not hurting the roses.

The Weeping Willow

I love trees. I have many, many trees on my wee little acre of land, too many to even count. I contstantly add more trees, and I'm very sad every time one of them dies. When that happens I usually plant at least two more. Usually I've been very successful in my plantings of trees. I've grown them from a 6 inch twig to 30 feet tall. But there is one tree I have no luck with and it's one I just adore...the weeping willow.

Four Reflections

I am enamored of this particular spot I encounter daily along the Roanoke River. There's just something about the reflection that always causes me to pause. Sometimes it's hard to tell where the reflection begins and ends. I inverted the shot so you could see what I mean. Here are four different pictures, not one photo edited four different ways. I switched my cheap camera's color settings and took four shots in a row. Which one do you think is the best reflection?

Additions to the Greenway

When I was jogging along the very low Roanoke River in Salem last week,



at one point I became out of breath. I wished there was a bench I could rest my bones on for just a minute or two. The following morning, Poof! There it was...



So shiny and red. There are three of them along the greenway. The same day I wished for the bench I also noticed that inconsiderate people were leaving their bottles of water, cans of soda, disposable cups and other trash in the grass and on the fences. I said to myself, "They really need to put a garbage pail along the way." The following morning, Poof! There it was...



So shiny and red. Nearby the trash cans cement was being poured so that picnic tables could be placed. I was tempted to carve my initials in it before it set, as I always am whenever I see wet cement. Naturally I didn't. Unfortunately sometime during the night others could not control their urges and left their mark...



Even worse were other additions I spotted along the greenway...







Perverted graffiti, how lovely. Just what the many children I encounter along the way need to see. It looks like they scraped their art into the path with a rock or something. They must be really stupid too because they signed their names to their masterpieces. I can only hope they get caught. Idiots...