LIVING OFF GRID

This blog is about our travels in our solar powered "Airstream" and living off grid, in our passive solar home, near Bancroft, Ontario, Canada.

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Sunday 1 September 2013

MAYNOOTH MADNESS

As promised here are a few pictures from the Maynooth Madness weekend. We were up early and good to go Saturday morning but the phone rang just as we were about to go out the door. It was (Quartzsite) Tony we had met a few years ago when we wintered in Arizona. He now drives highway trucks on the east coast and it was good to hear from him. We chatted for at least 30 minutes getting caught up on the news.

We knew we would now be late for the parade but there was still lots to see and do in Maynooth.



First stop was the Farmers' Market which is held every Saturday until Thanksgiving. Lots of people buying home grown produce.



It was not the best of days to be out and about as the skies were heavy and threatened rain anytime.






John Foreman, a legend in his own time, was there demonstrating how logs were squared by hand a hundred years ago. Amazing how it was done and how accurate they could be. Not sure if I have the strength to do that today, especially all day long.




Music for the Highland Heavies competition was provided by this Scottish band. I've always enjoyed the bagpipes so could listen and watch them play and march all day.




Then the games began. Here the girls toss the rock (just about to disappear to the left of the bald head); much like shot-put but they used a rock and couldn't move their feet, just turn and toss.




At the other end of the field the men were tossing the hammer, a long pole with a twenty-two pound weight at the end. They spun the hammer around and around over their head until they had it going as fast as they could, then tossed it as far into the field as they could make it fly. Some tosses were quite impressive. (Note the protective fencing around the tosser. Wouldn't want the hammer to fly into the audience)

Of course there were lots of food booths around and craft tents set up displaying all manner of homemade goods.

For our first ever Scottish games it was a good introduction and we will definitely attend next year if it is repeated.

Thanks for stopping by and safe travels everyone.

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