End of summer ramblings

The funny colored leaves on the trees around these parts is a sure sign that summer is almost over. It wasn't much of a summer. It started late and ended early.

I plum forgot to celebrate Diez y Seis this month, dang it. What a celebration it could have been, too. I remember when my mom and dad would take us to the celebration in Kyle, Texas, about six miles from our farm. What a fandango! We'd do the ring toss and try to win prizes, listen to the live Mexican Conjunto bands play and eat tacos and other things we either couldn't pronounce or distinguish.

I also skipped out on the Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel this year. I hear there were more people there this year than last - and last year there were too many. I could barely walk down the street without bumping into someone with a sausage on a stick or a greasy bag of onion rings and elephant ears.

I blame this all on the shortness of this summer in Oregon. It threw me off. Next year, I want at least three full months of it, or I'm asking the governor for my money back.