Coast Fork Cowboy Festival - Obama Blueberry Salsa

The Coast Fork Cowboy Festival started today in Creswell [Oregon] and we participated.

When we showed up we could not help but notice an old western facade set up on Oregon Avenue (our Main Street) and some guys standing around. The guy in the middle is Wayne White. He looked a little familiar but I couldn't place him until later when he dressed up and started talking.


Wayne was the announcer at the Eugene Pro Rodeo we went to earlier this summer.


Our Booth was next to the Creswell Chamber of Commerce booth. That's Sharyn in the straw hat setting up the Barack Obama booth and starting to prepare our secret weapon - Barack Obama Oregon Blue state Berry Salsa.


These folks had the booth next to ours and they represent the really cool Creswell Library.


Across Oregon Ave They were setting up the Coast Fork Cowboy Festival booth.


Carol, Mandy and Sharyn were working together to get the booth ready to operate.


On a hot day (90 degrees) it was nice to be near the Ice Cream Parlor...


... and under a Creswell street lamp.


Mandy was looking for a place to post an Obama '08 sign.


Finally Carol and Mandy just taped it to our table in the booth.


Meanwhile the Library crew was hanging their giant sign.


I walked up to the old western town facade for a shot or two (no, not rotgut whiskey, photographs)


OK, here is my first art shot.

The roping cow looked a little starved.


Finally the salsa contest booths were almost all up.


Sharyn had made the Blueberry Salsa and Mandy gave it a try.


The purpose of the Obama booth aside from competing for the Salsa crown was to help register voters (regardless of political affiliation)


Look at this cool car/thingie. With all the lightning bolts it must be an electric car/thingie.


This one called a Gizmo looked really nice also...

... and since it was a cowboy festival it even had a gun rack.


The lady in the pink blouse led a big group in line dancing lessons.


Some were adults ...


... and some were children.


Okay this is art shot number 2.


I did see Wayne White again in front of Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant.


Some of the younger crowd tried their had at roping the starving cow.


I think this little guy on the left was trying to rope a

Wayne White and the young lady who was helping the kids rope put on a bullwhip demonstration. I think she is his daughter but I'm not positive.


Later I talked to Wayne who is a very dynamic and Charismatic speaker just to verify he was the Announcer at the Eugene Rodeo.


I missed the gunfight (acting) but got the smoke.


Before we left we had a chance to listens to the songs of this trio of cowgirls. They were from Washington state and I didn't quite hear the name of the group but I think it was NOT Cowboy Crazy but really was Horse Crazy. Thanks Dallas & PJ McCord Founders of The
Coast Fork Cowboy Festival for the correction.

Scrabble Score - No game today and we didn't win the Salsa Contest - but we had a great time.

Quote of the Day -

“To read the papers and to listen to the news... one would think the country is in terrible trouble. You do not get that impression when you travel the back roads and the small towns do care about their country and wish it well.” ~ Charles Kuralt (1934-1997) American radio and television Correspondent and Journalist

Karin Clarke Gallery, 5th St. Market and Graffiti Trains

I had to take the Mini-Musemobile in to the shop and started the day at Kendall Honda.

After a very short wait the brakes were done and after going through the free car wash (coupon after service) I had a couple of hours to kill before meeting the Serena and Charlie and the other Sharon for lunch at 5th Street Market in downtown Eugene.


To explore with this much time on my hands was great and I did have my camera so I went to downtown and after turning onto Willamette at Joggers I stopped by the Karin Clarke Gallery to see what was on display.


Karin Clarke was there and we had a chance to talk a little about art and artists like Adam Grosowsky a wonderful artist and one of my favorite artists. Karin's wonderful gallery is a favorite stop for the "First Friday Art Walk" folks. I'm not positive bit the smaller painting on the left may be one of Mark Clarke her father and another great Eugene area artist. The painting to the right is one of Adan Grosowsky's wonderful paintings.

I'm not positive but the smaller painting on the left may be one of Mark Clarke her father and another great Eugene area artist. The painting in the center is one of Adan Grosowsky's wonderful portraits.


Adam's work is to me a current version of the Dutch Masters like Rembrandt or Vermeer with an Asian flair and like looking into the eyes of a luscious mystery.


Adam not only paints, teaches but is one of the creators of slacklining.

"While rope walking has been around in one manner or another for thousands of years, the origins of modern day slacklining are generally attributed to a pair of rock climbers living in Yosemite Valley, California, in the early 1980s. Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington" ~ Wikipedia

After that visit and taking a few pictures along the Willamette I headed to 5th Street Market. I found a great parking place on the street behind the market and took some pictures of the back of the building.


On fourth street I took a shot of the shops and walk behind the 5th Street Market.


It has a flavor of the old world in spots and could be anywhere in the world (well not the North Pole of course) and I like this part of Eugene.


Looking back at fourth street from the walkway between buildings is one of my favorite shots here.


The inside courtyard reminds me a little of New Orleans.


One of the inside stairwells has a Trompe L'oeil depicting some of the shops and shoppers at the market.


This is another view of the Trompe L'oeil looking down the stairs toward Provisions a really cool market food store.


I love the name of this flower shop, Rhythm & Blooms, It's a great place for flowers.


Another view of the Courtyard...


... and an old fashioned Photo Booth.


The Chelsea Grill is at the center of the food court here and I'm still waiting to meet with the rest of the group.


Then Sharyn spotted me wandering around with the camera.


Charlie was out looking for a parking place but the Girls (Serena, Sharyn and Sharon) stopped to pose for me. Thanks ladies.

I guess there was a duck race going on for charity and the fountain was full of rubber duckies and they even put a duck bill on the rooster statue in the center.


It was Serena's birthday lunch and we did have a great time together. I was leaving through the back door when a train was passing by. I had wanted to get some railroad graffiti for awhile so I stopped to get some shots.


I am not sure everyone likes this defacing of private property or wall in a city on public property and it can get to be too much when it is everywhere. I do think the railroad cars do offer a better option.


It doesn't get to be monotonous when the images and letters constantly change.


Some are obvious statements like this "Grief"...

... and some are very colorful...


... some is very outlaw like this one stating "Lyfer" under the words "Gangster Lean." I wonder if "Lyfer" means Lifer with poetic license.


All along the side of this car is a long message...


... some are only a portion. I wish I could read the message on this one but it's like a foreign tongue.


"FECH" clear but the meaning isn't - fetch maybe - who knows.


I was wondering if this guy understood the graffiti but my guess was he just wanted to cross the tracks.


"Jive" now that one was easy.


"Slump"? I just can't understand it other than to say it is interesting. I think this tag was overwritten by something in black paint I think that's a sign of one tagger disparaging another.


On the bottom it says "Junky Cherish" perhaps a good description of graffiti.

Scrabble Score - The queen won last night.......

Quote of the Day "Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart." - Marcus Aelius Aurelius