Wells Old Home Day Parade

Grandma & Me

Jeff & Brinkley

The man in the car that tossed Brink a dog bone :o)

Brink being a good boy watching the parade with Mom & Dad

Cute little "float"

Smokey the Bear

It's been a few weeks since I've had any inspiration to update my blog. The only art I've been working on is a baby album for my friend Kristine (which I'm thankfully almost done with!). Last week I had four days off in a row for the first time this summer and I spent two of them taping, priming, and painting my dining room and living room with Jeff. The other two days we spent in Wells at my grandma's camp with my grandma and my sisters for Wells Old Home Days.

Above are some photos from the parade on Saturday afternoon. Firetrucks, old cars, bag pipes, horses, Smokey the Bear, and even an all women kazoo band! Jeff, my sisters and I are getting too old to draw much attention to get candy thrown at us anymore, but we did take in some "loot" and were sure to share the tootsie rolls with Grandma. The cutest part of the whole parade for me was when a man in the old red car (seen above) tossed Brinkley a dog bone. He had impeccable aim and it landed right between Brinkley's paws. Brinkley gobbled it up before I could even situate my camera to get a good shot of his delighted expression and wagging tail.

Wells Old Home Days encompasses a fair, fireworks, the parade, and ultimately a weekend of fun, food, and incredible memories. Year after year the vendors, rides, and attractions dwindle to less and less. I think it disappoints my grandmother to see what was once such a booming town fade into a run down little speck on a map. Elise and Aly and I will always remember this special weekend in August a certain way, and having Jeff with me there this year...he just had to take my word for the great thing it once was. The parade was cute, and the fried dough was worth it's 24 weight watcher's points, and I got a book I needed for school at a used book sale for 25 cents--so the weekend wasn't a total loss. And no matter how "bad" Wells Old Home Days becomes, its more about being with grandma and my sisters and friends on the lake on a gorgeous summer day...and less about carnival rides and overpriced games and food. This year, what I will take with me is the priceless excitement of my puppy dog as a bone flies through the air and lands at his feet like it's raining treats!