This week it has become clear: summer is quietly leaving the Laurel Highlands. I’m not sure how it made it this far unnoticed, but there it is – more browns, more yellows, less greens. Ordinary Spouse has noticed that the birds aren’t singing like they did two months ago.
The camp isn’t quite as busy as it was in July. More relaxed. More free time. The Laurelville staff made it to a Pittsburgh Pirates game about two weeks ago…
Staff, friends and families piled into the bus and off we went. I took Oldest and Middle Daughters. Youngest Daughter would have liked to have gone… for about the first five minutes of the game. Instead, she and Ordinary Spouse hung out at Mammoth Park for the evening.
This was the first time that I’d been to PNC Park. It’s beautiful…
Here we are at the game…
And here’s the Pirate Parrot…
Alas – the Pirates didn’t do so well, a fact underscored frequently by the world’s greatest player-manager who happened to be sitting right behind us. After the sixth inning, with the Pirates trailing the Dodgers 2 to 5, we went out for some souvenirs. While we were out, the Dodgers scored another four runs. On the positive side, we didn’t hear much from Mr. Player-Manager after that.
The final tally was Pittsburgh: 3, Los Angeles: 9, and sleepy girls awake way past their bedtime: 2.
Last week, the Westmoreland County Fair was our destination on one of my days off. I love local color! We spent a good chunk of time checking out the animals…
I have to say I was a bit disturbed by the trophies showing a cooking flame behind the animal…
In addition to the animal judging, there were competitions in fruit, vegetables, toys, photographs and paintings, baked goods, sewing… on and on. I’m already thinking that I need to work on some marmalade for next year.
The rides were popular with the girls. I was glad that we could pay one price for all of them, instead of paying per ride.
I just watched (in my cool Roberto Clemente jersey from the Pirates game)…
And I include this picture of a painting on the merry-go-round, because I know that Ordinary Spouse loves it:
I was fascinated by all the fried food:
- Oreos
- Cheesecake
- Pickles
- ¼ lb Bologna (I can hardly stand the thought of that one)
Honorable  mention goes to the chocolate covered bacon. I’m not sure whether that qualifies as fried or not.
In the end, I tried the fried Oreos…
The verdict? I could handle eating one every year or so.
And finally, a view of the Westmoreland County countryside, just ’cause I think it’s pretty.
ordinary... mostly 