Sunday, all day.

By ten o'clock, there was so much activity at Firemen's Field, between the softball tournament, work in the "kitchen" and out at the BBQ pit (where it was already smelling awfully good!) there simply were no more parking spaces, anywhere!


(Click to enlarge.)
Out on East Main Street, the parking situation was the same. Doors were open at the Presbyterian Church where SouthGate Ministries was holding service, at Grace Episcopal Church, and the First Baptist Church.




The St. Bernard's Church parkinglots were full and, through the open doorway, just enough light shone on the beautiful altar to make it visible from the road.



St. Paul's Episcopal Church, up at Paris, was closed, but will be open for Eucharist at 4:00 on Sunday afternoons in August.


Midway between Waterville and Paris., we stopped at a new establishment - "Rancho Cerritos," an alpaca farm operated by Robert and Judy Reyes - chatted with Judy and met several of the twelve alpacas currently in residence. http://www.ranchocerritos.biz/


Keep watching! Judy said that three or four babies will be coming along, soon, and that she and Robert also plan on opening an Alpaca Goods shop in the little farm stand. (I had an alpaca scarf, once --- sooooo soft and warm --- I'll have to have some yarn to knit with next Winter!)



The alpacas are wonderfully cute and inquisitive but No, Father Tom: you cannot hug them!

Winding through the back roads over the hills and through the valleys, the views were pretty special.






Our Ride in the Country took us on a search for hollyhocks!
These are at the Brouillette Farm....


...and here's a clump in front of the Gray residence in "Dicksville."


The Keith Farm on Pleasant Valley Road has some of everything: plenty of hollyhocks but also these bright red "shirley" poppies. On the road between Hubbardsville and Poolville we came upon a garden plant that we'd never seen before:






a Thistle, obviously, but what sort!






Back in Waterville, the Field was full of activity. Rides were running, the food concession was busy and the softball tournament was still in progress. A happy wind-up to a successful Field Days, for sure!




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