A Fun Hallowe'en

Tomorrow night is Hallowe'en. I have no sweets in the house, but that is alright. I am prepared. I know over 200 card tricks. Last year I won 10 popcorn balls, 7 rolls of taffy, 15 lemon drops, 24 pieces of butterscotch, two wax candles and 12 cents. I hope this year someone has a caramel apple.

copyright ©2011 Laurie J. Anderson, all rights reserved.

Cowboys in Cartersville

I was back in Cartersville this past Saturday and Sunday for their annual Cowboy Festival and Symposium. I thought cowboys only went to rodeos and round-ups, but it looks like they get studious at times, too. They also get musical and poetic. This event featured string bands and cowboys reciting their own poetry, as well as shooting and cooking demonstrations, Indian dancing and fast-draw competitions. One fellow who tried my Wizard Water^© fired off shots so fast that he got a blister on his trigger finger. I lost him as a customer, but gained a few others as a result.

A fellow all in black named Hopalong Cassidy also stopped by and asked me if I'd seen any masked men riding with a herd of cattle. I had not, but said I would keep an eye out. Such a thing is hard to miss. I did pass a herd of goats on my way home, but they were unaccompanied.

copyright ©2011 Laurie J. Anderson, all rights reserved.

Gold Rush Days Again

I had a great time emceeing Gold Rush Days in Dahlonega, Georgia, the past two days. The weather was clear and sunny, and there were plenty of contestants for the crosscut saw contest and other events.

This year the Grand Marshal was a dog -- a yellow stray named "Nugget." Nugget is known for her punctual rounds to many of the downtown merchants, particularly those who serve food. I was Grand Marshal a couple years ago. I wondered why the town would pick a dog over a human. Mr. Nix pointed out that although I was certainly a good choice, the parade organizers needed someone who wouldn't compete with the merchants in selling a product. The sheriff said it was because the dog ate more biscuits and gravy than I did, and thus promoted commerce. My wife said it was because Nugget was a lot prettier. Whatever the reason, she charmed the crowds. I will have to study her technique.

Sorghum Syrup and Gold Rush Days

The mountain town of Blairsville, Georgia had a sorghum festival yesterday. Fall is syrup-making time and farmers up in Union County like to celebrate after they've got their cane harvest in and the sweet juice is all boiled down to syrup. There's music, and crafts demonstrations, and sporting contests to see who can shinny up a greased pole the fastest, or eat the most biscuits dipped in sorghum syrup. Bleb favored entering the latter contest, and was disappointed to learn that mules are only allowed to grind the cane, not eat the product (with or without biscuits).

Speaking of festivals, I'll be back up in Dahlonega next Saturday and Sunday to emcee their annual Gold Rush Days. The weather should be just right for the hog calling and clogging contests. Dahlonega is an old mining town, and their festival offers visitors a chance to do some gold-panning, as well as watch a parade and try all kinds of food. The trees should be at or near their brightest autumn colors by then, too. Some folks even say that you see more gold in the trees up there than in the streams. If so, then the real gold rush is when folks hurry up to the mountains to see all the fall foliage -- and that's an event where everyone strikes it rich.

copyright ©2011 Laurie J. Anderson, all rights reserved.

An Apple Festival

I visited the annual apple festival in Cornelia, Georgia this past Saturday. They had more pottery for sale than apples. There were stoneware plates and ceramic bowls, porcelain butter dishes and earthenware creamers, jugs with faces and vases of all shapes and sizes, but no yellow-specked King Solomon apples or dark red Limbertwigs. Maybe all the good produce had already found buyers, and the stuff no one could swallow was still up for grabs. That is possible, as any trip to the state capitol will tell you.