Notes On A July 5

Praise the Lord for our beautiful Northwest beaches! My latest trip to the Long Beach Peninsula was filled with real sunshine, as well as the liquid kind. It was the weekend of the Doggie Olympics & the Garlic Festival. The canine entrants in the contest were hilarious! Even more so were their human companions who had to crawl through the hoops with their dogs during one event. It was quite humorous with the dogs wondering why this feat was so difficult for their masters! The ball retrieval was funny as well, with many dogs thinking it was playtime & running with the ball, instead of returning it. I missed the peanut butter-licking event, as I was anxious to attend the Garlic Festival in Ocean Park.

The festival did not disappoint. All varieties of garlic products were available for tasting, including salsas, sauces, salad dressings, salts, spices and even garlic ice cream! Guitarist and wonderful vocalist Greg Parke was on hand for the musical entertainment and pleased the crowd with tunes such as What a Wonderful World This Would Be, I Fought the Law and Gordon Lightfoot’s Daylight Katy. He also did an original from his CD Son of a Seaman’s Daughter and Mermaid’s Whisper, the sequel on his new CD. Greg also played at the Long Beach Farmer’s Market the previous day. Go to www.gregparkemusic.com to hear this accomplished musician.

My friend Harry accompanied me to the Tillicum recently for dinner & music by Theory of Relativity. We both feasted on the succulent coconut prawn dinners that included delicious fresh green beans & garlic red potatoes. Their Bloody Marys are also among the best I’ve tasted! Theory of Relativity brought back memories of oldies like Mary Lou, Honky Tonk Woman, Just Like Me, Johnny B. Goode, I Saw Her Standin’ There, Some Kind of Wonderful and Third Rate Romance. PE&D photographer Eric Tworivers is the drummer for this group & really keeps the bottom end booming! Eric photographed the Petty Fever cover this month & I thank him for a job well done! (See Music on Tap for upcoming Tillicum music.)

PE&D photographer Karylee hosted one of her best BBQ garden parties recently featuring Alaskan artists ANJ & Karrie Pavish Anderson, who were passing through Portland on their summer tour. What a treat it was with many talented local musicians ‘sittin’ in as well. Friend Lauree Carlsen & cousin Mary Ann, as well as Ed Jordan (drummer for Wood Works) joined me for delicious eats & ear candy for the evening. Thank you Karylee for hosting such wonderful parties in your lovely home garden!

‘Til next time, we pray for peace & prosperity……Bonnie Carter, ed.