Wedding present from Rachel's Grandparents.

Grandma used bias strips of lovely batik fabric for the Celtic ring pattern and inside borders. It was carefully hand quilted, and it looks great hanging on our bedroom wall.
-Rachel

Yesterday we went to the Tehama County Fair. We saw the livestock (mostly beef cattle, not surprisingly), and other exhibits. The quilt exhibit was pretty small, but other textiles (crochet, clothing, costumes etc) were fairly large, and there were some really nice things. There was a kid's category of "food art" that I had never seen at a fair before. This is where you take vegetables and fruit and cut them into faces, animal shapes, and other not so obvious things.  

The tractor pull was the main event in the evening. It was my first tractor pull, and it was interesting. Lots of different categories. It was a beautiful night with warm weather and a full moon. Also, the wind was blowing away from the bleachers where we were sitting, so we didn't have to breath in all of the diesel exhaust from the "extreme diesel" competition.

This is one of the "extreme diesels." This guy looks like he is hitting his head on the steering wheel, but I think he is just shifting into reverse.

The sled for the mini tractor competition broke multiple times so the mini competition was cancelled. It was too bad because the minis were by far the most interesting to watch.
-Rachel

Happy Birthday Oliver

Happy Birthday Oliver

Comb-over.

AMA Pro Racing at Homestead

Since the GrandAm-ALMS merger will likely take Homestead off the schedule, time to find another pro series event to attend. After a 16 year hiatus, professional motorcycle racing returned to Homestead this past weekend. Look for 19 year old Cameron Beaubier to be the next American in MotoGP somewhere down the road.

EBR 1190RS, made in Wisconsin

Yamaha R6

Harley-Davidson XR1200

standing start, Michael Jordan Motorsports #23 Suzuki

Brasil bike

KTM RC8 R

My Jaguar alive experience. Gillette Stadium. Drove XF, XF-R, XJ-R, XK-RS.

This was my weekend project to replace the workbench I ripped out in the spring.   New 4' x 12' loft and 2' x 12' workbench:

Chris

 "Andy? Andy! Aahhgggggg!" (Pee Wee's Big Adventure)

 

 Balloon Festival

  

You're in a balloon ya damn fool.

 

Balloons

Pig Balloon

Heat Balloon

 Hungry Balloon

 Spider Pig

 Some people can put "barn flying experience" on their resume.

Black River Stages

The winner of the Black River Stages....#16 Subaru Impreza 2WD Light class driver, Kevin Turner, DE....Codriver Matthew Rhoads, PA...... Second was #14 Ford Focus Open 2WD Heavy class Driver Michael Riley, Cape Neddick,ME.... Codriver Joshua Brenthien, South Portland, ME..... The Evos and STIs either broke or wrecked.... Martin Donnelly driver of the EVO 9 "made a stupid mistake" and drove into a swamp so deep it submerged the motor.

Happy birthday to Emerson!

 Do I look like a movie star?

 Yay lighthouse

 Lighthouse

 

 Rainbow

Double hull double rainbow fast ferry to RI

Baby blanket for baby Jette, my friend Ashley's daughter. I finished earlier today, and none too early- baby Jette was born last Wednesday- 3 weeks early!
Rachel

ALMS Grand-Am merger

My biggest worry about this merger is that Lime Rock will lose their races. During the press conference they mentioned about 12 races in the schedule. These are the races I think are on the future schedule.
1-Daytona 24
2-Sebring12
3-Road Atlanta
4-Long Beach
5-Laguna Seca
6-Indy
7-Watkins Glen
8-Mosport or Montreal
 That leaves about 5-6 more races to fill the schedule. There is still Sonoma, Road America, Mid-Ohio, Mosport or Montreal, NJMP, VIR, Homstead, Circuit of the Americas, and Lime Rock to fight for those last spots. I figure they will want at least one race in Canada. Figure Baltimore is done after next year for sure. Lime Rock's best hope is location to NYC.
With Grand Am running about 20-25 car counts and ALMS about 30-35 a combined series could possibly have 35-40 cars which would be a little crowded at Lime Rock.
How will it look when the "corvette" DP car gets beat by the Corvette GT car?

Hi All, I hope all the children had a good 1st day of school.... As far as the cat goes, we haven't chosen a name yet, but we have narrowed it down.... Necessary Dam Cat (Nessie), Ahab, Oreo (100th anniversary), Sylvester the Cat. Vote now! Donnie

 Lime Rock old stuff "races."  Cyndy had a lot of insight on the wonderful people who race vintage cars.

 Miller Indy Car

 Alfa 8C

Alfa Tipo B and Ford dirt track thingy

Morgan 3-wheeler

1979 Tyrrell 

 1976 March

Gilles Villeneuve's  March Formula Atlantic car.  Appropriately he raced snowmobiles before becoming an F1 legend

Pony Toni!

Duncan Dayton's cars.  The Chevron was very fast, but broke.

 Fiat

Tony Poni!

 Jaguar D Type

 1958 Allard GT

Whee.  Sports car racing is dead, long live sports car racing.