Happy Fourth... Almost

On my way home from Afton this afternoon I saw a huge line of cars heading away from Tulsa.  It was then that I first remembered that tomorrow is the Fourth of July!  Holidays don't really register with me lately, since I still have to go to dialysis no matter what the holiday.  But Afton Station will be open for the regular hours, due to the kindness of Robin and Phil.  I hope that a lot of folks drop in for a visit to make it worth their while to open up.

Today was quite pleasant, and I again realized that there are so many wonderful things about being in the country. Sharing is one of them.  You will remember the large amount of produce we accumulated on Sunday.  Well, today there was more. Betty's sister Marlene came in early with a couple of the most gorgeous tomatoes I've ever seen.  Later, a lady from town came in with sweet corn she was selling for her 8-year-old daughter -- 8 beautiful ears for $1.  My goodness, what a deal!   I now have a freezer and half my fridge filled with succulent corn.  I have to slow down on eating it because my digestive tract is exhibiting the results.  But in a few weeks, I plan to make corn relish and corn salad.  Oh, I do love summer!

Meanwhile, back to the guests . . .  We greeted 25 today.  They came from Oklahoma City OK, Galt CA, West Point CA, Denton MT, Stockholm Sweden, Galliapolis OH, Miami OK, Akron OH, and Oslo Norway.  The gentleman from Sweden, traveling alone, is visiting old Western towns all over Kansas and Oklahoma.  On prior trips he visited Arizona and New Mexico, and he knows more about the history of the Old West than I, a U.S. citizen, know. . . by a long shot.

Here are Tom and Judy Gilbert from Akron, OH who also are quite well versed in the language of Route 66.

 And this handsome gentleman roared in on his motorcycle from just down the road in Miami.   He was making his 2nd visit in order to take some photos of our cars.  I really enjoyed chatting with him.

 Yesterday we were visited by Randall Anderson from Toronto Canada and his art project called "Seed Engine:  Two Highways".  I wish I'd been there to meet him, but Phil said he was an interesting guy.  He's pulling his art piece across both Route 66 and the Trans-Canadian Highway this summer.  Performance art of sorts.  You can read his blog at http://seedengine.blogspot.ca/, although at this writing he seems to be a day or two behind.

 I'm getting excited about what will be happening on Friday.   On Thursday, Marly and Phil are finally traveling to Elk City, OK to fetch the U-Haul truck on which Bob Waldmire painted a mural prior to  his death.  We have been given the truck through the kindness of Ken and Marian Clark, who first donated it to the National Route Museum in Elk City.  That museum could not make room for the large truck, but we're thrilled to have it.  The guys will stay over in Elk City and haul the U-Haul back to Afton on a trailer on Friday.  At last!

You know I can't resist a sunrise photo.  Here 'ya go!