Practicing My Chicken Dance

One of the biggest events of the year in my life is The Mount Angel Oktoberfest.  http://www.oktoberfest.org/  I grew up in the country about 5 miles from Mt. Angel.  Even though I went to a different High School (I went to Gervais), and our address was a Silverton addy, I consider myself a Mt. Angel girl.  It's where my mom grew up and was married.  I was also baptised, married, my kids baptised in Mt. Angel, and most childhood memories are of Mt. Angel.

I now live in Silverton, 4 miles from Mt. Angel. But I become 100% Mt. Angel Girl for the next 4 days.  Starting tomorrow, the small town grows and is the third biggest event in Oregon.  Oregon State Fair and the Rose Festival in Portland are the only larger events.  I will spend most my time visiting with family and friends, hopefully working in the beer garten on Friday evening if my "digestion" allows, eating a bit, trying new wines, looking at arts and crafts and just having a merry good time.   This year we even took the RV and parked it behind my sister's house.  This will give me a place to go and have privacy when "digestion" hits, and we can stay the night on the two busiest and dangerous nights to travel, Friday and Saturday night.

So today I need to cook and bake a bit so we are not only eating the food at the festival.  It can get expensive and unhealthy.  Oh I will still get a fondue one day, a Rubin sandwich another day, and don't forget the dough boys, but having some other food available is a good idea.  Also today is the day everyone brings in the booths.  It has become a bit of a tradition with my mom and sisters and I.  We walk on down to the festival area and watch the set up.  All the neighboring towns and organizations come in and set up their food booths.  We get to see a lot of people we know all in one place and can say hi and all, without the huge crowd.  Once the crowd begins tomorrow, it is hard to visit workers in booths.  They are just too busy. 

Unfortunately, the weather prediction is not good for the festival.  I imagine it might not be as busy as in previous years.  But it will still be fun.  So expect a lot of pictures of the oktoberfest in the next few days.  Well I best be off getting my cooking done.  Have a great day.