Seth’s Sightings

July has been a busy month. There has been so much to do, and we did a lot.

During the Hot times, there were lines of people at our local ice cream stands trying to keep cool during the hot–hot days. High temperatures and humidity kept many of us inside, near air conditioning.

I’ve been watching temperatures in Texas and Arizona, and back in California north of Sacramento where my dad used to live. Temps climbed to 100° plus.

We kept our outdoor activities short, leaving the air-conditioned car only for live music.

Last weekend, we started our fun by stopping at the local fireman’s carnival for some food and to hear the band. On Saturday, we drove to attend Martin on Main in Nazareth to hear various artists (many of whom work for Martin Guitars). We arrived after driving through

by Seth Isenberg

a rainstorm to a damp festival but in good spirits as the rain had stopped… then the sun came out. Earlier in the month, we attended the InterTribal Pow-Wow in Drums, followed by a visit to church festival for lunch and a try at their great Tricky Tray, followed by a ride to an event we’ve been trying to get to for several years, the Benton Rodeo. The rotten weather from the previous day nearly scared us off. There was still a possibility of a storm, but when it came time for the rodeo to start, all was calm. We watched some bull riding (more like cowboy throwing) and saddle bronc, and then came a bit of rain not a thunderstorm. Some of the crowd fled for cover, while the rest of us stayed put. There was ladies’ breakaway roping going on… so if they could compete in the rain, we could cheer them on. The rain quit after about 15 minutes, leaving my front and top wet, and the rest of me mostly dry. I was damp but comfortable by the time the second round of cowboy throwing–bull riding. This round, one of the six stayed on to get a qualified ride so Bulls 11-Cowboys 1. As a p.s., See SIGHTINGS, page 5

Sightings

Continued from page 4 the bulls and saddle bronc horses were beautiful.

The Benton Rodeo is in its 38th season. It’s a big arena with bleachers nearly all the way around. Tickets were $18, $14 for seniors. Parking is $5 and once you are in, you stay to wait for the parking lot to clear.

Another note, the food prices were great $5 for a burger, $4 for a raspberry milkshake, for example. We plan to go back next year.

On NASCAR race weekend, our chance to see ARCA racing got rained out with the rain starting just before race time. It poured for about 10 minutes, and I took shelter under the grandstand. The sun came out after the dousing, but the race had been postponed until 8:30 in the morning on Saturday. I wasn’t going to get up that early.

Ruth and I shared Saturday afternoon at the raceway, enjoying some Fan Fair kudos to the Geico NASCAR history display and some racing.

While in line for a milkshake, we saw race car driver Sammy Smith meet a young fan, about 7 yearsold, who was wearing a Sammy Smith t-shirt. He in line ahead of us, and had the shake before walking nearly straight into Smith. The kid was ‘over the moon’ excited and got a few minutes with his hero, and pictures.

The truck race was particularly exciting. The Xfinity race was fun, but we had to leave before the checkered flag in order to arrive at the Pocono Mountains Music Festival event that evening at Pocono Mountain East High School. The show that night featured singer Christine Andreas and her husband and accompanist Marty Silvestri. It was wonderful, and so too was this year’s run of performances. We are lucky to have such an event locally.

Sunday’s NASCAR race enjoyed beautiful Pocono weather, and a fine race that ended with Denny Hamlin holding the checkered flag. We left a bit early to avoid being hemmed in the raceway parking lot, instead getting hemmed in as Route 115 filled up its three lanes and came to a stop, but even that didn’t last too long before traffic was converted to two lanes north from Route 903.

Sightings include the gorgeous full “supermoon” rising through the clouds on Monday night.

There are fawns and more fawns all around. There are also some nice bucks around we sighted one bouncing, kicking and twisting in front of several females.

We’ve been visiting several local farms to get some farm grown eggs and vegetables including local sweet corn, and add to our flowering plants. On one visit, I sighted a hummingbird who came to sample flowers, and dine at their feeder. It was large and plain, so likely a female. It hovered a bit, then after feeding sped away.

As July heated up, I heard my first June bug of the summer a sound I associate with August at summer camp.

At the end of my day this past week, I was unpacking the car to go in the house when I encountered a doe quietly walking down the alley toward me, getting a little too close. I turned to go into our garage, and she turned into a yard two houses up from me.

If you have your own critter sighting or story, and would like to share it with me, send it along to journalseth@pa.metrocast. net marked as Sightings.

This week is the Mahoney Brothers’ Beatles and More free shows at Knoebels through Sunday the 6th three shows a day with two of those in the evening. We are trying to attend two shows see you there?

Musikfest starts August 4 with loads of shows, free and ticketed, through the 12th.

The end of this season’s PA Shakespeare Festival draws near. We’ve enjoyed terrific performances in DeSales U.’s air conditioned theaters. For their end of season, shows are daily to the 6th.

The Carbon County Fair starts Monday the 7th and runs to Saturday the 12th. On that Saturday is the 4-H Youth animals auction something Ruth and I always find fun, supporting the kids.

As the weather has cooled the nights are tolerable again. Here’s to cool nights for comfortable sleeping. Good health to you all.