Hog Heaven Rescue Farm

Hog Heaven Rescue Farm rescues, rehabilitates and places hoofed animals. We drove up and had to wait for a meandering hog to cross the road before we could pull in. Being city folk, we didn't know if these free-roaming hogs could possibly charge. Between that and their website warning to stay in your car if you see their dogs out until they get their dogs under control, Ben spent the whole time there looking over his shoulder. Turns out that the 'hogs' were very friendly pot bellied pigs and the dogs, King and Kong, were two loving Great Pyrenees.

The couple who started the rescue organization are two retired Pittsburgh cops.They brought us in with their Alpacas, which they raise. The Alpacas in this area are the mothers and babies. The little guy below is just a day or two old.

This baby was born just hours before our visit. He staggered around and tried his first attempt at nursing while we were there.

The kids petting Arlo

Looking at the donkeys, mules and miniature donkeys

Biking to Mr. B's

I don't know who Mr. B is, but he's opened a new (homemade!) ice cream shop/hot dog stand a short bike ride from our cottage.

Sport's Near Death Experience

Sport had a close call on our Sunday morning walk. Kate, Sport and I were enjoying a beautiful walk on a wooded path between the golf course and the lake when two off-leash dogs came bounding ahead of their owner toward us. Before I knew what happened the German Shepard had Sport by the neck and was shaking him in the air. You know how your dog grabs a stuffed toy and shakes it like he wants to kill it. Well, it was like that, but the German Shepard was the dog and Sport was the toy. Sport, by the way, was on his leash, which I held on to the whole time, but I couldn't do anything to help until the owner got her dog back on leash. I owe a huge thanks to the golfer left his game to come help when heard the pandemonium. After everything was under control, Kate and I had legs of Jello and had to make our way home to take care of
Sport's two gaping neck wounds. According to the vet, though, we're lucky he wasn't killed.

Getting his wounds glued back together

I'll spare you the close up. It's not pretty.

Amish Auction in Atlantic

We're living among the Amish here. At least that's how it often seems. We see them in the grocery store, pass their buggies on the road and buy produce and baked goods from their roadside stands. Each Amish community seems to have an annual benefit auction. We've been to a number of different Amish auctions over the years. Both 'English' (that's us) and Amish attend the auctions to eat, bid and socialize. The Amish community of Atlantic hosted their auction on Saturday and it was probably the best one we've been to yet. Auction items include everything from farm equipment and animals to Amish-made furniture and quilts. There is always plenty of food to purchase - this time breakfast including pancakes and homemade sausages, then hamburgers, Amish pizza, ice cream... As much as I would love to have taken more pictures of the Amish, I had to be polite and restrain myself. I can't begin to describe how darling some of these kids were. One group of kids were riding around in a tiny buggy being pulled by a miniature horse.

The family in the buggy is leading the pony to the auction to be auctioned off.

Auction items

I love this item - a rowboat hooked up to be pulled by a horse.

Here I am petting an auction item - a calf.

Amish washing machines

Quilts

Auction item #144

Historic Blue Streak Roller Coaster Gets Recognition

The American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) visited Conneaut Lake Park on Thursday to see The Blue Streak, the park's 73-year-old wooden roller coaster. Now, these ACE people, who I didn't know existed until Thursday, are serious about their coasters. Over 7,000 belong to the group and over 400 (from 37 states, Canada, and Thailand!) are attending this year's convention. In addition to visiting Erie's Waldameer park and Pittsburgh's Kennywood and Idlewild parks, the convention group stopped at our very own Conneaut Lake Park. The highlight of their visit was their dedication of The Blue Streak as one of 25 ACE Roller Coaster Landmarks in the world. This coaster, I must point out is in desperate need of restoration and hasn't been in operation since 2006. Thanks to ACE's generous contribution, the restoration company is hoping to have The Blue Streak up and running in four to six weeks. Look at the pictures. I won't be first in line!

The kids and my parents in Conneaut Lake Park

See what I mean about being in need of restoration

Presenting the plaque that will hang at the entrance to the ride and mark it as a Roller Coaster Landmark

I've never seen so many people at the park. News cameras were filming the event and the story made the front page of the local Meadville Tribune.

Old Oakland Beach Hotel

Years ago, Conneaut Lake was surrounded by lake-front hotels that all overflowed with visitors and entertainers all summer long. Just north of the Midway was the Oakland. The identifying feature of this hotel was the large ship that jutted out over the lake and housed the dance floor. Only one of the old hotels remains today, the hotel at Conneaut Lake Park. The Oakland, like the Midway, was torn down in the late 1960s.

The Oakland Beach Hotel

A postcard from the hotel

New houses sit on the old Oakland Beach Hotel property. We often walk through this area.

Kate with the dogs below

My Blogging Desk

Here it is, a view inside the cottage where the blogging takes place.

Watching the World Cup

We haven't had tv at the cottage for years, and we usually love our tv-free summers. Today, however, we needed to see the USA vs. Algeria World Cup game. So, we hopped on our bikes and rode the easy half mile to the local golf course. Fabulous game! And, looks like we get to do it all again on Saturday. Go USA!

Our lake-side bike ride to the Oakland Beach Golf Course

Enjoying lunch while watching the game

Nanny and Kate. Nanny and Papa arrived last night

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And, for the record, I did feel the earthquake that was centered in Toronto today. I could feel my beach chair sway and even looked behing me to see if someone was joking around and wiggling my chair.

Father's Day on the Lake

Never a dull moment with us and boats. While preparing for our inaugural boat ride of the season Bob and the kids got halfway through uncovering the boat only to discover that it wasn't our boat. After quickly covering up the wrong boat and uncovering our boat, we enjoyed a beautiful Father's Day cruise around the lake.

Bob, Carol, Bob, and Uncle Bill

Jen with Francie, Ben, and Kate

The kids wishing Bob a Happy Father's Day!