Sunday, July 15, 2007

Ontario, Oregon

The last six days we have been in Ontario, Oregon, on a combined business and pleasure trip. The pleasure was visiting with daughter and son-in-law, Candace and Clinton Shock. The business was twofold: a presentation at the State University of Oregon's Malheur Experiment Station's annual field day on Wednesday and, on Saturday (yesterday) a booth at the 75th anniversary celebration of the dedication on Owahee dam, which, at the time it was built was the highest dam in the world. According to today's newspaper, 3,000 people attended it, of whom a few farmers were VERY interested in our Enabler for solving their irrigation energy problems.

The weather has been very hot - over 100 degrees - which didn't bother me too much until yesterday at our outdoor exhibit, which, under a temporary canopy, was just barely survivable, at least to us coastal Californians.
Here is a photo of our display. Note the electric fans on the same extension cord that is providing power to my laptop with its Power Point presentation.

All the exhibits were below the dam, and our green area was surrounded by tall rock cliffs.

Some of pleasure part of our visit: Friday night Clinton drove us to the small nearby town on Nyssa, which was having its annual Thunderegg festival in the municipal park, with multiple booths selling rocks and minerals, but also much food, local entertainment on the bandstand, and, by the time we got there, many kiddies tired from the day's festivities. Candace took this photo, unbeknownst to me, from a distance.. It shows me enjoying a corny joke by the the MC at the bandstand show.

And here is a small child that is ready to go home to bed.
















It was still hot enough at dusk for Otto and me to want to share a large glass of icy fresh-squeezed lemonade.

Tomorrow we fly back to Berkeley.

5 comments:

JonsterMom said...

Looks like you had a fun, yet productive trip! I love small town festivals. They are so much more fun than those in the big cities!

Love ya lots,
Josie

daria said...

I adore the photo of you and grandfather drinking lemonade. You look like teenagers!
I might have to steal it for my blog...if that's ok.
xo daria

Granny Smith said...

Daria, of course it's ok! I'm always stealing from yours, as you may have noticed. I am in awe of your photographic ability. Hope you read this - how to reply to a comment is kind of tricky.

xo Gigi

daria said...

Hi Gigi,
Yes, it is tricky to know if someone has written back in the comments,but if I see there are comments I always snoop! :-)
I am happy that you like my photography because you have an artist's eye, so it's meaningful!
I can't wait to see you and the family in a month from now!!
I will bring a camera along for sure!
xo daria

nonizamboni said...

Oh, Phyllis, such a wonderful photo of you and your dear Otto. I had earlier visited your son-in-law's site and enjoyed the photos. I think the entire country is sweltering. . .today the whole weather map was yellow!
Glad you've had a good holiday.
Mary Ann