Garlic Watermelon?

Really?

I just saw a lady on the 10 o'clock news eating garlic sprinkled on watermelon. How is it the Garlic Festival always passes me by? I always miss it! I have occasion to drive through Gilroy from time to time - usually on my way from Point A to Point B - but have pit-stopped there frequently too; it's one of those places where everything is right off the freeway (oh, wait - except Starbucks and Peets!).

Don't get me wrong - I actually like Gilroy. It's a lovely area and has good shopping. When I lived on the Central Coast it seemed to be "The Place" to shop - unless you could afford to go to Hong Kong. I've never been able to go to Hong Kong for shopping or anything else, but I wouldn't mind going. Oh wait . . . I was talking about Gilroy . . .

I'm sure you get used to the aroma (is that why there's a town not too far away called Aromas?) I guess the smell loses its potency once you've been there an hour or two shopping, or looking for a coffee shop, but if you're just driving through it sure does a number on you. Especially if you're hungry.

So apparently it's the Garlic Festival all weekend, and I know about it. Now I have to consciously make a decision whether to go or not. Will the lure of garlic watermelon prove irresistible?

I'll let you know . . .

*Edit*

My friend and I thought we'd go check it out, just for a few hours, but the closer we got to where we assumed 'the action' was, the slower the traffic actually moved. Then I remembered I hadn't bothered to find out if there would be an entrance fee. Everything has an entrance fee. I can't even go for a walk in the park anymore without paying a fee. (The fee was $17.00 for the Garlic Festival, apparently)

Then I also remembered there would no doubt be a parking fee too. Last weekend I'd been happy to pay for the Salinas Rodeo, but hadn't thought about parking. It had cost $10.00 to park on a baseball field and it was worth it. But that was for rodeo. This was for garlic! I wasn't so sure $10.00 was reasonable for parking for garlic. I'm not exactly made out of money.

It turns out that parking was free with a shuttle service, which is good to know . . . for next year. Next year - if I go - I will leave much earlier and probably on a Saturday. Judging from the website, it looks like it would be fun, not to mention the food of course. Yes, next year sounds good.



Summer Book Giveaway


More Glister info and chapters here: theglisterjournals.com


Glister Journals chapters on Wordpress . . . (Chapters Three and Four will be added soon.)

July giveaway coming to a close

As July winds down into August, I'd just like to remind everyone interested in winning a copy of The Glister Journals: Bronze that you NEED TO LEAVE A COMMENT letting me know that you want to be entered! Quite a few people have begun following, either the blog here or on Wordpress, or on Facebook, but only one has actually LEFT A COMMENT saying that they want to be entered in the giveaway (Sorry - I don't mean to shout, but without that comment, I don't know whether you want a book or are just curious/supportive!)


It doesn't hurt to enter . . . just LEAVE A COMMENT letting me know! At this point there is still a book available, and anyone not winning this month will be added to the drawing for the following months. Good luck everyone!


Summer Book Giveaway


More Glister info and chapters here: theglisterjournals.com


Glister Journals chapters on Wordpress . . . (Chapters Three and Four will be added soon.)

California Rodeo

It's been quite a while since I've been to pro rodeo. For the past few years I've attended high school rodeos, which I have to say, I really enjoy more. But this was fun - if expensive. It was a beautiful day; actually a little on the cool side which is just fine with me.


I got some good video too, which I hope I can capture some nice stills from. I'll try to post some at a later date. I'm also hoping that some of the video might be useful in coming up with some animation for a book trailer I want to make. Yes, I know that trailers are supposed to come out before the event, but if you think about it, they really should come out after. Trailers go behind, right? Anyway, it's just a project, and at this point I don't have a clue how to do animation properly, so it's certainly going to take a while.


Here's a link for a story about a couple of brothers who competed there . . . reminded me a little of the Glister boys: Prorodeo article


Back to the rodeo . . .


One of the things I prefer about high school rodeos I've been to - apart from the amazing riding skills displayed - is being able to watch one event at a time. I like to really watch. I soak it all up. So if it's bull riding, I want to just watch bull riding. I don't mind waiting between bulls. At this rodeo they kept everything moving so that there was always something going on: reining at the same time as roping (NOT in the same space, obviously); barrels at the same time as broncs. That was very distracting. I have attention issues as it is. I want to be able to watch one thing and really see what's going on. Maybe I'm weird, but I'm just not into the whole 'three-ring circus' thing.


Saw some things I hadn't seen before. Mini wagon racing. That was kind of cool, except that there were only two wagons. And a relay race where riders drag a rug that individuals jump on and get pulled - 'drag racing'? The bullfighters were pretty good, but I got a bigger kick out of watching the bulls after they were released into the big arena. Every time a bull was released it would saunter over to the rest of them, they'd turn and walk off together as if to 'powwow' about their experience and the oddities of the human race, then they'd come back to watch the next bull and wait for him to be released and join them. It was very interesting. Yeah, I'm weird like that.


It was over way too soon, but it was a good day. I love rodeo. :)


More Glister Journals info and chapters here: theglisterjournals.com


Glister Journals chapters on Wordpress . . .


The Glister Journals summer book giveaway here: Summer Giveaway"

Summer Giveaway (update)

We're still giving away two books each month in July and August, and now September too! No one took advantage of June, so I'm extending it to September. Just 'like' us at our Facebook page, or follow here at my blog, leave a comment saying you'd like to be entered in the book giveaway, and you are!

Have a fun and SAFE 4th of July!



Comments and questions will be exuberantly responded to.

The first few chapters of Bronze can be read at theglisterjournals.com