HAPPY PI DAY

  Yes, it's the Big Day, PI DAY, when we celebrate all things 3.14 . In our house it's a small brown dog  appropriately named "Pi". She named herself by being born with the sign on her chest.
   Francesca surprised her with a pie of her own with all her favorites...whipped cream, strawberries, corn bread and liver treats.

Lucky dog!
                      

PARTY LIKE IS 1356!

          Every year a Renaissance festival comes to a town near you.  It's a good reason to break out the suit of armor that's been rusting in your closet.  

     One visited Gainesville recently and I went with wife and camera. We had a great time.
     
                                                                                                                                                                                              This one was the "Hoggetowne Medieval Faire" because Gainesville was originally called
"Hogtown" (it sounded better than Porkopolis) and in the old days every other word had to end in "e".

  

     Upon entering the city gate we were greeted by
minstrels, 

 



 the Green Man,

 a troupe of belly dancers, and, 

a hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex!

  You could easily spend a day being entertained by singers, jousters, and a multitude of folks pretending to be 700 years old.
 
    Francesca danced with new African friends.



     I enjoyed heaving axes at a wooden wall (Gainesville's axe-throwing bar opens on in three months!) and tossing tomatoes at
this rude young man. He drummed up business by throwing insults at everyone.

    
    Unfortunately the two booths were far apart making it difficult to throw axes at him.
                           ______________
  

TELLING GRANNY GOODBYE

     "Granny" (Rose McDonald) was a well-known, much-loved, homeless person in Gainesville. She was killed by a hit-and-run driver January 30th, hit from behind as she rode her bike. We were the same age but our lives could not have been more different. 
      She was raised in an orphanage until she left at 13. People here knew her as "Granny", a friendly face in downtown Gainesville. Her death was not reported for a month because police could not locate next of kin.
    Yesterday the volunteers at Prairie Creek Cemetery dug her a grave in soft, sandy soil. 

 
   
    Three hours later a hundred people attended Granny's memorial service before she was laid to rest. Here's a link to a short, recent interview,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DyCVG637Ftw
     

                                              _____________________________________